AMASYA TRAVELLERS NOTE       

AMASYA is nicely situated in a narrow valley, at some places it seems more a gorge, through which the Yesilirmak River flows.
On the North bank of the river there's not much flat space and the land rises steep to the highest mountain peak that commands the valley and surrounding area. The easy defendable situation, supply of fresh water and the wind through the valley, creating a fine micro climate, made this location very attractive to men.
Amasya's long history starts in the mist of times before the Bronze Age, it was also a Hittite town, for Hittite artefacts are found. Except archaeological findings, little is known of the town before the arrival of the armies of Alexander the Great.
Known is however that the town's earliest city walls went from the Northern river bank up the steep slopes to the fortress on the highest mountain peak.
When Alexander's empire broke up soon after his death (323 BC) in several states, Amasya became the capital of the Kingdom of Pontus and the town entered one of its 'golden ages'. Although the Pontic Kings moved their capital to Sinop in 183 BC Amasya retained its status.In the third Pontic-Roman war the town was razed to the ground around 65 BC.Later the town was rebuilt by the Romans and became a provincial capital.Amasya's most famous citizen was Strabo (64 BC-21AD). Actually, the name 'Strabo' was not a very flattering one, meaning cross-eyed. Strabo's eyes were not a handicap to become the greatest geographer of his time. He visited large parts of the Roman world, wrote historical works and atlases, both spiced with local stories and myths. Unfortunately little remained of his original works.
The Romans were replaced by the Byzantines who left, except an enlargement of the fortress into a citadel, no marks on the town.
The town was taken in 1071 by the Seljuks. The sons of one the Seljuk commanders founded, at the end of the 11th century, the Danishment Dynasty. The Danishment Dynasty ruled independently for about a hundred years. In 1175 the Danishment Dynasty was united with the Seljuks again. The Seljuks could not enjoy this reunion for long, in 1243 they were defeated by other Asian invaders, the Mongols.
Around the middle of the 13th century the Mongols had established their own dynasty, the Ilkhanids. The Ilkhanid Mongols would reign Amasya for about half a century and were replaced at the beginning of the 14th century by the Eretna Dynasty.
The Eretna Dynasty was established by Eretna the Mongol governor of Sivas. The Eretna Dynasty lasted till 1381 to be superseded by the principality of vizier Kadi Burhanettin. The Ottomans took the town in 1392.
The Ottoman Sultans favoured Amasya and till the 17th century most heirs to the throne were taught how to rule and tested for their skills as governor of the province of Amasya. The town became a centre of learning and theological studies. Till about the middle of the 19th century the town prospered, thereafter decline set in, sped by earthquakes, fires and the overall decline of the Ottoman Empire.
Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk) arrived here in June 1919 coming from Havza (see the Samsun pages on this site). Amasya had already a force of volunteers to fight against the Greek gangs, who had an own Pontus state in mind. Mustafa Kemal staged mass meetings and the support for resistance grew. In Amasya Mustafa Kemal was joined by three compatriots. Those four men, Mustafa Kemal, Hussein Rauf (an ex navy officer), Ali Fuad (an Ottoman army corps commander) and Refet (a high ranking officer of Mustafa Kemal's staff) draw a Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independence stated that since Istanbul was under Entente occupation and the government under Entente control, the nation had to save itself. In order to reach the goal of saving the nation and to co-ordinate the various resistance movements a congress at Sivas (conformably far away from any Entente influence) was called for.
The text was telegraphed to several army commanders who gave the declaration their approval. The Declaration of Independence was signed 21 June 1919.
It might seem that there were only four founding fathers of the resistance, however there was an important fifth. In Erzurum general Kiazim Karabekir (already a long time compatriot of Mustafa Kemal) commanded the largest force of what remained of the Ottoman armies. He had no plans whatsoever to give the Entente powers (in his case the British) control over 'his' army. Thinking along the about the same lines as Mustafa Kemal, he had called for a congress at Erzurum. This congress, summoned before there was anything known about a Sivas congress, should give him the legal pretext to handle in the nation's interest; since the Government was under Entente control it could not act and the nation's interest had to come first. Mustafa Kemal told his friends and compatriots about the Erzurum congress and that he planned to take part in it. The congress was planned to begin at 23 July 1919. As a reaction to the Declaration of Independence, the Ottoman Government issued an order (23 June 1919) not to obey or have contact with Inspector General Mustafa Kemal.
The 26th of June Mustafa Kemal left for Erzurum via Tokat and Sivas.

