Amasya’s history dates back to before Christ, with its admirable kings’ rock tombs, the unique beauty of Yesilirmak flowing through it as a part of the city’s life, and its wooden houses bearing traces of Seljuk and Ottoman architecture.
The first known name of Amasya, which bears the traces of many civilizations that have ruled the world throughout its history and resembles an open-air museum, is Amaseia, which is the name given to the queens of the people living in the Amazon. The central district of Amasya, located in the Central Black Sea section of the Black Sea Region, has the same name as the city. Nearly 73 percent of Amasya’s population lives in cities and the rest lives in rural areas.
According to archaeological findings, the first settlement in Amasya started around 4000 BC, and continued uninterruptedly during the Hittite, Phrygian, Cimmerian, Scythian, Lydian, Persian, Hellenic, Pontic, Roman, Byzantine, Danishmend, Seljuk, Ilkhanid and Ottoman periods. The Kings’ Rock Tombs, built by the Pontians, are among the monuments of the city that have survived to the present day. Amasya, which remained under Byzantine rule for 700 years, was conquered by Melik Ahmet Danishmend Gazi in 1075, and Turkish-Islamic sovereignty came to life in the city.
After the death of Alexander the Great, the Mithridates Kingdom was established in the region, and the city turned into a cultural center during that period, when Amasya was the capital. The Pontus state established here dominated a wide region from Trabzon to the Aegean coast. The city was then attacked by the Romans. Caesar came with his army and defeated King Mitridas near Zile Castle, where he said his famous words “veni-vidi-vici” (I came-I saw-I conquered). After Roman rule, Byzantium and Turks came to the region.
City of Princes
During the Ottoman Empire, the sultans wanted their princes to be educated from scratch and sent them to Amasya for their education. For this reason, Amasya has been known as the City of Princes for centuries. Prince Yildirim Bayezid, Celebi Mehmet, Prince Murat (II), Prince Ahmet Celebi, Prince Mehmet (II), Prince Alaeddin, Prince Bayezid (II), Prince Ahmet, Prince Murat, Prince Mustafa, Prince Bayezid and Prince Murad (III) served as governors in Amasya during different periods. In addition, during this period, many scientists were trained in Amasya and permanent structures and works such as palaces, fountains, madrasahs, mosques and tombs were produced. Thus, the city went down in history as an open-air cultural center. Amasya, which has played important roles throughout history, came to the fore again during the War of Independence, and the plans of the national struggle were prepared here.
Amasya Houses
The most important architectural detail that will undoubtedly leave a mark on your mind in Amasya will be the houses from the 19th century, which are almost identified with the city. These special architectural pieces are preserved today, designated as protected areas. Amasya houses, which are considered the most typical and original examples of bagdadi and himish techniques, are located adjacent to the Yeşilırmak River and on the historical city walls. These houses have all the characteristics of traditional Ottoman houses, with one or two floors with an elevated basement, a women’s and men’s (haremlik-selamlık) quarters layout, a closed view with the courtyard or garden generally located in the middle, second floor applications extending to the outside, bay windows and window cages that prevent the view of the inside. You should definitely visit Hazeranlar Mansion, one of the most beautiful examples of Ottoman houses.
Yeşilırmak
Another important element that comes to mind when Amasya is mentioned is, of course, Yeşilırmak. Yeşilırmak rises from Kose Mountain in Sivas and passes through Amasya and flows into the Black Sea in Çarşamba. The river, with a total length of 256 kilometers, after passing through the Amasya Plain, enters the Ferhat Strait and then enters a valley and proceeds to the city. The west of the river flowing through the middle of the city is called the old city.
