Serpent Column (also known as the Serpentine Column, Delphi Tripod or the Plataean Tripod) is an ancient column at the Hippodrome (known as Atmeydanı “Horse Square” in the Ottoman period) in Sultanahmet quarter of Istanbul, Turkey. It is an ancient Greek sacrificial tripod, originally located in Delphi and later relocated to Constantinople (modern Istanbul) by Constantine I in 324. The serpent heads of the 8-meter high column remained until the end of the 17th century. One of the missing heads was later found and put on display at the Istanbul Archaeology Museum.

Provenance

The Serpentine Column has one of the longest literary histories of any object surviving from Greek and Roman antiquity, and its provenance is not in doubt. It is at least 2486 years old. It was the offering, or trophy, less its original gold tripod, which was dedicated to Apollo at Delphi, after the defeat of the Persian army in the Battle of Plataea in August, 479 BC by those Greek City States, who were in alliance against the Persian invasion of mainland Greece, in the spring of 480 BC – the Persian War. Among the writers, who attest to the column in the ancient literature are Herodotus, Thucydides, Demosthenes, Diodorus Siculus, Pausanias the traveller, Cornelius Nepos and Plutarch.The removal of the column by the Emperor Constantine to his new capital, Constantinople, is attested to by Edward Gibbon, citing the Byzantine historians, Zosimus, Eusebius, Socrates, and Sozomenus in support.

Battle of Plataea

The invasion, begun in 480 BC, under the command of Xerxes I, the Great King of Persia, a combined land and sea expedition, was, for him, unfinished business, following the defeat of the expedition sent by his father, Darius, at the battle of Marathon by the Athenians in 490 BC. It had the twin objectives of forcing the submission of those city states on mainland Greece, who refused the symbolic tribute of ‘earth and water’ to the Persian king, and of punishing those cities[Athens and Eretria] who had supported the Ionian Greeks,[2] in their revolt against the Persians, begun in 499 BC , under the leadership of Aristagoras of Miletus. The Athenians had sent 20 triremes and the Eretrians, 5 triremes. This struggle lasted until the defeat of the Ionians in a naval battle outside Miletus in 494 BC. Details of the course of the Battle of Plataea may be read elsewhere, but, in essence, the defeat of the Greeks at Thermopylae, and the retreat of the Greek naval forces from Artemesium, in August, 480 BC left the strategy of the Greek allies in ruins. Nothing could prevent the Persian advance and the occupation and pillage of Athens. Only the brilliant planning and execution of the Athenian general, Themistocles, to evacuate the inhabitants of Athens to the island of Salamis, his stratagems, in persuading the reluctant Peloponnesian cities to stop and fight a naval battle in the Straits of Salamis rather than retreat to the Isthmus, and his guile in influencing Xerxes to attack the Greek fleet in the straits [September, 480 BC] gave the Greeks the respite they needed to recover. After Salamis, Xerxes withdrew to Sardis, but left a land force in Thrace, under the generalship of the experienced campaigner, Mardonius. He re-possessed Athens in the spring of 479 BC, and after the failure of diplomacy conducted by Alexander of Macedon on behalf of the Persians, to persuade the Athenians to a separate peace, the war continued. On learning that a Spartan force was on the march from the Peloponnese, Mardonius set fire to Athens again and removed his force to a strategic position in Boeotia, north of the river Asopus. The Greeks under the leadership of Pausanias, Regent of Sparta,[3] drew up on high ground in defensive positions south of the river Asopus and above the plain of Plataea . After days of skirmishing and changes of position on the Greek side, Mardonius launched a full attack. The result of the complex battle was complete victory for the Spartans, under the leadership of Pausanius. Mardonius was killed and the Persians fled in confusion led by Artabazus, the Persian second in command.

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The history of Cankiri, which is 131 km from Ankara, goes back to 3000-2500 BC. Here was a Galatian settlement of 3rd century BC, called “Gangrea” at that time. The land has witnessed the hegemony of many tribes thereafter, such as Hittites, Pontus, Romans and Byzantines, up to Seljuks and Ottomans, and the traces from its long past stand all over the area.

The city fought very well during the War of Liberation, thus Atatürk paid a visit to the city in 1925 twice during his reforms in Turkey.