TODAY Amasya is one of the most picturesque towns in Turkey. The old houses leaning over the Yesilirmak River, the green and brown of the valley's slopes and its old buildings give the town a uniquetouch. There's so much to see in Amasya that you can easily spend two days in town, you'll enjoy it.

In the case of Amasya it's hard to speak about a real town centre. However, to make it easy we can divide the town in three sections, North of the River and South of the river we can divide the town in two sections, a section North of the square with the Ataturk monument and the other section South of it.
The river can be crossed by five bridges (actually six if you count the most Northern bridge, at the edge of town but not on the map) one of the bridges is a footbridge.
Talking about the river, I have seen local people fishing and they had a catch about every five minutes.

Going North from the square with the Ataturk monument you'll see on the North-East side the 14th century GUMUSLU CAMII (Gumuslu Mosque).
Following the river bank brings you to the TOURIST INFORMATION OFFICE, English and German are spoken by the kind gentleman who keeps the office open.

When following the road right, a short distance from the tourist information office, you'll arrive at the BIMARHANE. It was a mental asylum, built (around 1300) in Seljuk style by an Ilkhanid Sultan in honour of his wife. Patients were treated here with hypnosis and music. The Ilkhanids, Seljuks and Turks were way before the West in treating the mental ill. The building is nicely restored, its portal is impressive, the roomsaround the courtyard were used to treat the patients.
Strolling North along the riverbank will bring to a bridge, by crossing the bridge you're in the part of town North of the river. Well, actually you're nearly out of town at this place.
On the right of the road, when coming from the bridge, you'll see the BUYUK AGA MEDRESESI. An octagonal building, built at the end of the 15th century. The medrese serves now as a Koranic school and is not open to the public.

Following the road (about 2 kilometres) from the bridge will take you to the CITADEL, the road runs as a serpentine. You can climb it yourself, but a taxi can, by careful driving, take you up. The view from the citadel is magnificent.

Taking the road left, when coming from the bridge, takes you past the Buyuk Amasya Oteli and military buildings to the lovely BELEDIYE PARKI (city park) where you can have tea, something cold and a bite in shady surroundings with a splendid river view.

A bit further on you'll see the police station on the right and the vilayet (provincial government building) on your left. Crossing the bridge will bring you back to the square with the Ataturk monument.

However, since we are North of the river anyway, instead of going over the bridge, we take the road that runs behind the houses on the riverbank.

After a hundred meters you'll see the first old houses on your left and another hundred meters further you'll reach another bridge over the river. Following the road for about fifty meters and turning right will bring you to a signpost that point to the PONTIC TOMBS.

It's marked as Kizlar Sarayi (Maidens Palace) or Kral Mezalari (King's Tombs). Going up will bring you first to a flat stretch were the palace of the Pontic kings stood. Later Ottoman governors also had a residence here. It's still unclear were the 'maidens' came from, however we might safely assume that the neither the Pontic Kings nor the Ottomans Governors practised celibacy.
Following a rocky path further up, not advisable for people suffering under acrophobia, brings you to the tombs. The tombs were cut in the rocks to burry some of the Pontic Kings. However, the tombs are empty now and virtually there's not much to see, except the view from the tombs over the town.

Instead, or after visiting the Pontic Tombs you may proceed further along the narrow road behind the OLD HOUSES. Right away on your left you'll find the entrance to a fine restored 19th century Ottoman house. It's HAZERANLAR KONAGI, it was built for an Ottoman minister of finance.
***Open from 09:00 till 12:00 and from 13:30 till 16:30.

You may of course walk further and take one of the two bridges further on but I recommend to go back and cross the river at the bridge you've just passed.


Crossing the bridge will bring you near the post office on the Southern river bank.
The old houses leaning over the river are best looked at from this side, a bit East or West from the bridge you'll have the nicest views.

