Because
of its mild and humid climate, the beautiful landscapes
of the Eastern part of the Black
Sea region - formely called in ancient times
Pontus Euxinus
or Euxeinos Pontos which is the Greek name given
to the Black Sea and to the North-East of Anatolia
- are very different from the other parts of Turkey.
It is a picturesque region covered with fir-tree
forests where rivers flow through green valleys
into the Black Sea. The magic of the landscapes
will delight the nature lovers.
BOLU
The
region of Bolu is a nice stop to break the journey
between Istanbul and
Ankara,
as it is situated approximately half way between
the two cities. It is located in the middle of thick
forests and a green nature. Abant Lake situated
at an altitude of 1,500m/ 4,921 feet, and the National
Park of Yedigöller (Seven Lakes) are wonderful
places.
Bolu and its surrounding towns had a significant
effect in Ottoman cuisine
as the best cooks of the Ottoman
Empire were from this area. Mengen, a
small town near Bolu still holds this tradition,
where the biggest cook festivals in Turkey are held.
SAFRANBOLU
Safranbolu
is a picturesque small town located 115 km/ 71 miles
north-east of Bolu.
From
the 13th century till the 19th century, Safranbolu
was an important caravan post. The old mosque,
the medrese
and hammams were
built in 1322. The special architecture of the beautiful
houses influenced the urban development of a large
part of the Ottoman
Empire. The impressive architecture of
their rooves have led them to be called "Houses
with five facades". The houses are two or three
storeyed consisting of 6 to 9 rooms. Each room is
intricately detailed and have ample window space
allowing plenty of light. The delicate woodwork
and carvings, wall and ceiling decoration, the banisters
and the indoor knobs....all come together to form
an unmatched harmony of architectural aestetics.
The most important houses called “konak”(mansions)
even have inner pools.
There
are about 600 fountains in Safranbolu.
The
town has been declared by UNESCO to be one
of the Eminent Cultural Heritages of the World.
The Safranbolu Architectural Treasures and Folklore
Week takes place every year in September.
AMASYA
Located
at the foot of a rock in a narrow valley through
which flow the torrential waters of the Yeşilırmak
river, this charming town has a prestigious past:
occupying a strategic and economic position on the
route between Mesopotamia and the Black Sea, the
ancient city of Amaseia was the capital of the kings
of Pontus (Euxeinos Pontos is the Greek name
given to the Black Sea and the North-Eastern region
of Anatolia) during the Hellenistic
period, a county town during the Roman
period, the homeland of geographer Strabon,
a Byzantine
fortified fortress, the capital of the last kingdom
of eastern Armenia, a Turkish emirate and
a Mongol base before it was finally conquered by
Ottoman Sultan Bayezit I
in 1392.
The Ottoman houses lining the banks of the Yeşilırmak
river create a picturesque atmosphere. The beauty
of Amasya’s surroudings and its architecture legacy
have contributed to make Amasya of the the most
attractive city in Turkey.
The Ancient Citadel, whose remains are a few towers with the ruins
of an Ottoman palace and a tunnel with a staircase.
The Rock-Cut Tombsof the kings of Pontus.
Gök Medrese.
Torumtay Türbesi is
a Seljuk mausoleum.
Sultan Beyazıt Mosque.
İlhanli Bimarhane Mental Hospital is a 14th
century building with lovely sculptures around its
portal.
Ağa
Medrese has an extraordinary octagonal
gate.
Hazeranlar
Konağı is a 19th century mansion of great
interest which has perfectly been restored and now
holds an art gallery and an ethnographical museum.
The Archaeological and Ethnographical
Museum where momies of the Mongol İlhanlı
rulers of Amasya are displayed.
Between Amasya and Tokat is Zile, ancient
Zila, a place made famous by Julius Caesar
who, after his victory over,
Pharnace II king of Pontus, said those succint
words by which he told the Senate his victory :
“ Veni, Vidi, Vici ”, “I came,
I saw, I conquered”.
The curiosities of the town are the citadel and
the 13C Ulu Cami (the great mosque).
TOKAT
Because
of its geographical position, Tokat was, in
ancient times, a strategic and commercial place.
Located between two steep hills, Tokat is a
charming town and an active craft industry center
famous for its copper work, weaving and printing
of fabrics with wooden pads called “yazma”
(from yazmak, which means to write). Yazma is
an old folk art using mainly floral designs.
There are two types of yazma, “baski işi”, done
with carved wooden blocks, and “kalem işi”,
drawn by hand.
A tradition of carved and painted wood decoration
and painted murals give the “konak” (mansions)
of Tokat a particular elegance.
Places
of interest:
The
Madımağın and Latifoğlu Konakları are mansions
which have been restaured showing the splendor of
wealthy life in rural Turkey in the 19th century.
The Citadel, with its 28 towers, is an ancient
building transformed by the Seljuks
and the Ottomans.
Garipler Camii, a mosque
from the 12C.
Ali Paşa Camii from the 16C.
Gök Medrese (1270) is an old school
of theology transformed into the Archaeoligical
Museum housing local finds.
Hatuniye Medresesi is a complex built by Sultan
Beyazıt II in the 16C.
The Seljuk bridge on the Yeşilırmak
River.
