1071 Malazgirt-Ahlat Festivals

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

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The Battle of Malazgirt, fought in 1071 on the Malazgirt Plain between the Great Seljuk State and the Byzantine Empire, was a pivotal conflict that opened the doors of Anatolia to the Turks. Seljuk raids had long unsettled the Byzantines, prompting Emperor Romanos Diogenes to lead an army against Sultan Alp Arslan with the aim of expelling the Turks entirely from Anatolia. However, the Byzantines failed to achieve this objective. The decisive victory won by the Great Seljuk State firmly established Anatolia as a Turkish homeland. Since 2017, festivals have been held annually to commemorate this victory, and in 2025, the 954th anniversary of the battle is planned to be celebrated. The festivals, which play a vital role in reinforcing historical identity, are held in the districts of Ahlat and Malazgirt, where efforts are also made to preserve the spatial memory of the era.

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The event area, covering approximately 400 dunams, includes two parking zones each inside and outside the grounds. 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, located 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 adorned with distinct motifs and decorations representing various cities, display regional artifacts brought from across the country. The Han tent, located at the forefront of the encampment, has been constructed specifically for visits by 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 meaning and importance of the event, as well as games such as mancala and oil wrestling, are organized to immerse attendees in the conditions and atmosphere of the period.

In addition, Quran recitations, concerts by the Group Dergah, and folkloric performances from seven regions help to concretely reflect the cultural fabric of the era.

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