Following the riverbank West (upstream) brings you to the SULTAN BEYAZIT KULLIYESI (Sultan Beyazit Complex). In lovely shady park-like surroundings this complex was constructed at the end of the 15th century. The oldest son of Sultan Beyazit II had it built when he was governor of Amasya. His fine eye for architecture was not enough to pave his way to the throne, he was killed by his younger brother Selim (nicknamed 'The Grim').
The complex consists of a fine mosque with a fine arched portico covered with domes. Further there're a library, a medrese (college) and kitchen for the poor, all is still in use.

While I was making photographs of the mosque's portico, I heard 'meneer', meneer', (sir in Dutch).
Some old men were sitting together and one had worked in the Netherlands. He had heard me speaking Dutch to Linda and was in for a chat in a language he mastered.
I must admit that his Dutch was better than my Turkish, as an excuse I may say that he had worked about 20 years in Holland. It was pleasant under the age old trees talking a combination of Dutch-Turkish, or was it Turkish-Dutch?
The old man made a great impression on his as old friends and, since I don't want to be modest on this subject, so did I with my Turkish. Reason might be that they never had heard such awful Turkish before, anyway it was cosy, exchanging cigarettes and talking. The call to prayer separated us, for they went into the mosque and we had more to visit.

Passing through the Sultan Beyazit Kulliyesi brings you nearly opposite the ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM in the main street.
The museum's collection consists of findings from the Bronze age till the Ottoman period. Further there's jewellery, carpets, arms and (water)pipes. The most interesting object is on the first floor, you'll hardly notice it.
In a glass box a small statue of a Hittite God is displayed, undoubtedly the finest piece of the museum. The almond eyes of the statue look lively and it's a strange feeling that by looking to this statue, or does it looks at us, we're looking more than 3000 years back in time.

In the garden of the museum (right of the building, when facing it) are stone fragments from about all periods of Amasya. At the back of the lawn you'll find the Turbe of the Seljuk Sultan Mesut, in the turbe the mummies of six Ilkhanid nobles are displayed in glass boxes.
***Open from 09:00 till 12:00 and from 13:30 till 17:00.

Following the main road West brings you to the Yorguc Pasha Camii (Yorguc Pasha Mosque) built in the first half of the 15 century. Nearly opposite the road you'll find the Torumtay Turbesi, here the Ilkhanid Emir Torumtay is buried. If you're short of time you might skip the Yorguc Pasha Camii and the Torumtay Turbesi.

Following the main road East from the Archaeological Museum brings you back to the square with the Ataturk monument. Turning right into a side street, about fifty meters before the Yuvam Pension (on the left side of main street), will bring you to the TASHAN on the left side of the side street. The Tashan was built in the 18th century to accommodate craftsmen and as resting place for caravans. Part of the building has crumbled but in the remaining part craftsmen still work.

A bit further you'll find the BURMALI MINARE CAMII (The Mosque with the Spiralled Minaret).The minaret of the mosque is special indeed, it's spiralled and looks like a light brown ice-cream out of a soft ice machine. The mosque dates from the first half of the 13th century.
Turning left, or going back, will bring you to the main street again.
General Info,

Climate in August/September, about 28 centigrade and around 21 at night. The airflow through the valley has a nice cooling effect.

Transport,
Bus,
About eight buses a day to Samsun (two hours), Corum (1 ½ hours), Tokat (two hours), about ten buses a day to Istanbul (10 hours) and regular buses to Sivas and Ankara.
The bus station is about 2 kilometres North-East of the square with the Ataturk monument.

Restaurants,
For a fine lunch or a good dinner try the Ocakbasi Aile ve Pide Salonu, a little West from the PTT along the river. You can also sit on the terrace. Decent elaborated meals will coast you about US$ 4/5 per person.

In the evening I recommend for a fine diner, or a raki sofrasi (raki dinner), the Sehir Klubu/Sehir Dernegi (City Club) in the Ogretmen Evi (Teachers House). After crossing the bridge from the square with the Ataturk monument, it's the first building on the left.
You can sit outside on a terrace above the river and have an enjoyable evening in a lovely setting.
A raki sofrasi or a fine dinner with wine included will coast you US$ 9 per person.

Hotels,
The choice of decent hotels in Amasya is poor, on the other hand the town has some excellent pensions. Pensions that can be compared or are better than a hotel.

