File:Yeşilırmak2.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
Amasya
Also known as Amasya City, Amaseia
Amasya () is a city in northern Turkey, in the Black Sea Region. It was called Amaseia or Amasia in antiquity. It is the seat of Amasya Province and Amasya District. Its population is 114,921 (2021). Amasya stands in the mountains above the Black Sea (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 th
AI overview
Amasya is a city in northern Turkey's Black Sea Region with a population of about 115,000, situated in a mountain valley along the Yeşilırmak River. The city and its surrounding province are historically significant and known for apple cultivation, benefiting from an inland climate despite their proximity to the Black Sea coast.
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Place details
- Locality
- Amasya
- Region
- Amasya
- Country
- Türkiye
- Population
- 114,921
- Timezone
Travel guide
Understand
thumb | 300px | Rock tombs of the kings of Pontus According to Greek historian and geographer Strabo (64 BC-24 AD), this town is named for the ancient Amazon female warriors who flaunted themselves here. This is just one of so many misunderstandings, errors and downright baloney myths written down by Strabo. He was born and brought up in Amasya, travelled extensively around the Mediterranean regions, and his only extant complete work, the extensive if unreliable Geographica (Γεωγραφικά) became a standard reference text. It's striking how often later authors simply copied it, right into modern times, when better info was in front of their noses.
The River Yeşilırmak carves a deep gorge through the mountains, and early settlement was perched on the crag north of this then spread up and down the valley. The rulers of Pontus etched their rock tombs into the cliff face, and various armies and invaders came and went, but it was as a refuge that Amasya came into history. In 1402 Timur stormed west and smashed the Ottomans at Ankara, almost for ever. Sultan Bayezid was taken captive and killed, and the rest of his family began murdering each other, but his son Mehmet was spirited away to Amasya. Mehmet grew up to become Sultan and restored Ottoman power. This started a tradition whereby princes were brought to Amasya to learn statecraft and other essential arts before their reign, and the town was embellished through their patronage.
The town has small-scale industry and grows app…
Get around
Most sights are in walking distance, but you may prefer to take a taxi up to the castle and walk down. Traffic is restricted in the Old Town and diverted through a tunnel.
Taking advantage of the North Anatolian Fault there are several geothermal spas in Amasya Province. Like many geothermal spas in the country they tend to be hard to reach by public transport. But if you are on a road trip with your own wheels some are great for a relaxing overnight stop.
See
thumb | 300px | Tombs of the Pontic Kings
Do
Hamams - traditional Turkish baths - are single-sex, usually for men 06:00-10:00, women 10:00-17:00, and men again 17:00-00:00. Check with the hamams ahead of time. Seray Altuntaş Hamamı is 200 m west of Yıldız Hamam at Şifre Sk 3, open daily 08:00-23:00. Football: Yeni Amasyaspor play soccer in TFF 3. Lig, the fourth tier, at June 12 Stadium by the railway station. Hiking. Mountains surround the city on all sides and can easily be walked.
~31 min read
Article
24 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- History
- Antiquity
- Hellenistic period
- Roman-Byzantine period
- Early Turkish rulers
- Ottoman era
- World War I and the Turkish War of Independence
- Ecclesiastical history
- Titular Latin see
- The legend of Ferhat and Shirin
- Climate
- Amasya today
- Tourism
- Economy
- Cuisine
- Notable natives
- Demographics
- Geography
- Quarters
- Twin cities
- See also
- References
- Sources and external links
Amasya () is a city in northern Turkey, in the Black Sea Region. It was called Amaseia or Amasia in antiquity. It is the seat of Amasya Province and Amasya District. Its population is 114,921 (2021). Amasya stands in the mountains above the Black Sea (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 and the birthplace of the 15th century Armenian scholar and physician Amirdovlat Amasiatsi. 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, through Strabo 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.
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180s BC establishments183 BCAmasyaAncient Greek archaeological sites in TurkeyCatholic titular sees in AsiaFormer Armenian communities in TurkeyFormer Greek communities in TurkeyGreek colonies in PontusHellenistic colonies in AnatoliaPopulated places in Amasya DistrictProvincial municipalities in Turkey