Erzincan is a city in eastern Anatolia, set in a broad valley between mountain ranges. It has been repeatedly devastated by earthquakes — most recently in 1992 — which is why the modern city looks newer than its history suggests. What survived, or was rebuilt, includes the Mama Hatun Kümbeti (a distinctive Seljuk tomb with a conical roof) and the ruins of Altıntepe, a significant Urartian site about 20km east of the city.
The Girlevik Waterfall, about 30km southeast, is worth a stop if you're passing through. The surrounding Munzur Mountains offer trekking in summer and attract ski tourers in winter.
Erzincan sits on the North Anatolian Fault — the major tectonic boundary that has caused most of Turkey's worst earthquakes — which runs through the region and is part of what gives the landscape its particular geological drama.
The city is a transport junction for eastern Anatolia, with bus connections to Erzurum, Trabzon, Sivas, and further west. There's an airport with connections to Istanbul.