Amasya () is a city in northern

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

, in the Black Sea Region. It was called Amaseia or Amasia in antiquity."Amasya" in '' The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago:

Encyclopædia Britannica Inc. An encyclopedia is a reference work or compendium providing summaries of knowledge, either general or special, in a particular field or discipline. Encyclopedias are divided into articles or entries that are arranged alphabetically by artic ...

, 15th edn., 1992, Vol. 1, p. 313. It is the seat of

Amasya Province Amasya Province () is a province of Turkey, situated on the Yeşil River in the Black Sea Region to the north of the country. Its area is 5,628 km2, and its population is 338,267 (2022). The provincial capital is Amasya, the antique ''Amase ...

and

Amasya District Amasya District (also: ''Merkez'', meaning "central") is a district of Amasya Province of Turkey. Its seat is the city Amasya.İl Belediyesi
Turkey Civil Administration Departments Inventory. Retrieved 12 January 2023. Its population is 114,921 (2021). Amasya stands in the mountains above the

Black Sea The Black Sea is a marginal sea, marginal Mediterranean sea (oceanography), mediterranean sea lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bound ...

(Karadeniz) coast, set apart from the rest of Anatolia in a narrow valley along the banks of the Yeşilırmak River. Although near the Black Sea, this area is high above the coast and has an inland climate, well-suited to growing apples, for which Amasya province, one of the provinces in north-central Anatolia Turkey, is famed. It was the home of the geographer

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-si ...

and the birthplace of the 15th century Armenian scholar and physician

Amirdovlat Amasiatsi Amirdovlat Amasiatsi (; –1496), also called Amirdovlat of Amasia, was a 15th-century Armenian physician and writer. He wrote several works on medicine and science, some aimed at professional audiences and some at ordinary people. All his works w ...

. Located in a narrow cleft of the Yeşilırmak (Iris) river, it has a history of 7,500 years with many traces still evident today. In antiquity, Amaseia was a fortified city high on the cliffs above the river. It has a long history as a wealthy provincial capital, producing kings and princes, artists, scientists, poets and thinkers, from the kings of

Pontus Pontus or Pontos may refer to: * Short Latin name for the Pontus Euxinus, the Greek name for the Black Sea (aka the Euxine sea) * Pontus (mythology), a sea god in Greek mythology * Pontus (region), on the southern coast of the Black Sea, in modern ...

, through

the geographer, to many generations of the Ottoman imperial dynasty. With its Ottoman-period wooden houses and the tombs of the Pontus kings carved into the cliffs overhead, Amasya is attractive to visitors. In recent years, there has been much investment in tourism, and therefore more foreign and Turkish tourists have visited the city. During the early Ottoman rule, it was customary for young Ottoman princes to be sent to Amasya to govern and gain experience. Amasya was also the birthplace of the

Ottoman sultans The sultans of the Ottoman Empire (), who were all members of the Ottoman dynasty (House of Osman), ruled over the Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental empire from its perceived inception in 1299 to Dissolution of the Ottoman Em ...

Murad I Murad I (; ), nicknamed ''Hüdavendigâr'' (from – meaning "Head of state, sovereign" in this context; 29 June 1326 – 15 June 1389) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1362 to 1389. He was the son of Orhan Gazi and Nilüfer Hatun. Mura ...

and

Selim I Selim I (; ; 10 October 1470 – 22 September 1520), known as Selim the Grim or Selim the Resolute (), was the List of sultans of the Ottoman Empire, sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1512 to 1520. Despite lasting only eight years, his reign is ...

. Traditional Ottoman houses near the Yeşilırmak and the other main historical buildings have been restored; these traditional Yalıboyu houses are now used as cafes, restaurants, pubs and hotels. Behind the Ottoman wooden houses one can see the rock tombs of the Pontic kings.

Etymology

According to

the

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

name Ἀμάσεια comes from Amasis, the queen of the

Amazons The Amazons (Ancient Greek: ', singular '; in Latin ', ') were a people in Greek mythology, portrayed in a number of ancient epic poems and legends, such as the Labours of Hercules, Labours of Heracles, the ''Argonautica'' and the ''Iliad''. ...

, who were said to have lived here. The name has changed little throughout history: Ἀμάσεια, ''Amaseia'', ''Amassia'' and ''Amasia'' are all found on ancient Greek and Roman coinage and continue to be used in modern Greek.

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian diaspora, Armenian communities around the ...

Ամասիա,

Ottoman Turkish Ottoman Turkish (, ; ) was the standardized register of the Turkish language in the Ottoman Empire (14th to 20th centuries CE). It borrowed extensively, in all aspects, from Arabic and Persian. It was written in the Ottoman Turkish alphabet. ...

اماسیه, and modern Turkish ''Amasya'' all represent the same pronunciation.

History

Antiquity

Archaeological research shows that Amasya was first settled by the

Hittites The Hittites () were an Anatolian peoples, Anatolian Proto-Indo-Europeans, Indo-European people who formed one of the first major civilizations of the Bronze Age in West Asia. Possibly originating from beyond the Black Sea, they settled in mo ...

and subsequently by

Phrygians The Phrygians (Greek: Φρύγες, ''Phruges'' or ''Phryges'') were an ancient Indo-European speaking people who inhabited central-western Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) in antiquity. Ancient Greek authors used "Phrygian" as an umbrella term t ...

Cimmerians The Cimmerians were an Ancient Iranian peoples, ancient Eastern Iranian languages, Eastern Iranian peoples, Iranic Eurasian nomads, equestrian nomadic people originating in the Pontic–Caspian steppe, part of whom subsequently migrated into W ...

Lydians The Lydians (Greek language, Greek: Λυδοί; known as ''Sparda'' to the Achaemenids, Old Persian cuneiform Wikt:𐎿𐎱𐎼𐎭, 𐎿𐎱𐎼𐎭) were an Anatolians, Anatolian people living in Lydia, a region in western Anatolia, who spo ...

Greeks Greeks or Hellenes (; , ) are an ethnic group and nation native to Greece, Greek Cypriots, Cyprus, Greeks in Albania, southern Albania, Greeks in Turkey#History, Anatolia, parts of Greeks in Italy, Italy and Egyptian Greeks, Egypt, and to a l ...

Persians Persians ( ), or the Persian people (), are an Iranian ethnic group from West Asia that came from an earlier group called the Proto-Iranians, which likely split from the Indo-Iranians in 1800 BCE from either Afghanistan or Central Asia. They ...

, and

Armenians Armenians (, ) are an ethnic group indigenous to the Armenian highlands of West Asia.Robert Hewsen, Hewsen, Robert H. "The Geography of Armenia" in ''The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiq ...

Hellenistic period

An independent Pontic kingdom with its capital at Amaseia was established by the

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

Mithridatic dynasty The Mithridatic dynasty, also known as the Pontic dynasty, was a hereditary dynasty of Persian people, Persian origin, founded by Mithridates I of Pontus, Mithridates I Ktistes (''Mithridates III of Cius'') in 281 BC. The origins of the dynasty w ...

at the end of the 4th century BC, in the wake of

Alexander Alexander () is a male name of Greek origin. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here ar ...

's conquests. In the 1st century BC, it briefly contested Rome's hegemony in Anatolia. By 183 BC, the city was settled by Greeks, eventually becoming the capital of the Kingdom of Pontus from 333 BC to 26 BC. Today, there are prominent ruins including the royal tombs of Pontus in the rocks above the riverbank in the centre of the city. Ancient district in northeastern Anatolia adjoining the Black Sea.

