Çandır Şah Sultan Hatun Türbesi, Yozgat'ın Çandır ilçesinde yer alan, 1499-1500 yıllarında Dulkadiroğlu Şahruh Bey tarafından eşi için yaptırılan sekizgen planlı kümbet olup, sarı-kızıl kesme taş işçiliği ve kripta katıyla Anadolu'daki eyvanı türbelerin önemli örneklerindendir.
This dome in the Candir district center is a love and loyalty story carved in stone. Sahruh Bey, son of Dulkadir ruler Alauddevle Bey, had this tomb built eight or nine years after his wife Sah Sultan Hatun died. There is an inscription on the tombstone inside the tomb dated H.905 (1499-1500); the Islamic creed, Sah Sultan's identity, and the date are written on it. Sahruh Bey himself was no ordinary bey. He was captured in 1489 during his uncle Sah Budak's raid and had his eyes blinded, yet he continued his duties and later left other structures in the region as the bey of Kirsehir.
The structure is octagonal-plan, built from regular cut stone. The entrance is through a deep iwan, covered with a barrel vault. The door frame is marble, with a pointed arch and a stone door with five rows of muqarnas decoration. Inside, the transition to the dome is supported by pendentives, and is covered by a pyramidal roof from the outside. The truly interesting part is below: a crypt, or burial chamber, also octagonal in plan, descended into from four sides by stairs. The yellow and red-toned stone colors give the structure a changing hue at different times of day.
Around it is a cemetery where old gravestones are found; the tomb stands within this cemetery. According to local sources, the structure has preserved much of its originality and is considered one of the most concrete traces of the region's Seljuk-Ottoman transition period. Among the local residents, there are narratives that the settlement dates back much further, to the Seljuk period. The tomb is said to stand at the center of these stories.
Guide's Note
The Tomb's Story
Sah Sultan Hatun was the daughter of Sehsuvar Bey from the Dulkadirolu Beylik and the wife of Sahruh Bey. Sahruh Bey was no ordinary bey: during the Ottoman-Mamluk wars between 1485-1490, he was captured by his uncle Sah Budak, and in 1489 his eyes were blinded. Nevertheless, he continued his duties as bey of Kirsehir and had several other structures built in the region. Eight or nine years after his wife died, he had this tomb dedicated to her. The inscription shows the date H.905 (1499-1500), indicating the exact construction period of the structure.
How to Get There
Access to the tomb is provided by road. From Yozgat city center, you can reach Candir district by private car or regular minibus services. Once you arrive in the district, the tomb is close to the center, on Kumbet Street. It is easy to reach on foot.
Best Time to Visit
Since Candir is a rural district, summers can be hot and winters can be cold with snow. Spring and autumn are more comfortable choices both for road safety and photography conditions. The afternoon light brings out the yellow-red tones of the stones more distinctly.
Photography Perspective
The structure's octagonal mass and pyramidal roof make for a good composition when photographed from a wide angle within the cemetery. The muqarnas details of the marble stone door stand out in close-up shots. The stairs descending into the crypt also offer an interesting angle for those seeking a different frame.
Things You Should Know Before Visiting
The tomb is a small structure in a quiet location in the district center. Since interior access opportunities and hours may change, it is advisable to get current information from Yozgat Provincial Culture and Tourism Directorate or the district governor's office before your visit. When walking around the cemetery area, it is recommended to be careful of the old gravestones.
Other Places to See in Candir
Visitors to the tomb generally also add other historic points in the district center to their route. It is also possible to learn from local merchants about the district's settlement history dating back to the Seljuk period; locals are pleased to discuss this topic.
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