1071 Malazgirt-Ahlat Festivals

The Malazgirt Victory Ahlat Festivals take place annually during the last days of August in the Çarho locality of the Ahlat district. Held at the Ahlat National Garden, Türkiye’s second largest national garden, the festival features various activities reflecting the era of the battle.

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The Battle of Malazgirt was a pivotal conflict fought in 1071 on the Malazgirt Plain between the Great Seljuk Empire and the Byzantine Empire, opening the gates of Anatolia to the Turks. The Seljuk raids had unsettled the Byzantines, prompting Emperor Romanos Diogenes to lead an expedition to expel the Turks entirely from Anatolia. However, the Byzantine forces were defeated by the Seljuks under Sultan Alp Arslan, and the victory ensured that Anatolia became definitively a Turkish homeland. Festivals commemorating this victory have been held since 2017, and in 2025 the 954th anniversary of the battle is planned. The festivals, held in the Ahlat-Malazgirt region, play a vital role in reinforcing historical identity and preserving the spatial memory of the era.

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The event area, covering approximately 400 dunams, includes two parking zones inside and two outside. The internal parking areas are reserved for protocol, security, and service vehicles, while the external parking areas are open to visitors.

Within the event area, a mosque and restrooms are available for public use behind the tents on the western side. Behind the tents on the eastern side, visitors can find food and beverage stalls, shops selling traditional handicrafts, local product vendors, archery and kite-making workshops, a horse-riding area for children, and picnic and leisure zones.

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Different tents made of felt, each featuring unique motifs and decorations representing various cities, display regional artifacts. The Han tent, located at the front of the encampment, has been constructed specifically for the visit of the President of Türkiye and other state officials.

Throughout the festival, equestrian archery competitions and demonstrations, horseback riding activities designed for both adults and children, lectures by academics and protocol members on the historical significance of the event, and competitions such as mancala and oil wrestling are organized to immerse visitors in the atmosphere and conditions of the era.

In addition, Quran recitations, concerts by the Group Dergah, and folkloric performances from seven regions contribute to the tangible representation of the cultural fabric of the period.

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