Roman-Byzantine period

Amaseia was captured by a force led by the

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

Lucullus Lucius Licinius Lucullus (; 118–57/56 BC) was a Ancient Romans, Roman List of Roman generals, general and Politician, statesman, closely connected with Lucius Cornelius Sulla. In culmination of over 20 years of almost continuous military and ...

in 70 BC from

Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...

and was quickly made a free city and administrative center of his new province of

Bithynia Bithynia (; ) was an ancient region, kingdom and Roman province in the northwest of Asia Minor (present-day Turkey), adjoining the Sea of Marmara, the Bosporus, and the Black Sea. It bordered Mysia to the southwest, Paphlagonia to the northeast a ...

and

Pompey Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (; 29 September 106 BC – 28 September 48 BC), known in English as Pompey ( ) or Pompey the Great, was a Roman general and statesman who was prominent in the last decades of the Roman Republic. ...

. By this time, Amaseia was a thriving city, the home of thinkers, writers and poets, and one of them,

, left a full description of Amaseia as it was between 60 BC and 19 AD. Around 2 or 3 BC, it was incorporated into the Roman province of

Galatia Galatia (; , ''Galatía'') was an ancient area in the highlands of central Anatolia, roughly corresponding to the provinces of Ankara and Eskişehir in modern Turkey. Galatia was named after the Gauls from Thrace (cf. Tylis), who settled here ...

, in the district of Pontus Galaticus. Around the year 112, the emperor

Trajan Trajan ( ; born Marcus Ulpius Traianus, 18 September 53) was a Roman emperor from AD 98 to 117, remembered as the second of the Five Good Emperors of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty. He was a philanthropic ruler and a successful soldier ...

designated it a part of the province of

Cappadocia Cappadocia (; , from ) is a historical region in Central Anatolia region, Turkey. It is largely in the provinces of Nevşehir, Kayseri, Aksaray, Kırşehir, Sivas and Niğde. Today, the touristic Cappadocia Region is located in Nevşehir ...

. Later in the 2nd century it gained the titles '

metropolis A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural area for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications. A big city b ...

' and 'first city'. After the division of the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...

by emperor

Diocletian Diocletian ( ; ; ; 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed Jovius, was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Diocles to a family of low status in the Roman province of Dalmatia (Roman province), Dalmatia. As with other Illyri ...

the city became part of the

East Roman Empire The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...

(the

Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...

). At this time it had a predominantly Greek-speaking population. Amaseia was also referenced in the first book of the

Alexiad The ''Alexiad'' () is a medieval historical and biographical text written around the year 1148, by the Byzantine princess Anna Komnene, daughter of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos. It was written in a form of artificial Attic Greek. Anna described th ...

. Amaseia was the town where Emperor Alexios I Komnenos received the Norman general

Ursel Ursel is a Flemish surname: Place *, village and former municipality in East Flanders. Name * Ursel family, Noble house d'Ursel, Duke of Ursel, see too: D'Ursel Castle. ** Lancelot II of Ursel ** Charles-Joseph, 4th Duke d'Ursel ** Marie Josep ...

as a captive from the Turkic general Tutach. Ursel had, according to the book, looted and pillaged the Eastern provinces of the Byzantine Empire until the at-the-time General Alexios convinced Tutach to capture him. Alexios agreed that he would pay "...such a sum of money as no one ever gained before." to Tutach for the capture of Ursel, however Alexios had no cash to give and the Emperor was unable to fund it, so he attempted to raise money from the people of Amaseia, however this caused serious unrest. However, after a speech by Alexios, he arranged a mock-blinding of Ursel which promptly caused the people to contribute funds. However, this is likely to be biased. Saints

Theodore of Amasea : ''For another Saint Theodore, see: Theodore Stratelates or Saint Theodore (disambiguation)''. Saint Theodore (Άγιος Θεοδώρος), distinguished as Theodore of Amasea, Theodore the Recruit (Θεοδώρος ό Τήρων), and by o ...

(died by 319), a warrior saint, and the local bishop

Asterius of Amasea Saint Asterius of Amasea (Greek: Ἀστέριος Ἀμασείας, c. 350c. 410 AD) was made Bishop of Amasea between 380 and 390 AD, after having been a lawyer. "Writers from the time of Augustine", Villanova.edu. (''see below:'' Reference ...

(died ), some of whose polished sermons survive, are notable Christian figures from the period. In 2013, a 24-square-meter Christian mosaic belonging to the floor of a chapel was discovered, near a site where an illegal archaeological dig had been attempted. The mosaic, depicts apples, an apple tree, partridges and many geometric figures.

Early Turkish rulers

In 1075, ending 700 years of Byzantine rule, Amasya was conquered by the

Turkmen Turkmen, Türkmen, Turkoman, or Turkman may refer to: Peoples Historical ethnonym * Turkoman (ethnonym), ethnonym used for the Oghuz Turks during the Middle Ages Ethnic groups * Turkmen in Anatolia and the Levant (Seljuk and Ottoman-Turkish desc ...

Danishmend The Danishmendids or Danishmends () were a Turkish dynasty. These terms also refer to the Turkish state in Anatolia. It existed from 1071/1075 to 1178 and is also known as the Danishmendid Beylik (). The dynasty was centered originally around Siv ...

emirs. It served as their capital until the annexation of the Danishmendid dominions by the

Seljuk Seljuk (, ''Selcuk'') or Saljuq (, ''Saljūq'') may refer to: * Seljuk Empire (1051–1153), a medieval empire in the Middle East and central Asia * Seljuk dynasty (c. 950–1307), the ruling dynasty of the Seljuk Empire and subsequent polities * S ...

ruler

Kilij Arslan II Kilij Arslan II () or ʿIzz ad-Dīn Kilij Arslān ibn Masʿūd () ( Modern Turkish ''Kılıç Arslan'', meaning "Sword Lion") was a Seljuk Sultan of Rûm from 1156 until his death in 1192. Reign In 1159, Kilij Arslan attacked Byzantine emperor Ma ...

. When he died, his realm was divided among his sons, and Amasya passed to

Nizam ad-Din Arghun Shah Nizam of Hyderabad was the title of the ruler of Hyderabad State ( part of the Indian state of Telangana, and the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka). ''Nizam'' is a shortened form of (; ), and was the title bestowed upon Asaf Jah I w ...

. His rule was brief, as he lost it to his brother

Rukn ad-Din Suleiman Shah Suleiman II, also known as Rukn ad-Din Suleiman Shah (Arabic: رکن الدین سلیمان شاه), was the Seljuk Sultan of Rûm between 1196 and 1204. Son of Kilij Arslan II, Suleiman overthrew his brother, Sultan Kaykhusraw I, and became su ...

, who subsequently became Sultan. During the 13th century the city passed under the control of the

Mongol Mongols are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, China (Inner Mongolia and other 11 autonomous territories), as well as the republics of Buryatia and Kalmykia in Russia. The Mongols are the principal member of the large family of M ...

Ilkhanate The Ilkhanate or Il-khanate was a Mongol khanate founded in the southwestern territories of the Mongol Empire. It was ruled by the Il-Khans or Ilkhanids (), and known to the Mongols as ''Hülegü Ulus'' (). The Ilkhanid realm was officially known ...

, and was ruled by Mongol governors, except for a brief rule by

Taj ad-Din Altintash Taj may refer to: Buildings *Taj Mahal, a medieval mausoleum in the Indian city of Agra *Taj Palace, an Abbasid palace in medieval Baghdad *Taj-ul-Masajid, mosque in Bhopal *Taj building, Nowshera, Pakistan *Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, inter ...