There are the ruins of Cankiri Fortress from the 11th century with rock tombs and underground tunnels inside. In the city, the Ulu Mosque dates back to the 16th century, and was built by great Turkish architect Mimar Sinan. Just outside of the city is the Tas Mescit which is a medieval hospital constructed in 1235. There are also several Turkish baths from Ottoman period which are worth seeing.

The archeological and ethnographical works are exhibited together in the exhibition hall of the Cankiri museum, works belonging to Neolithic, Calcolithic, Early Bronze, Hittite, Phrygian, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods are exhibited in the halls. There are terracotta cans, bones, glasses, beads, bronze tools and ornamental goods, tear and essence bottles, medical tools, oil lamps, needles, ring stones and various sculpture parts among the exhibited works. Also various weavings, hand works, calligraphy, print molds, clothes, guns, ornamental tools and various works used in daily life belonging to Cankiri and its surroundings are exhibited in the ethnographical section of the museum.

In this distinct region of central Anatolia, an outstanding figure is the Ilgaz Mountains (2560 m) occupying the north of the city. It is a site of real attraction for nature lovers and winter sports fans with its snowy peaks and wide woodland with fauna. Ilgaz National Park is one of the most beautiful parks of Turkey, and the ski center provides best opportunities for winter sports with its fine, modern facilities.

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Once a district of Konya, Karaman is in the south of central Anatolia, Turkey, at the northern foot of the Taurus mounts. The ancient Laranda, Karaman was renamed after the chieftain of a Turkic tribe who conquered the city c.1250 and set up the independent Muslim state of Karamania, which at one time comprised most of Asia Minor. A successor state of the Seljuk empire, Karamania existed until its final subjugation by the Ottoman Turks in the late 15th century. Karaman has retained ruins of the Karamanid castle and of two fine mosques.

Its area is 9.237 square km and its population is around 250thousand. Karaman became a province of Turkey in 1989.

Karaman is formed by Karaman (center), Ayranci, Ermenek and Kazimkarabekir districts. Some sites of Interest and history are; Gokce forest recreation area, Maraspoli Cave, Kraman, Ermenek (Firan) and Mennan castles, Binbirkilise, Hatuniye, Emir Musa, Ibrahim Bey old theological schools (medrese) for alms and Tol Medrese, Gaferyad (Ermenek, Kazimkarabekir) and Yollarbasi (Ilisra) village Grand Mosques, Haci Beyler, Aktekke (Valide Sultan), Arapzade, Pasha, Dikbasan (Fasih), Akcasehir, Sipas and Mimar Emir Rustem Pasha mosques, Yunus Emre Mosque and Lodge, small mosque of Seyh Celebi and Akca Mescit, Karamanoglu alms house and mausoleum, Bicakci Bridge and Ala Bridge, Fountain With Seven Sprouts, Karaman Museum, Canhasan - Center - Alcatikoyu, Karadag Thousand Churches - Center - Madensehir, Uckuyu Village.

This province is also famous with its special breed of sheep and delicious yogurt.

Some significant dates for the city are:
Culture and Art Week, Karaman, May 5-12th
Commemoration Ceremonies for General Kazim Karabekir, at Kazim Karabekir district, January 26th
Commemoration Ceremonies for Mader’i Mevlana, Karaman, December 10th
Celebrations of Language Day, Karaman, May 13th
Celebrations of Day of the Province, Karaman, June 21st

On March 29, 2006, Total Solar Eclipse has been seen in Karaman as well at 13:59pm local time.

Karaman Museum
The museum is located at the city center on the former Hastahane Caddesi now named as the Turgut Ozal Caddesi and behind the Hatuniye Medresse which is one of the best examples of the architecture of the Karamanogullari Principality Era.

In Karaman and its environs traces of a large number of civilizations both from the pre-historic and historic periods are evident. Today both Karaman and the nearby region display a large number of mounds and historical sites. However as museum activity had a late start in Karaman, many of the portable works discovered at these sites were removed to other museums.

Motivated by the notion that this rich archaeological and ethnographic heritage should be protected at its place of origin, the first museum was established in 1961 at the Tourism Association and Library with the support of some local administrators and prominent members of the Karaman community. In 1963 it was moved to a building in the market area, in 1966 to Imaret (alms house) of Ibrahim Bey, in 1968 to a rented house and was finally opened to public in its present building in 1971.