First choice,
Ilk Pansiyon
In a fine restored 19th century Ottoman house. There're only five rooms but all provided with bath/shower and toilet. Quiet.
Good advice, make a reservation long before you'll arrive, for the Ilk Pansiyon is mostly full.
Since it's an Ottoman house you have to put your shoes off before going in, common practice in (nearly) every Turkish family.
Price, since the rooms differ in size I can only give you the average price, = US$ 29,
Address, Gumuslu Mah. Hitit Sok. 1, Amasya,
Phone, 358 218 16 89 or 358 218 62 77
Fax, 358 218 6277

Second Choice,
Yuvam Pansiyon II and Yuvam Pansiyon,
There're two Yuvam pensions, the new Yuvam Pansiyon in the main street and the Yuvam II Pansiyon which is a restored Ottoman house about 5 minutes walking uphill from the new Yuvam Pansiyon.
Both Yuvam Pensions are owned by the same musical family.

The old house (Yuvam II) is to prefer, it has a nice garden and is at a very quiet location, some nights the family gives musical performances in the garden.
Since it's an Ottoman house you have to put your shoes off before going in, common practice in (nearly) every Turkish family.
The only drawback of the old house is that there're no toilets and showers in the rooms. However, this 'lack of comfort' is made more than even with the setting and the friendly atmosphere. If nobody is at the old house, ask at the new Yuvam Pansiyon.

The new Yuvam Pansiyon is more proud to noise, but you can get a quiet room in the back.
Rooms with bath/shower and toilet are available.
Price for Yuvam Pansiyon and Yuvam Pansiyon II, US$ 20,
Address, Ataturk Caddesi 24/1, Amasya,
Phone, 358 218 13 42
Fax, 358 218 34 09

Third Choice,
Melis Hotel,
An Ottoman style made hotel,
The rooms are small and very clean, TV, toilet and shower, however there're no wardrobes or drawers, so coat hangers are provided.
Very friendly owner.
Price, US$35,
Address, Yeniyol Cad. Torumtay Sok 135, Amasya,
Phone, 358 212 36 50 or 358 212 16 43
Fax, 358 218 20 82

A choice to be wary,
Buyuk Amasya Oteli**,
Along the Northern river bank North of the Belediye Parki, the hotel has a bad reputation in town.
This place could be the best hotel in town, most rooms have a river side balcony.
However, no value for money.
Bed sheets frayed, cigarette burned holes in the chairs and in the not very clean carpet. Some beds nearly fall apart, painting (a long time ago) done by someone who was in desperate need for glasses. TV in the rooms.
Unfriendly service.

On top of this, the reception refuses flatly to return passports after checking in (against all international laws), afraid that the customers run away. This was ('was' is written, see further) practised also with the identity cards of the Turkish guests. The reason they gave is that the Amasya Police ordered them to do this.
I had to order my passport back in Turkish and gave the receptionist on duty a Belgian identity card.
Next morning I decided to clear matters up at the police station, conformably nearby.
We were received very friendly by the commissioner, brigadiers and detectives. When I came to the point that the Buyuk Amasya Oteli used the name of the Amasya Police for their passport practices, the commissioner nearly exploded.
He took the phone and without any politeness, very uncommon in Turkey, he barked to the hotel director. The commissioner told me, I had heard it also during the phone call, that they would check regularly the passport practices of this hotel.
We were even offered to get my Belgian identity card back right away, together with some policemen. I pointed out that I had understood the commissioner's phone call and it would not be necessary anymore.
Anyway we spent a very enjoyable time at the police station, tea and cold drinks were offered and we received several invitations for a visit.
Amasya Police thanks again.

Btw when running into problems in this hotel and if you don't speak Turkish the gentleman at the Tourist information office might help you out.

Back at the Buyuk Amasya Oteli the director and the receptionists were more than friendly and even more friendly and glad when we left....................................

For the people who still want to try this hotel here're the 'essentials'.

Price on the board, US$ 60,
Address, Elmasiye Caddessi 20, Amasya
Phone, 358 218 40 54 or 358 218 40 55
Fax, 358 218 40 56

If the situation of this hotel changes please inform the Turkey Traveller by using the feedback form.

We left Amasya after two nights and went to Tokat. After leaving Amasya's valley the landscape widens, here and there some hills. The road follows the Yesilirmak River and the bus reaches Tokat two hours and 110 kilometres later