, son of the last Seljuk sultan,

Mesud II Ghiyath al-Dīn Me’sud ibn Kaykaus or Mesud II (, ''Ghiyāth ad-Dīn Mas'ūd bin Kaykāwūs''; , ) bore the title of Sultan of Rûm at various times between 1284 and 1308. He was a vassal of the Mongols under Mahmud Ghazan and exercised no re ...

. Under the Seljuks and the Ilkhan, the city became a centre of Islamic culture and produced some notable individuals such as

Yaqut al-Musta'simi Yaqut al-Musta'simi (Arabic: ياقوت المستعصمي) (died 1298) was a well-known Calligraphy, calligrapher and secretary of the Al-Musta'sim, last Abbasid caliph. Life and work He was probably of Pontic Greeks, Greek origin in Amaseia ...

(1221–1298) calligrapher and secretary of the last Abbasid caliph who was a

native of Amasya. Schools, mosques, tombs and other architecture of this period still remain. In 1341, the emir Habiloghlu occupied the city, before it came under the rule of the

Eretnid The Eretnids () were a dynasty that ruled a state spanning central and eastern Anatolia from 1335 to 1381. The dynasty's founder, Eretna, was an Ilkhanid officer of Uyghur origin, under Timurtash, who was appointed as the governor of Anatolia. ...

emirate.

Hadji Shadgeldi Pasha Hadji is a variant spelling of Hajji, a title and prefix that is awarded to a person who has successfully completed the Hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca. __NOTOC__ It may also refer to: People Given name * El Hadji Ba (born 1993), French-born footballer ...

took Amasya from the Eretnids under Ali Bey, and successfully fended off the claims of

Kadi Burhan al-Din Kadi Ahmad Burhan al-Din (8 January 1345, Kayseri – 1398, Sivas) poet, scholar, and statesman. He was vizier to the Eretnid rulers of Anatolia. In 1381, he took over Eretnid lands and claimed the title of sultan for himself. He is most often ...

, who had supplanted the Eretnids. Shadgeldi was succeeded by his son Ahmed, who managed to retain his autonomy for a while, with Ottoman assistance; but in 1391/92, the mounting pressure forced him to cede the city to the Ottoman sultan

Bayezid I Bayezid I (; ), also known as Bayezid the Thunderbolt (; ; – 8 March 1403), was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1389 to 1402. He adopted the title of ''Sultan-i Rûm'', ''Rûm'' being the Arabic name for the Eastern Roman Empire. In 139 ...

, who installed his son, the future

Mehmed I Mehmed I (; – 26 May 1421), also known as Mehmed Çelebi (, "the noble-born") or ''Kirişçi'' (, "lord's son"), was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1413 to 1421. Son of Sultan Bayezid I and his concubine Devlet Hatun, he fought with hi ...

, as its governor.

Ottoman era

After the disastrous

Battle of Ankara The Battle of Ankara or Angora () was fought on 28 July 1402, at the Çubuk plain near Ankara, between the forces of the Ottoman sultan Bayezid I and the emir of the Timurid Empire, Timur. The battle was a major victory for Timur, and it led to ...

in 1402, Mehmed I fled to Amasya, which (along with nearby

Tokat Tokat is a city of Turkey in the mid-Black Sea region of Anatolia. It is the seat of Tokat Province and Tokat District.

) became his main residence and stronghold during the

Ottoman Interregnum The Ottoman Interregnum, or Ottoman Civil War, (, ) was a civil war in the Ottoman realm between the sons of the Ottoman sultan Bayezid I following their father's defeat and capture by Timur in the Battle of Ankara on 28 July 1402. Although Ti ...

. As a result, the city enjoyed a special status under the Ottomans. A number of Ottoman princes were sent to the province of Amasya (the

Rûm Eyalet The Eyalet of Rûm (; ; originally Arabic for Eastern Roman Empire), later named as the Eyalet of Sivas (; ), was an eyalet of the Ottoman Empire in northern Anatolia, founded following Bayezid I's conquest of the area in the 1390s. The capital ...

) as governors in their youth, from Mehmed II in the late 14th century to

Bayezid II Bayezid II (; ; 3 December 1447 – 26 May 1512) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1481 to 1512. During his reign, Bayezid consolidated the Ottoman Empire, thwarted a pro-Safavid dynasty, Safavid rebellion and finally abdicated his throne ...

in the 15th century, through to

Murat III Murad III (; ; 4 July 1546 – 16 January 1595) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1574 until his death in 1595. His rule saw battles with the Habsburgs and exhausting wars with the Safavids. The long-independent Morocco was for a time ma ...

in the 16th century.

Suleiman the Magnificent Suleiman I (; , ; 6 November 14946 September 1566), commonly known as Suleiman the Magnificent in the Western world and as Suleiman the Lawgiver () in his own realm, was the List of sultans of the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman sultan between 1520 a ...

often stayed in the city, and even received the

Habsburg The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout Europe d ...

ambassador

Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq (1522 in Comines – 29 October 1592 in Saint-Germain-sous-Cailly; ), sometimes Augier Ghislain de Busbecq, was a 16th-century Flemish writer, herbalist and diplomat in the employ of three generations of Austri ...

there. Already distinguished a cultural centre under the Seljuks, Amasya now "became one of the main seats of learning in Anatolia". Between 1530 and 1545, several travelers documented a

blood libel Blood libel or ritual murder libel (also blood accusation) is an antisemitic canardTurvey, Brent E. ''Criminal Profiling: An Introduction to Behavioral Evidence Analysis'', Academic Press, 2008, p. 3. "Blood libel: An accusation of ritual mu ...

against some of the town's

Jews Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

. After the disappearance of a local

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

, several

living in town were blamed for killing him for ritual reasons. The Jews confessed under torture and were hanged. When the supposed victim was discovered to still be alive, Sultan

ordered that all accusations regarding religious rituals should be judged under "royal" and not local court. In 1555, Amasya was also the location for the signing of the

Peace of Amasya The Peace of Amasya (; ) was a treaty agreed to on May 29, 1555, between Shah Tahmasp I of Safavid Iran and Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent of the Ottoman Empire at the city of Amasya, following the Ottoman–Safavid War (1532–1555), Ottoman� ...

with the Safavid dynasty of Persia. The population of Amasya at this time was very different from that of most other cities in the Ottoman Empire, as it was part of their training for the future sultans to learn about every nation of the Empire. Every

millet Millets () are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food. Most millets belong to the tribe Paniceae. Millets are important crops in the Semi-arid climate, ...

of the Empire was represented in Amasya in a particular village—such as a Greek village, an Armenian village, a Bosnian village, a Tatar village, a Turkish village etc. (see: 1927 Population count data by DİE) In the late 19th century, the city had 25,000–30,000 inhabitants, mostly Turks, but also some Armenians and Greeks.

World War I and the Turkish War of Independence

In 1919 Amasya was the location of the final planning meetings held by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk for the building of a Turkish army to establish the Turkish republic following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire at the end of the First World War. It was here that Mustafa Kemal made the announcement of the

Turkish War of Independence , strength1 = May 1919: 35,000November 1920: 86,000Turkish General Staff, ''Türk İstiklal Harbinde Batı Cephesi'', Edition II, Part 2, Ankara 1999, p. 225August 1922: 271,000Celâl Erikan, Rıdvan Akın: ''Kurtuluş Savaşı tarih ...

in the Amasya Circular. This circular is considered as the first written document putting the Turkish War of Independence in motion. The circular, distributed across Anatolia, declared Turkey's independence and integrity to be in danger and called for a national conference to be held in

Sivas Sivas is a city in central Turkey. It is the seat of Sivas Province and Sivas District.İl Beledi ...