The museum is a two storey building where each floor has a usable floor space of 550 square meter. At the lower floor there is a second exhibition hall which can be opened to visitors in the future, storage areas, a photography laboratory, workshop and the library.

The exhibition hall on the upper floor consists of two sections and the material is exhibited in 33 cases. In the archaeological section there are works from the Neolithic Age to the late Byzantine. In the ethnographic section there are material from the Seljuk, Anatolian principalities, Ottoman and the Republican periods.

In the museum garden stone works belonging to the Byzantine and the Turkish - Islamic period are arranged on grass with Roman tomb steles making up the bulk of the material displayed.

Among the material exhibited, the Neolithic - Calcolithic Age findings from the Canhasan Mound excavations are particularly interesting. Canhasan Calcolithic age findings displayed in cases numbered 1, 2, 3, 14 and 17 consist of baked earth cups and pots, human and animal figurines, stone axes, obsidian arrow heads, scrapers made of bones, small artifacts such as bracelets and necklaces, sea shells ornaments, necklaces made with blue apatite stone and grinding stones from basalt.

In case no. 4 where material from the Bronze Age are exhibited, besides the pottery found at the Sisanin Mound and the Gokce village, there are also black and dark gray colored polished pottery belonging to the Western Anatolia Yortan culture.

In case no. 5, the exhibited Hellenistic Period findings are from Mersin - Gelindere, Mugla - Iasos, Adiyaman regions and from around Karaman. Most of them are lekistos and plates.

The majority of the Roman period material exhibited in case no.6 are collected from Karaman - Taskale, Bayir, Karacaören and Kazimkarabekir area. They include human and animal figurines from baked earth, oil lamps, small pitchers and plates.

In case no. 7 lachrymatories and perfume bottles from the Roman and Byzantine periods are exhibited. Some of these are plain and without any motifs while others are very colorful and richly decorated.

In cases no. 8 and 9 wood lids, box sections, cosmetic boxes, bronze roses, gold jewelry, bronze oil lamps from the Byzantine period and samples of Byzantine ceramics are exhibited.

In cases no. 12, 13, 18 and 19 coins are displayed from the Greek, Venetian, Roman, Byzantine, Princedom, Karaman Dynasty, Ottoman and the Republican periods, respectively.

In case no. 15, Urartian bronze bracelets, figurines and offering plates are displayed. These materials were generally obtained through purchases and added to the museum collection.

In case no. 16 there are stone stamp seals and cylindrical seals from the early and late Hittite periods and the case also contains the photographs of the inscriptions made with the seals on display.

In case no. 20 in the Ethnographical section there are tiles and mosaics, enameled and over and under glazed tiles, plaster relieves, and tiles from Canakkale and Kütahya from the Seljuk and Ottoman periods.

In cases no. 21 and 22 cauldron, tray, plates, medicine cups, mortar, lunch box and ewer with geometrical design and plant decorations from the 14th and 19th century Seljuk and Ottoman periods are exhibited which were collected from the vicinity of Karaman.

In cases no. 24 and 25 among the wood work displayed there is mother of pearl inlayed coffer, clogs, spinning wheel, hand mill for grinding coffee, coffee coolers, mirror cases, spoon container, measuring cups, musical instruments and similar objects.

In cases no. 28 and 29 there are gold inlayed Korans from the Karaman Dynasty and Ottoman periods, decrees written in the courtly style, religious court decisions and Ahi Evran Fütüvetname, the document which defines the rules which governed the guilds.

Case no. 30 has various samples of oil lamps in different forms.

Case no. 30 holds samples of silver jewelry, hair ornaments, coined fez and pocket watches.

In case no. 32 there are examples of hand knitted socks and gloves which are still reproduced in the region.

In case no. 33 there are samples of bells of various size used for different animals.

Apart from these, in two table cases there are examples of objects such as weapons, gunpowder containers, candle cutters, spoons, door handles, whips, seals, cigarette holders and worry beads.

The museum also displays traditional rug and kilim samples which are hung as panels between the display cases, an Aesculapius statute in the Archeological Materials Hall, one facade of a Sidemara type sarcophagus and a mummified female body from the Byzantine period.

