town
In Merkez, weddings, holidays and seasonal festivals continue the heritage of Bitlis. Crafts, dress and folk dance vary by neighborhood.
Courtyards, coffeehouses and markets are social hubs. Younger generations discover music and crafts through cultural centers and festivals.
Mountain
1Plain
1River
1Merkez developed as settlement, trade route and farmland in the historical geography of Bitlis. Mounds and stone houses may bear traces of earlier periods.
Republic-era centralization of services shaped modern Merkez. Local archives and oral history illuminate this process.