(

Sivas Congress The Sivas Congress () was an assembly of the Turkish National Movement held for one week from 4 to 11 September 1919 in the city of Sivas, in central-eastern Turkey, which united delegates from all Anatolian provinces of the Ottoman Empire, defun ...

) and before that, for a preparatory congress comprising representatives from the eastern provinces of Anatolia to be held in

Erzurum Erzurum (; ) is a List of cities in Turkey, city in eastern Anatolia, Turkey. It is the largest city and capital of Erzurum Province and is 1,900 meters (6,233 feet) above sea level. Erzurum had a population of 367,250 in 2010. It is the site of an ...

in July (

Erzurum Congress Erzurum Congress () was an assembly of Turkish Revolutionaries held from 23 July to 4 August 1919 in the city of Erzurum, in eastern Turkey, in accordance with the previously issued Amasya Circular. The congress united delegates from six easter ...

). During the years of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and the

, the Christian inhabitants of Amasya (Armenian and Greek) suffered from atrocities. Many Armenian civilians fleeing the attacks sought refuge at the American missionary school

Anatolia College Anatolia College (Greek: Κολλέγιο Ανατόλια, , also known as the American College (Greek: Αμερικάνικο Κολλέγιο, ), is a private, non-profit, educational institution located in Pylaia, a suburb of Thessaloniki, G ...

, located in

Merzifon Merzifon is a town in Amasya Province in the central Black Sea region of Turkey. It is the seat of Merzifon District.

outside Amasya. In 1921, Turkish troops closed down the school, and the local population relocated to

Thessaloniki Thessaloniki (; ), also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece (with slightly over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area) and the capital cit ...

after the

population exchange between Greece and Turkey The 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey stemmed from the "Convention Concerning the Exchange of Greek and Turkish Populations" signed at Lausanne, Switzerland, on 30 January 1923, by the governments of Greece and Turkey. It involv ...

. Also, in 1921 there was the

Amasya trials The 1921 Amasya trials (; ) were special ad hoc trials, organized by the Turkish National Movement, with the purpose to kill en masse the Greek representatives of Pontus region under a legal pretext. They occurred in Amasya, modern Turkey, durin ...

which were special ad hoc trials, organized by the

Turkish National Movement The Turkish National Movement (), also known as the Anatolian Movement (), the Nationalist Movement (), and the Kemalists (, ''Kemalciler'' or ''Kemalistler''), included political and military activities of the Turkish revolutionaries that resu ...

, with the purpose to kill the Greek representatives of

region under a legal pretext.Hofmann, p. 208

Ecclesiastical history

Amasea became the seat of a Christian metropolitan bishop in the

Eastern Roman Empire The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...

, in particular from the 3rd century AD. As capital of the Late

Roman province The Roman provinces (, pl. ) were the administrative regions of Ancient Rome outside Roman Italy that were controlled by the Romans under the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire. Each province was ruled by a Roman appointed as Roman g ...

Helenopontus Pontus or Pontos (; ,) is a region on the southern coast of the Black Sea, located in the modern-day eastern Black Sea region of Turkey. The name was applied to the coastal region and its mountainous hinterland (rising to the Pontic Alps in th ...

, it also became its Metropolitan Archbishopric and included the suffragans of

Amisus Samsun is a List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, city on the north coast of Turkey and a major Black Sea port. The urban area recorded a population of 738,692 in 2022. The city is the capital of Samsun Province which has a population of ...

, Andrapa, Euchaitae, Ibora,

Sinope Sinope may refer to: *Sinop, Turkey, a city on the Black Sea, historically known as Sinope ** Battle of Sinop, 1853 naval battle in the Sinop port *Sinop Province * Sinope, Leicestershire, a hamlet in the Midlands of England * Sinope (mythology), i ...

Zaliche Zaliche () or Zaliches () was an ancient town in the late Roman province of Helenopontus. Name "Zaliche" is the form given in the indices of the editions, produced by Peter Wesseling, and by B.G. Niebuhr It is the form given also in Anthon's ' ...

and Zela. In the 10th century the metropolis ranked 11th among the metropolises of the

Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (, ; ; , "Roman Orthodox Patriarchate, Ecumenical Patriarchate of Istanbul") is one of the fifteen to seventeen autocephalous churches that together compose the Eastern Orthodox Church. It is heade ...

. From the 12th century the Christian element was reduced due to the

Turkic migration The Turkic migrations were the spread of Turkic peoples, Turkic tribes and Turkic languages across Eurasia between the 4th and 11th centuries. In the 6th century, the Göktürks overthrew the Rouran Khaganate in what is now Mongolia and expanded in ...

s into Anatolia. The Orthodox metropolis of Amasea was active until the

Population exchange between Greece and Turkey The 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey stemmed from the "Convention Concerning the Exchange of Greek and Turkish Populations" signed at Lausanne, Switzerland, on 30 January 1923, by the governments of Greece and Turkey. It involv ...

(1923) and in 1922 counted c. 40,000 Christians, 20,000 of them being Greek speakers. Last active metropolitan bishop was

Germanos Karavangelis Germanos Karavangelis (, also transliterated as ''Yermanos'' and ''Karavaggelis'' or ''Karavagelis'', 1866–1935) was known for his service as Metropolitan Bishop of Kastoria and later Amasya, Amaseia, Pontus (region), Pontus. He was a member of ...

. No longer being a residential diocese, Amasea is today listed by both the

Eastern Orthodox Church The Eastern Orthodox Church, officially the Orthodox Catholic Church, and also called the Greek Orthodox Church or simply the Orthodox Church, is List of Christian denominations by number of members, one of the three major doctrinal and ...

and the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

as a

titular see A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbi ...

Titular Latin see

Rome suppressed the see formally , but immediately transformed it into a

titular archbishopric A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbish ...

Amasea, of the highest (Metropolitan) rank, which has had the following archiepiscopal incumbents: * (Giovanni) Battista Agucchia (1623.10.23 – death 1632.01.01), papal diplomat *

Fausto Poli Fausto Poli (17 February 1581 – 7 October 1653) was a Roman Catholic prelate and Cardinal. Biography Born in Usigni in Umbria, as a young man he went to Rome and was soon noticed by Maffeo Barberini, a cleric of the Apostolic Chamber and ...

(1633.03.14 – 1643.07.13), later created

Cardinal-Priest A cardinal is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. As titular members of the clergy of the Diocese of Rome, they serve as advisors to the pope, who is the bishop of Rome and the visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. ...

San Crisogono San Crisogono is a church in Rome (rione Trastevere) dedicated to the martyr Saint Chrysogonus. It was one of the tituli, the first parish churches of Rome, and was probably built in the 4th century under Pope Sylvester I (314–335). T ...

(1643.08.31 – death 1653.10.07), Bishop of

Orvieto Orvieto () is a city and ''comune'' in the Province of Terni, southwestern Umbria, Italy, situated on the flat summit of a large butte of volcanic tuff. The city rises dramatically above the almost-vertical faces of tuff cliffs that are compl ...

