Amasya is a city in the Central Karadeniz region of Turkey. It was the hometown of Strabo, an ancient Greek geographer and historian.
Amasya is on the railway between Sivas and Samsun. This line has been closed for years for track upgrading, and Amasya is cut off from the Turkish railway system.
However the northern part of the line reopened in 2022. One train a day departs Amasya around 06:00, and winds along a scenic route for three hours via Havza, Ladik and Kavak to Samsun on the Black Sea coast. The return train departs from Samsun around 17:30. It's a regional train that can't be booked, buy at the station, 60 TL. Two other daily trains run from Amasya as far as Havza, 75 min.
Many bus companies serve Ankara and Istanbul throughout the day. Most of these lines will offer you a free shuttle service to the town square. There are also a few buses every day going to and from Antalya, Çorum, Izmir, Kayseri, Malatya, Tokat and Trabzon.
To come and go from Samsun, the nearest city on the Black Sea coast, there are small Metro minibuses that leave several times a day.
Once you get a bus service or taxi to the town square, everything is within easy walking distance. If you are going on day trips to other places in the province, you can find small privately-owned buses that come and go if you ask around.
For car rentals (if you're interested in a day trip to Hattuşa, the Hittite capital, for example), there is a car rental (and pet!) store very near the train station, and another near the bridge by the Migros supermarket.
The major sights of the city include the whitewashed Ottoman houses lining the river and the ancient Pontic rock tombs carved into the side of the mountain overlooking the city.
High above the city on Harşena hill there is a castle. However, this hill has much more to offer. The climb begins at the Kızlar Sarayı.
Ziya Paşa Bulvarı on the south bank of the Yeşilırmak river has some pleasant waterfront with busts of former crown princes but is still blighted by traffic, as is the parallel shopping street of Mustafa Kemal Paşa Caddesi. Perhaps they will be improved when the bypass is completed. There are many sights from the historical past of Amasya around these two streets. From east to west:
Amasya was a religious and political center for central Anatolia, and there are many small mosques that date back to pre-Ottoman times.
Mehmet Paşa Camii (Mehmet Paşa Mosque), 40.6561°, 35.8383°. Mosque built in 1486 by the Vicar son of Beyazit II.
Bimarhane (Darüşşifa), 40.65392°, 35.83534°. The house, built during the Mongol period, was the first mental health research facility that used music to treat its patients. For 75 years or so, it had been the home of Amasya's music conservatory but has re-opened as a museum in tribute to the man who undertook research here. 3 TL 2016-07-16
Atatürk statue, 40.65213°, 35.83444°. The square in front of it invites you to linger for a while. It is also a local meeting point.
Taş Hanı, 40.65044°, 35.831894°. 17th-century caravanserai now an upmarket hotel and restaurant.
Burmali Minare Camii (Spiral Minaret Mosque), 40.65025°, 35.832438°. This mosque was built in 1242 for the Emperor Kaichosrew II but was renamed after a 17th-century renovation redesigned the minaret.
Vakif Bedesten Kapali çarşı (Covered market), 40.651242°, 35.831651°. This bazaar from 1483 is still in use. The shops sell rather cheap international kitsch (e.g. "I Love NY" - caps).
Sultan Beyazıt Külliyesi (Mosque Complex of Sultan Beyazit), 40.650233°, 35.826668°. Prominent on the riverside, Amasya's largest mosque complex was built in 1486 and is dedicated to Beyazid II. It consists of two successively arranged domes and is dominated by two tall differently decorated minarets. Today, the complex also houses the city library (formerly a law school) as well as a soup kitchen and a miniature museum of Amasya. If you decide to splash out the 3 TL for the miniature museum make sure to stay for a full day-night cycle.
Amasya Belediye (Municipal) Museum, 40.64948°, 35.82462°. Tu - Su 08:00 - 11:45 and 13:15 - 16:45. A typical local museum, containing objects from the province that date from the early Greek period through the end of the Ottoman dynasty. The star of the exhibition is undoubtedly the statuette of Amasya from the Hittite period. The tomb of the Seljuk Sultan Mesud I can be found in the museum's garden. Of particular note are the mummies from the Mongol period, preserved by the air of their mountain tombs. A bit gruesome but fascinating and unexpected. 5 TL
There are two separate wax museums, one dedicated to the 7 Padishahs and one dedicated to Anatolian life in the 16-19th centuries. Like everything else mentioned, they are 3 TL.
Şehzade Türbesi (Prince's Tomb), 40.6500°, 35.8237°. Mausoleum that was built for a son of Beyazit I in 1513.
Şehzadeler Türbesi (Princes' Tomb). It was built for the sons of Mehmet I, Beyazit I and Beyazit II in 1410.
Halifet Gazi Türbesi (Halifet Gazi Tomb), 40.6476°, 35.8147°. Mausoleum that dates back to 1145 and is richly decorated with Medusa's and rams' heads.
Gök Medrese, 40.649522°, 35.820252°. This madrasah, built by Seyfeddin Torumtay around 1267 CE, used to be completely covered with blue but not much of that remains today. Its 15 dome construction provides a rather simple interior. Notice the door carvings and the stalactites portal. Two Ilkhane mummies were buried in the building. In front of it there is Torumtay Türbesi (Torumtay Tomb), 40.65071°, 35.82052°. This mausoleum was created for the provincial governor Seyfeddin Torumtay in 1279.
There is a "house of suffering" that you can get to if you walk up the hill from the town square, which was an important Alevi pilgrimage spot, as its founder's turbe (tomb) is nearby. You can go into the "suffering house" now that it's no longer in use, and explore the small cells men would live in for months at a time, with little food and water and outside contact, simply reading the Qur'an and meditating on it.
Yörgüç Pasa Camisi (Yörgüç Pasa Mosque), 40.650653°, 35.820289°. This mosque was built by the tutors of Sultan Mehmet I Yörgüç. Here you will find a hospital, three tombs and a Madrasah.
Fethiye Camii (Fethiye Mosque), 40.647623°, 35.834611°. Built as a church in the 7th century and converted to a mosque in 1117, it was severely fire damaged in 1915.
Taking advantage of the North Anatolian Fault there are several geothermal spas in Amasya Province, however those in neighboring Havza and Çorum are more accessible by public transport. If you can't stand the heat of the water in Havza try:
Generally, all the places in Amasya to go out at night have live music, with the exception of the three or four pubs.
Ali Kaya overlooks the entire city on its southeastern side, and offers great views at night. Mostly plays Turku, Turkish folk music, with a combination of classical and modern instruments.
Eylul Bugusu, Grand Pasha, Emin Efendi and Mithridat are all basically indistinguishable bars and restaurants in the old part of town. You come, get a table, and drink or eat there while listening to covers of Turkish pop or folk music, depending on the night. If you are there on a weekend, a reservation may be required. If you're traveling around the old city during the day, the best thing to do is pop in the various local joints, pick which one suits your taste the most, and ask for a reservation.
For Turkish tea time, there is a local chain called Yesil Ev (green house) that you'll see around town. For a more interesting experience the Municipal Tea garden is on the riverside near the clock tower: at night in the warm months there is generally live music. If you are a large party and you'd like to relax for a while, order the Semaver Cay which is the Turkish version of the Russian Samovar, and you'll be drinking tea for hours. According to locals, though, the best tea and Turkish coffee is to be found at Gamasuk Cay Evi, which is on the main road, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk Caddesi, called Ust caddesi (high street) by locals. Men and women are welcome at all of these places.
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