Birthplace of the Legend of Ferhat and Sirin
Amasya is also known as the place where the epic love of Ferhat and Şirin took place. The legend goes like this: When the Bey of Amasya wanted to have a new mansion built for himself, the masters in the city were sought and Ferhat was hired as the best miniaturist. Over time, Ferhat falls in love with the Bey’s daughter, Şirin. Ferhat asks for the Bey’s permission to marry his daughter, but the Bey rejects his desire to marry her. He wants to distract the people and Ferhat, whom the people love very much, and says, “You can marry my daughter once Amasya has water.” But the water source is far away, in a place called Sahinkayasi. So this actually seems close to impossible. Ferhat is undaunted by this and starts digging a water channel with a pickaxe and a shovel. An old woman goes to check on Ferhat as no one has heard from him for a long time and once she finds him, she tells Ferhat that Şirin is dead. When Ferhat hears this, he throws his pickaxe into the air, the pickaxe lands back on Ferhat and kills him. With his last breath, he screams “Şirin” and his scream echoes on the rocks. Sirin hears the scream and ends her life by jumping down from the castle. The city now has water, but the two young lovers cannot see each other again. They are buried side by side. The 2500-year-old water channel mentioned in this legend is 18 kilometers long and has been carrying clean water to the city of Amasya for approximately 1000 years.
The Kings’ Rock Tombs
Kings’ Rock Tombs are one of the most interesting places for history enthusiasts in Amasya. You need to proceed upwards from Hatuniye District, located on the northern bank of Yeşilırmak, to reach the rock tombs built on the southern slopes of Harsema Mountain in the Hellenistic period, carved into limestone rocks in the form of a smooth wall, 20 meters above the ground on the slopes. It is thought that the 18 king tombs here were used not only as burial places for kings but also as temples. You can also see the ruins of a castle from the Pontic period on top of the tombs. According to Strabon, the rock tombs belong to the Pontus kings. The beginning of a tunnel believed to extend to Yeşilırmak was discovered next to one of the large tombs in the region.
Yalıboyu-Hazerenler Mansion
Yaliboyu houses offer a view similar to the mansions on the Bosphorus. The reflections of the buildings in Yeşilırmak create a unique image. The most interesting of the mansions here is undoubtedly Hazerenler Mansion. The mansion, which was repaired and turned into a museum in 1983, is quite large. The interior spaces are also extremely large and spacious. In the mansion, which consists of two parents’ rooms, a living room, women’s (haremlik) and men’s (selamlık) quarters, a kitchen, a cellar and toilets, the seating groups consist of sofas along the walls and windows.
Upper Castle (Harsena)
Yukarı Kale is a structure built on the steep rocks of Harsena Mountain in the north of Yeşilırmak. It is located 300 meters above the water level of Yeşilırmak. This structure was built by Pontus King Mitritates in BC. It is thought to have been built around the year 250. The interior of the castle is made of cut stone and the walls are made of rubble stone. The important peaks are made of cut stones. There are also cisterns, water tanks, bastions and mosque ruins inside the castle. There are 8 defense levels in the section between the Castle and Yeşilırmak. The castle, which was attacked during periods Persians, Romans, Pontus and Byzantine rule, was rebuilt each time over the centuries and has survived to the present day.
Amasya apple and cuisine
When Amasya is mentioned, one of the first things that comes to mind is undoubtedly the Amasya apple. The muscatel apple, which is integrated with the name of Amasya, is grown here. One side of the Amasya apple is red and the other side is yellowish green. Since it was the city where the princes were sent for education, the palace cuisine also moved to this city over time. In this sense, Amasya has dishes unique to the city, as well as dishes known in many regions of Anatolia, prepared with different ingredients and cooking techniques. Make sure to try Amasya corek (bun), Merzifon keskek, Toyga soup, catal (fork) soup, sakala carpan (beard-striking) soup, Halucka, broad bean stuffed vine leaves, lentil galle, eggplant cullama, sacustu, poppy seed and walnut katmer, Amasya yagli (oily bun) and Amasya tatlı (dessert).
Where to stay in Amasya
You will not have any problems with accommodation in this city, and you can also find different alternatives. Those who come to visit Amasya generally prefer to stay in the city center to feel the historical texture. In the city, which has many accommodation options from 3 stars to 5 stars, the type of accommodation that attracts the most attention from tourists is boutique hotels converted from old mansions.
What to buy in Amasya
In addition to local delicacies, there are many options for souvenirs in Amasya with loads of local products. These include: Amasya apple, rose hip paste, hand-printed headscarves, poppy seeds, and samovar.