(Italy) (1644.05.23 – 1653.10.07) *

Egidio Colonna Giles of Rome (; ; – 22 December 1316) was a medieval philosopher and Scholastic theologian and a friar of the Order of St Augustine, who was also appointed to the positions of prior general of his order and as Archbishop of Bourges. He ...

Cassinese Benedictine Congregation The Subiaco Cassinese Congregation is an international union of Benedictine houses (abbeys and priories) within the Benedictine Confederation. It developed from the Subiaco Congregation, which was formed in 1867 through the initiative of Dom Pietr ...

(O.S.B. Cas.) (1643.12.19 – 1671.01.19); later

Titular Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem () is the Latin Catholic ecclesiastical patriarchate in Jerusalem, officially seated in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem is the archbishop of Latin Church Catholics of th ...

(1636 – death 1637) *

Francesco de' Marini Francesco de' Marini (1630–1700) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Titular Archbishop of ''Teodosia'' (1676–1700), Titular Archbishop of ''Amasea'' (1671–1676), Bishop of Molfetta (1666–1670), and Bishop of Albenga (1655–1666) ...

(1671.01.19 – 1686.04.27), former Bishop of

Albenga Albenga (; ) is a city and ''comune'' situated on the Gulf of Genoa on the Italian Riviera in the Province of Savona in Liguria, northern Italy. Albenga has the nickname of ''city of a hundred spires''. The economy is mostly based on tourism, loc ...

(Italy) (1655.08.11 – 1666.03.29), Bishop of

Molfetta Molfetta (; Bari dialect, Molfettese: ) is a town located in the northern side of the Metropolitan City of Bari, Apulia, southern Italy. It has a well restored old city, and its own dialect. History The earliest local signs of permanent habit ...

(Italy) (1666.03.29 – 1670.10.06); later Titular Archbishop of

Theodosia (see) Theodosia can refer to: People *Theodosia (given name), a given name, including a list of people with the name *Theodosia of Tyre, 3rd century Christian martyr *Theodosia (fl. 6th century), first wife of Liuvigild, Visigothic King of Hispania and ...

(1686.04.27 – ?) *

Ferdinando d'Adda Ferdinando d'Adda (27 August 1649 – 27 January 1719) was a Roman Catholic Cardinal (Catholicism), Cardinal, bishop and diplomat. As a member of the family of the counts of Adda, he was a kinsman of Pope Innocent XI, who conferred upon him th ...

(1687.03.03 – 1690.02.13), the papal representative to King

James II of England James II and VII (14 October 1633 – 16 September 1701) was King of England and Monarchy of Ireland, Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II of England, Charles II, on 6 February 1 ...

, ?later created

S. Clemente The Basilica of Saint Clement () is a Latin Catholic minor basilica dedicated to Pope Clement I located in Rome, Italy. Archaeologically speaking, the structure is a three-tiered complex of buildings: (1) the present basilica built just befor ...

(1690.04.10 – 1696.01.02), transferred repeatedly Cardinal-Priest of

Santa Balbina Santa Balbina is a Roman Catholic basilica church in a quiet area on the side of the Aventine Hill, in Rome. It is next to the Baths of Caracalla. History This had been the site of the large home of Lucius Fabius Cilo, a wealthy Roman of the ...

(1696.01.02 – 1714.04.16), Prefect of

Sacred Congregation of Rites The Sacred Congregation of Rites was a Congregation (Roman Curia), congregation of the Roman Curia, erected on 22 January 1588 by Pope Sixtus V by ''Immensa Aeterni Dei''; it was divided into two separate congregations by Pope Paul VI on 8 May 196 ...

(1701? – ?), Cardinal-Priest of S. Pietro in Vincoli (1714.04.16 – 1715.01.21), promoted

Cardinal-Bishop A cardinal is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. As titular members of the clergy of the Diocese of Rome, they serve as advisors to the pope, who is the bishop of Rome and the visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. ...

of Albano (1715.01.21 – death 1719.01.27) * Agostino Cusani (1696.04.02 – 1711.10.14),

Apostolic Nuncio An apostolic nuncio (; also known as a papal nuncio or simply as a nuncio) is an ecclesiastical diplomat, serving as an envoy or a permanent diplomatic representative of the Holy See to a state or to an international organization. A nuncio is ...

(papal ambassador) to France (1706.05.22 – 1711.10.14), Bishop of Diocese of Pavia (Italy) (1711.10.14 – 1724.07.12), created

S. Maria del Popolo The Parish Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo () is a titular church and a minor basilica in Rome run by the Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian order. It stands on the north side of Piazza del Popolo, one of the most famous squares in the city. ...

(1713.01.30 – death 1730.12.27) * Fabritius Aurelius de Agostini (1712.10.05 – 1712.12.06) * Giovanni Crisostomo Battelli (1716.10.05 – 1725.07.30) * Giovanni Battista Gamberucci (1725.09.05 – 1738.11.28) On 1742.02.15 it was united (as a mere title) with the residential Diocese of Pavia (Italy). Since 1819.11.19 it is again suppressed as such and restored nominally as Metropolitan

Titular archbishopric A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbish ...

(highest rank, again). It is vacant for decades, having had the following archiepiscopal incumbents since: * Jean-Paul-Gaston de Pins (1824.05.03 – 1850.11.30) * József Krivinai Lonovics (1861.03.29 – 1866.11.27) * Jean-Baptiste-François Pompallier,

Marists The Society of Mary (), better known as the Marists, is a Catholic religious congregation of pontifical right. Founded in Cerdon, France, by Jean-Claude Colin, the Society of Mary was recognized by an apostolic brief on April 29, 1836, and is ...

(S.M.) (1869.04.19 – 1871.12.21) * Silvestre Guevara y Lira (1877.01.09 – 1882.02.20) * Giuseppe Macchi (1889.04.09 – 1897.08.19) * Paul Rubian (1900.02.24 – 1911.04.16) * Bertram Orth (1908.10.01 – 1931.02.10) * Frantisek Kordác (1931.07.21 – 1934.04.26) * Gustavo Testa (1934.06.04 – 1959.12.14) as

Apostolic Delegate An apostolic nuncio (; also known as a papal nuncio or simply as a nuncio) is an ecclesiastical diplomat, serving as an envoy or a permanent diplomatic representative of the Holy See to a state or to an international organization. A nuncio is ...

(papal diplomatic envoy) to Egypt and Arabia (1934.06.04 – 1945), later created

S. Girolamo dei Croati S is the nineteenth letter of the English alphabet. S may also refer to: History * an Anglo-Saxon charter's number in Peter Sawyer's, catalogue Language and linguistics * Long s (ſ), a form of the lower-case letter s formerly used where "s ...

(1959.12.17 – death 1969.02.28), Pro-President of

Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See The Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA; ) is the office of the Roman Curia that deals with the "provisions owned by the Holy See in order to provide the funds necessary for the Roman Curia to function". It was established ...

(1961.10.04 – 1969.02.28), Secretary of

Sacred Congregation for the Oriental Churches The Dicastery for the Eastern Churches (also called the Dicastery for the Oriental Churches), previously named the Congregation for the Oriental Churches or Congregation for the Eastern Churches (), is a dicastery of the Roman Curia responsible f ...

