Amasya (formerly Amaseia or Amasia from Greek: Αμάσεια) is a town in northern Turkey, the capital of Amasya Province with approximately 80,000 inhabitants. In Antiquity it was the home of Strabo the geographer.

Geography

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Situated between the Black Sea and inner Anatolia in a region of fertile plains irrigated by the Tersakan, Cekerek and Yesil rivers, the town itself is situated on the Yesil River (Iris river), at 390 metres above sea level. It lies in a naturally beautiful narrow river valley, bounded by vertical cliffs and high peaks. Amasya is renowned for its orchards. The north is connected to the heavily populated southern side by five bridges. Economic activities in the region include agriculture and mining as well as textiles and cement manufacture.

Tourism

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On the rock faces above the town there are the terraced site of the royal palace and impressive rock-cut tombs and memorials of the kings of Pontus (illuminated at night) which, although not kept in the best condition, make for an impressive sight from the town. A fortification (Turkish Kale) mentioned by the geographer Strabo and largely rebuilt in medieval times also lies in ruins on a rocky outcrop (Harsene Kalesi) above the town. The town itself has many historically and architecturally precious buildings including the Ferhat water channel, the 13th century Seljuk Burmali Mosque, the 14th century Ilhanli Bimarhane Mental Hospital with lovely reliefs around its portal, the 15th century Yildirim Beyazit Mosque.

In the town, well-preserved traditional Ottoman Turkish mansions show the best examples of Turkish domestic architecture. The nineteenth-century Hazeranlar Mansion has been carefully restored and includes a small art gallery and ethnographical museum. The Archaeological Museum of Amasya has an interesting collection including the mummies of the Ilhanli rulers of Amasya.

Lake Borabay (65 km northeast of Amasya) 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 Dam Lake and Omarca National Park.

History

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From its founding until 183 BC the city was the capital of the kings of Pontus. Amaseia was captured by Lucullus in 70 BC. In 65 BC it was made a free city and administrative centre of his new province of Bithynia and Pontus by Pompey. Strabo left the fullest description of it as it was in Antiquity.Strabo's Geography, (12.561). Under the Romans it gained the titles 'metropolis' and 'first city' in the second century AD. After the splitting of the Roman empire by emperor Diocletian the city became part of the East Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire. During this time the city had a predominantly Greek-speaking population.

The town was the first capital of the Turkmen Danismend emirs until annexed by the Seljuk ruler Qilic Arslan. After being incorporated into the Ottoman empire under Sultan Bayezid I it became a major Anatolian centre of learning. Amasya has a history of earthquakes which have damaged monuments as recently as 1939.

Notes

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References

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• allaboutturkey.com Amasya
• Richard Stillwell, ed. Princeton Encyclopaedia of Classical Sites, 1976: "Amaseia (Amasya), Pontus, Turkey"
• Pictures of the city
• Amasya Weather Forecast Information
• Amasya photos
• Amasya Guide and Photo Album
• Armenian history and presence in Amasia

Cities in TurkeyAncient Greek cities | Pontus

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