(1962.08.02 – 1965), promoted Pro-Prefect of Sacred Congregation for the Oriental Churches (1965 – 1967.08.15), and next Prefect of Sacred Congregation for the Oriental Churches (1967.08.15 – retired 1968.01.13) * Gaetano Malchiodi (1960.01.26 – 1965.01.22) * James Patrick Carroll (1965.10.15 – 1995.01.14)

The legend of Ferhat and Shirin

In its Turkish version, this classic tale of oriental folklore is held to have taken place in Amasya. The nearby mountain ''Ferhat'' is named for

Farhad Farhad ( ''farhād''), also spelt Ferhaad, Ferhod or Ferhat, is a common Persian name for men used since the Parthians, first recorded for Arsacid kings circa 170 BC. Variants of the name are also commonly found in other countries with historica ...

(Turkish spelling Ferhat), the hero of the legend, who for love of the princess

Shirin Shirin (; died 628) was wife of the Sasanian emperor Khosrow II (). In the revolution after the death of Khosrow's father Hormizd IV, the General Bahram Chobin took power over the Persian empire. Shirin fled with Khosrow to Syria, where they l ...

(Turkish spelling Şirin) tried to win her father's favour and permission by tunnelling through the mountain to bring spring water to his palace. Sadly, while he was working he was sent the false information that Shirin had died; upon which he threw himself onto the rocks in his grief. And his beloved princess died soon after. The story has since become a play by

Nâzım Hikmet Mehmed Nâzım Ran (17 January 1902 – 3 June 1963), Note: 403 Forbidden error received 10 October 2022. commonly known as Nâzım Hikmet (), was a Turkish people, Turkish poet, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, director, and memoirist. ...

, a novel by Talip Apaydın, and an opera by

Arif Melikov Orkhan or Aref may refer to: *Arif, a local name for the Rif mountains in northern Morocco *‘arif, a concept in Sufism, see Ma'rifa *Arif gang * TCG ''Ütğm Arif Ekmekçi'' (A-575), auxiliary ship of the Turkish Navy See also *Arif (given nam ...

Climate

Amasya has a

hot-summer Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...

(Csa) under

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

classification and a hot summer oceanic climate (Doa) under the

Trewartha Glenn Thomas Trewartha (1896 – 1984) was an American geographer of Cornish American descent. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, with a Ph.D. in 1924. He taught at the University of Wisconsin. He gave an address to th ...

classification. It is warmer than central Anatolia, and its weather is not as cold in winter months. It has features of both the oceanic climate of the Black Sea and a continental Mediterranean climate. Highest recorded temperature: on 30 July 2000
Lowest recorded temperature: on 15 January 2008

Amasya today

The province of Amasya is known for producing high-quality, small, well-flavoured apples. The Amasya-Tokat region the main area of production. The city is not so developed industrial terms, but is attractive and well-preserved, especially when sitting by the river, which has a particular mystique on a winter evening when fog fills the valley. Tourists (and soldiers from the local base) contribute valuable income to the shopkeepers. The railway line from

Sivas Sivas is a city in central Turkey. It is the seat of Sivas Province and Sivas District.İl Beledi ...

Samsun Samsun is a List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, city on the north coast of Turkey and a major Black Sea port. The urban area recorded a population of 738,692 in 2022. The city is the capital of Samsun Province which has a population of ...

runs through Amasya, and there is an attractive Ottoman-era railway station. The city of Amasya has some nightlife, mainly bars and cafes for visitors, and some basic restaurants. It is not a very conservative city, unlike other central and eastern Anatolian cities. Social life in this city, partly owing to tourism, becomes more animated especially during the summer period. Many international circus groups visit this city. June 12 is a festival date for Amasya during this time, with many cultural and sporting activities on offer. The local cuisine includes the local specialty ''toyga çorbası'', a soup containing

yogurt Yogurt (; , from , ; also spelled yoghurt, yogourt or yoghourt) is a food produced by bacterial Fermentation (food), fermentation of milk. Fermentation of sugars in the milk by these bacteria produces lactic acid, which acts on milk protein to ...

, drunk hot or cold. Other specialties include pastries with poppy seeds and tea, served by the riverbank. There is an airport in the district, open for civilian flights since 2008. Previously, it was used only for military purposes. There are daily one-hour flights from/to

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

Tourism

Tourism has been increasing. In 2011, there were 500,000 tourists, 11,000 foreign; in 2012, 600,000, 22,000 foreign; in 2013, 750,000 total; 1 million were projected for 2014. Foreign tourists are mostly Germans and East Asians, notably from Japan and South Korea. In consequence, many hotels, especially boutique hotels, are opening. Many traditional Ottoman wooden houses have been restored and are now used as boutique hotels, cafes, bars. The ruins of the citadel shelter 2000-year-old water-channels, 1000-year-old bridges, a mental hospital, a palace and a secret underground passageway. On the rock faces there are rock tombs which contribute to the attractiveness of the city, especially at night, when they are illuminated. The city also has many historically and architecturally precious buildings; the Ferhat water channel, the 13th century Seljuk Burmali Mosque, the 15th century Yildirim Beyazit Mosque and Complex; the 14th century Ilhanli Bimarhane Mental Hospital with lovely relieves around its portal, the extraordinary octagonal Kapi Aga Medrese (theological school), the Torumtay Mausoleum and the Gök Medrese. There are traditional Turkish mansions which have been well-preserved showing the best examples of

Turkish architecture The architecture of Turkey includes heritage from the ancient era of Anatolia to the present day. Significant remains from the Greco-Roman period are located throughout the country. The Byzantine period produced, among other monuments, the cel ...

. The 19th century Hazeranlar Mansion has been restored perfectly and now it is of great interest with an art gallery on its first floor and an ethnographical museum on the second. The

Archaeological Museum of Amasya Amasya Museum, also known as Archaeological Museum of Amasya ( or Amasya ''Arkeoloji Müzesi''), is a national museum in Amasya, northern Turkey, exhibiting Archaeology, archaeological artifacts found in and around the city as well as Ethnography, ...

has an interesting collection including the mummies of the Ilhanli rulers of Amasya. * On the rock of Harşena above the town is the terraced site of the royal palace and the tombs of the kings of

(illuminated at night) which, although not kept in the best condition, are an impressive sight from the town. There are five unit tombs placed at slope of

Amasya Castle Amasya Castle (), Harşene Castle, is a fortress located in Amasya, northern Turkey. The castle is located north of Amasya and the river Yeşilırmak (river), Yeşilırmak on the steep rocks of Mount Harşena. History The castle was attacked, ...

that all are engraved on the limestone rocks. They extend like a straight wall with the construction and location properties they take attention at the first sight. Their surroundings are engraved until they completely separated from the main rock, then they reunite to the main rock with stairs. There are 18 rock tomb units present. The famous geographer

Strabon Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called " Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-sighted that he could see ...

(BC 63 - AC 5) born at Amasya wrote that the rock tombs belonged to the kings of Pontus. * Aynalı Cave (Rock Tomb) is approximately three kilometres away from city centre, and on the way of Ziyaret district which way separated to the right from surrounding high way towards Samsun. It is the best-decorated and complete tomb among other King Rock Tombs. At the vault section there are six murals on each of its right and left walls of the 12 Disciples. And there are some figures that include men and women on the west and east walls, although there is a composition figure contains the Jesus, the Virgin Mary and Disciple on east wall. * ''Harsene Kalesi'' – A fortification, mentioned by Strabo and largely rebuilt in medieval times also lies in ruins on a rocky outcrop above the town. And in the district of Nerkis lies some remainsN of another castle, ''Enderun Kalesi''. It is placed on precious rocks named Harşane Mountain at the west of Yeşilırmak river and the city centre. There are four main gates in the castle, which are named Belkıs, Saray (palace), Maydonos, and Meydan (Public Square). There is a water well named Cilanbolu in castle too, moreover water hole and dungeon present in castle A laddered under ground way from the castle that reach to 70 meter below river towards the kings tombs dated to the 3rd century BC. * The town itself has many historically and architecturally valuable buildings, including the Ferhat aqueduct, the 13th century Seljuk Burmali Mosque, the 14th century

Ilkhan Il Khan (also ''il-khan'', ''ilkhan'', ''elkhan'', etc.), in Turkic languages and Mongolian, is a title of leadership. It combines the title ''khan'' with the prefix ''el/il'', from the word ''ulus'' – 'tribe, clan', 'the people', 'nation', ' ...

''Bimarhane'' Mental Hospital with lovely reliefs around its portal, the tomb of 15th century scholar

Pir Ilyas Pir or PIR may refer to: Places * Pir, Kerman, a village in Kerman Province, Iran * Pir, Satu Mare, commune in Satu Mare County, Romania Religion * Pir (Sufism), a Sufi teacher or spiritual leader * Pir (Zoroastrianism), pilgrimage site in Pers ...

and the 15th-century mosque of Yildirim Beyazit. Unfortunately, Amasya is vulnerable to earthquakes which have damaged many monuments (most recently in 1939). * There are a number of well-preserved traditional Ottoman Turkish mansions, some of the best examples of Turkish domestic architecture. The 19th century ''Hazeranlar Konağı'' has been carefully restored and includes a small art gallery and ethnographical museum. Other wooden houses are being restored as hotels and guest houses. Hazeranlar mansion is the most beautiful mansion at Yalı boyu (across the waterside residence) houses series mansion is one of the most elegant civil architecture samples of Ottoman period mansion built by Defterdar Hasan Talat Efendi for the name of his sister Hazeran Hanım in the year 1872. * ''The Archaeological Museum of Amasya'' has a large and interesting collection, of artefacts from many eras of antiquity, including the mummies of the

Ilkhanid The Ilkhanate or Il-khanate was a Mongol khanate founded in the southwestern territories of the Mongol Empire. It was ruled by the Il-Khans or Ilkhanids (), and known to the Mongols as ''Hülegü Ulus'' (). The Ilkhanid realm was officially known ...

rulers of Amasya. * Saraydüzü Casern, this building reconstructed in 2009 and opened. The importance of Saraydüzü Casern is that, Amasya Circular was signed in that historical building on 12 June 1919. Atatürk wrote here about the Amasya Circular. Today, Saraydüzü Casern is war of liberation museum and using for conferences, meetings, speeches etc. Basically, it is used as a congress center. * A number of tombs of Muslim saints, called ''yatır'', are said to emanate healing powers. The sick and dying come to breathe the air and drink the waters of nearby springs. * Ferhat Water Canal was built at the Hellenistic Period to fulfil city's water necessity, it is approximately 75 width and 18 kilometers long. * Lake Borabay (65 km northeast of Amasya in the district of

Taşova Taşova is a town in Amasya Province of the central Black Sea region of Turkey. It is the seat of Taşova District.

) is a crater lake with an impressive view and fresh air. It is a perfect area for fishing (especially trout), picnicking and sports. * Other excursion sites from Amasya include Yedikir reservoir and Omarca National Park. * Terziköy thermal spring is one of the most important springs of the province Gözlek thermal spring, Hamamözü (Arkut Bey) thermal spring and Ilısu thermal spring are the other thermal springs of Amasya. * Amasya was also one of the Turkish cities which had the best viewing location for the last total solar eclipse of the 20th century which happened on 11 August 1999. Many visitors came to the city to witness this spectacular event. On 29 March 2006, another total solar eclipse was seen in this city at 14:06pm local time.

Economy

The region's valley structure and this valley structure provide a temperate climate for many fruits growing. Other economic activities in the region include mining, textiles and cement manufacture. Most part of the city's economy comes from agriculture and agricultural products likewise, greenstuffes and fruit production are also important incomes for the Amasya's economy. Villages have economically concentrated relations with districts of Amasya. In recent years, electrical machine production and household tools (ankastre, kitchen tools, exhauster, paddle box), agriculture and woodcraft machines, textile and food industry was developed in the Merzifon district of Amasya. Agricultural products of the city mostly consist of products like apple, cherry, okra, onion, poppy seeds, lentil, bean and peach. In additionally, agro-based industries have an important place for the local economy. Sucrose, dairy products, egg, sunflower oil, provender, flour, yeast are major agro-based industries in Amasya; the industrial products are relatively limited. The most major industries are lime, brick, marble, ankanstre kitchen tools, furniture, lignite coal, metal and plastic industrial products. These products trades domestically and are exported. Marble exporting is considerable for the city's economy. Amasya is the second city in the country in marble exporting. In addition to that, Amasya is under the average of the country which is working in the industry employment.

Amasya University Amasya University ( Turkish: ''Amasya Üniversitesi'') is a university located in Amasya, Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East ...

was founded in 2006 (before it associated to Samsun University 19 May). Amasya is a city on the road of the Europe and Iran international way and it connects Samsun port to the interior regions of the country. The Amasya-Merzifon airport opened up in 2008. In related with that, cultural tourism achieved considerable place. Amasya is the starting point of the Black Sea tours within the country. Cappadocia tours also cover the city of Amasya. Cultural and Tourism Ministry determined 15 cities which is the trademark cities around the country includes Amasya. These developments also influence economy of the city positively because tourism triggers to other sectors but still the city of Amasya is not where it wants.

Cuisine

Having served for many civilizations as the capital city, and for the future sultans of the Ottomans as an academy, Amasya, also known as the City of the

Şehzade ''Şehzade'' () is the Ottoman form of the Persian title ''Shah#Shahzadeh, Shahzadeh'', and refers to the male Osmanoğlu family, descendants of an Ottoman sovereign in the male line. This title is equivalent to "prince du sang, prince of the bloo ...

, has developed a regal cuisine with characteristic taste, looks and quality. An example of the local food is ''

keşkek Keşkek, also known as kashkak, kashkek, or keške, is a ceremonial meat or chicken and wheat or barley stew found in Turkish cuisine, Turkish, Iranian cuisine, Iranian, Greek cuisine, Greek, Armenian cuisine, Armenian, and Balkan cuisine, Balk ...

'', which has always been one of the most popular dishes of the region. ''Bakla dolması'' (

dolma Dolma ( Turkish for "stuffed") is a family of stuffed dishes associated with Ottoman cuisine, typically made with a filling of rice, minced meat, offal, seafood, fruit, or any combination of these inside either a leaf wrapping or a hollow or h ...

with a filling of meat and

broad bean ''Vicia faba'', commonly known as the broad bean, fava bean, or faba bean, is a species of vetch, a flowering plant in the pea and bean family Fabaceae. It is widely cultivated as a crop for human consumption, and also as a cover crop. Vari ...

s) is another characteristic local specialty. Cream cakes were another indispensable item in the former palace menu. Local varieties of bread include cherry bread, and slices of stale bread are used to make a dessert called ''Unutma Beni'' (which means "Forget me not").

Notable natives

* Basil of Amasea, 4th century Christian bishop and martyr *

Amirdovlat of Amasia Amirdovlat Amasiatsi (; –1496), also called Amirdovlat of Amasia, was a 15th-century Armenian physician and writer. He wrote several works on medicine and science, some aimed at professional audiences and some at ordinary people. All his works w ...

, 15th century

n physician and writer * Hamdi Apaydın, MP of the first parliament of Turkey *

Uğur Dağdelen Uğur Dağdelen (3 October 1973 – 24 September 2015) was a Turkish professional footballer from Amasya. He played for several clubs in Turkey in addition to the Turkey national team. Club career Dağdelen played for Karabükspor, Bursaspor ...

, footballer *

Mahmut Demir Mahmut Demir (21 January 1970 in Amasya, Turkey), is a Turkish Olympic, World and European champion former wrestler in the super heavyweight class. He won the gold medal at the 1996 Olympics in Men's Freestyle wrestling. Wrestling career He was ...

, world, Olympic and European champion sports wrestler *

Serkan Erdoğan Serkan Erdoğan (born 30 August 1978) is a Turkish retired professional basketball player. Erdoğan tested positive for the banned substance Nandrolone, and was thus immediately suspended from the FIBA SuproLeague's 2000–01 season competition. ...

, basketball player *

Hamit Kaplan Hamit Kaplan (20 September 1934 – 5 January 1976) was a Turkish World and Olympic champion sports wrestler of Circassian descent in the Heavyweight class. He won the gold, silver and bronze medal in men's f ...

, world and Olympic champion sports wrestler *

Adem Ören Adem Ören (born 8 November 1979 in Amasya Amasya () is a city in northern Turkey, in the Black Sea Region. It was called Amaseia or Amasia in antiquity."Amasya" in ''Encyclopædia Britannica, The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Ency ...

, basketball player *

İlkay Özdemir İlkay Özdemir (born 1981) is a Turkish stage magician. Early years In 2001, during her study of Economics at the university, she jobbed for psychiatrist Dr. Selim Başarır. Her employer, an experienced amateur magician, inspired her in stage ...

, female performer of stage magic *

Okan Öztürk Okan Öztürk (born 30 November 1977) is a Turkish former professional footballer who played as a striker. Career Öztürk began his professional career with Merzifonspor in 1995, before signing for P.T.T. before the 1996–97 season. He has ...

, footballer *

Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Paşa Kara Mustafa Pasha (; ; "Mustafa Pasha the Courageous"; 1634/1635 – 25 December 1683) was an Ottoman nobleman, military figure and Grand Vizier, who was a central character in the Ottoman Empire's last attempts at expansion into both Centr ...

, an Ottoman military leader and grand vizier *

Amasyalı Bayezid Pasha Bayezid Pasha or Beyazid Pasha (also known as Amasyalı Beyazid Pasha; died July 1421) was an Ottoman statesman who served as grand vizier of the Ottoman Empire from 1413 to 1421.İsmail Hâmi Danişmend, Osmanlı Devlet Erkânı, Türkiye Yayın ...

, Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire *

Tahsin Şahinkaya Tahsin Şahinkaya (1 May 1925 – 9 July 2015) was a Turkish Air Force general. After completing his compulsory military service in the Turkish Army Artillery between 1943 and 1945, he was commissioned as a Supermarine Spitfire pilot in the Air F ...

, Turkish Soldier-General * Yavuz Sultan Selim (I.Selim), Ottoman Sultan * Sabuncuoglu Serafeddin, 15th century, Turkish Physician and Surgeon *

, ancient geographer and historian (died in 23 AD) * St. Theodore Teron, Christian Saint (martyred in 306 AD) *

Erdem Türetken Erdem Türetken (born 5 April 1979) is a Turkish professional basketball player. He currently plays for Trabzonspor. He studied at Anadolu University Anadolu University () is a public university in Eskişehir, Turkey. Anadolu University Dist ...

, basketball player *

Léon Arthur Tutundjian Léon Arthur Tutundjian (; 1905, Amasya, Ottoman Empire – December 1968, Paris, France) was an Armenians, Armenian painter who achieved fame in France. Life Tutundjian was primarily a surrealist. References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tutundjian, ...

, Armenian painter * Ahmet Yıldırım, footballer * Eulalius (Εὐλάλιος), bishop of Amasia

Demographics

On the eve of the first World war, Amasya's population was 30,000 people, including 13,788 Armenians. There were 4 Armenian churches. Armenians were deported during the

Armenian genocide The Armenian genocide was the systematic destruction of the Armenians, Armenian people and identity in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Spearheaded by the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), it was implemented primarily t ...

. After the deportation, the Armenian quarter, the bazaar, the Armenian church and the Greek church were burnt by the Turks. In 1922, the Orthodox metropolis of Amaseia counted 40,000 Greek Orthodox Christians, half of them being Greek speakers. All Greeks were forcibly removed during the 1923

Geography

Situated between the

and inner

Anatolia Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...

in a region of fertile plains irrigated by the Tersakan,

Çekerek Çekerek is a town in Yozgat Province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. It is the seat of Çekerek District.

and Yeşilırmak rivers, Amasya lies in a beautiful narrow river valley, bounded by almost vertical cliffs and the high peaks of the

Canik Canik is a municipality and district of Samsun Province, Turkey. Its area is 264 km2, and its population is 100,641 (2022). It is located to the east of the city center of Samsun. Canik means land of Tzan/Can Laz people and became one of the ...

and

mountains. Despite the mountainous location, it is not far above sea level. This makes its climate more temperate. Five bridges cross the river, and most of the town lies on the southern bank, spread along the river. The climb up to the higher ground is very steep, making the valley walls virtually uninhabitable. The town is shaped like the letter 'v' as it follows a sharp bend in the river.

Quarters

Amasya consists of 37 quarters: * Akbilek * Bahçeleriçi * Beyazitpaşa *

Boğazköy Boğazköy can refer to the following places: In Turkey * Boğazkale, a town and district in Çorum Province ** Hattusa, the ancient Hittite site located near Boğazkale * Boğazköy, Amasya * Boğazköy, Bucak * Boğazköy, Dicle * Boğazköy, ...

* Çakallar * Demetevler * Dere * Ellibeşevler * Fethiye * Fındıklı * Gökmedrese * Göllübağlar * Gümüşlü * Haciilyas * Hacilar Meydani * Hatuniye * Helvaci * Hizirpaşa * Ihsaniye * Karasenir * Kirazlidere * Koza * Kurşunlu * Mehmetpaşa * Nergiz * Ormanbağlari * Pirinçci * Şamlar * Şehirüstü * Sevadiye * Şeyhcui * Sofular * Üçler * Yazibağlari * Yeniköy * Yeşilyenice * Yüzevler

Twin cities

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Bursa Bursa () is a city in northwestern Turkey and the administrative center of Bursa Province. The fourth-most populous city in Turkey and second-most populous in the Marmara Region, Bursa is one of the industrial centers of the country. Most of ...

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Manisa Manisa () is a city in Turkey's Aegean Region and the administrative seat of Manisa Province, lying approximately 40 km northeast of the major city of İzmir. The city forms the urban part of the districts Şehzadeler and Yunusemre, with ...

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Tulcea Tulcea (; also known by #Names, alternative names) is a city in Northern Dobruja, Romania. It is the administrative center of Tulcea County, and had a population of 65,624 . One village, Tudor Vladimirescu, is administered by the city. It is one ...

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Source:

References

Sources and external links

* *
Municipality official website

Over 500 pictures of city and sights

{{Authority control Populated places in Amasya District 183 BC 180s BC establishments Provincial municipalities in Turkey Ancient Greek archaeological sites in Turkey Hellenistic colonies in Anatolia Greek colonies in Pontus Amasea Former Greek communities in Turkey Former Armenian communities in Turkey