In the lower floor section of the museum, which started to be restored last year, there are cupboards, doors, shelves and fireplaces removed from Karaman houses and they are all mounted onto the walls. This section also contains some agricultural tools. However this part of the museum is not yet opened to visitors.

In the upper floor, besides the administrative offices, there is a gallery where the artistic works of the students and the citizens of Karaman are exhibited periodically.

Source for Karaman Museum: Ministry of Culture and Tourism

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It is said that the name of the city is a united name which comes from the name of ”Kirik” village where is settled to the 3 km north of city from center of city and the name of ”Kale” (hill) which is present in the center today. It is known that between 16th and 17th centuries, Turkish tribes and communities who were coming from East of Turkey are settled in Anatolia, especially in Central Anatolia. One of these tribes which is named as ”Oguz-Oguzhan” clan is settled in ”Kirikkal’a” (oldest name of the city) which is near to Ankara mentioned in the history archives of Turkey.

Kirikkale is a recent province of Turkey in Central Anatolian region nearby Red River (Kizilirmak), about 80 kilometers east of Ankara. It became a city in 1989 under the presidency of Turgut Ozal. The population today is approximately 380,000, but it’s hard to imagine that in 1925 Kirikkale was a small village consisting of 12 houses only. It is expanding rapidly to become an industrial center. Main industries in Kirikkale include state-owned military arms and ammunition factories (MKE) and chemical plants. The economy is almost exclusively based on its steel mills producing high quality alloy steel and machinery.

There is also a significant timber industry thanks to the forests with oak trees surrounding the city but most of the land is covered with ‘’steppe”. There are several vineyards as well. Sesame, clove, daisy, mint mustard and thyme can be told for the samples of some plants which grows spontaneously in the region. Kirikkale serves also as a local market for cereals and livestock in Anatolia.

Kirikkale city takes its part in a mild-climate zone. However climate changes to terrestrial-climate zone because of the daily temperature changes which is a result of far distance from seas. Summer is usually hot and arid while winter is cold. There is no natural lakes in Kirikkale.

The average altitude of the city is 700 meters. Different plateaus can be found in Kirikkale and their heights can change between 1200-1600 meters. Its location is on a crossroads on a major highway running to the east and to the Black Sea region. Also a railway station on a major rail route to eastern Turkey makes this city important.

Kirikkale University was founded in 1992 as the highest educational institution in the province.

The province stands on the earthquake zone where seismic activities can be seen sometimes and once volcanic actions were seen. Although Kirikkale is rich in respect of different types of ores, unfortunately is quite poor in respect of of its reserves.

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Gumushane has been one of the most important cities in the Eastern Black Sea region due to its foundation on the main route from Trabzon to Iran. The city neighbors to Bayburt, Giresun, Erzincan, and Trabzon. It is a small city of approximately 200.000 people, with 6575 square kilometers of land area at an altitude of 1210 meters above sea level. The city has a moderate climate at a high plateau shaped by deep valleys and high mountains. The highest hill of the city is Abdal Musa hill touching 3331 meters.

Gumushane has a rich flora and fauna; it’s surrounded by fruit groves, especially apples, and gardens of wild roses. Gumushane is a natural stop between Trabzon and Erzurum which is a restful place. The city has many interesting natural caves such as Karaca cave in Cebeli village of Torul district, or Akcakale and Arili caves. Tomara waterfalls in Siran district, Artebel and Limni lakes in Torul district, and Orumcek forests in Kurtun district are other natural beauties. Zigana mountains have also skiing facilities at an altitude of 2032 meters and it offers good opportunity for winter sports fans.

During the Roman and Byzantine periods the city was known as Argyropolis; in Greek Argyros means Silver and Polis means city. Later on it was ruled by Emevis, Abbasids, Seljuks, and Ottomans. In the 17th century Evliya Celebi reports that Gumushane was rich of silver mines. During the Ottoman Empire Gumushane was a satellite of Erzurum and than Trabzon, but after the Republic it became a province of Turkey.

The old Gumushane city still retains examples of old-style architecture, you should especially visit Saricicek village to admire 19th century typical Ottoman houses. The oldest mosque in the city is Suleymaniye which was built by the order of the Sultan in the 16th century. There are also many fountains, tombs and mausoleums from Ottoman period.

Being founded on the ancient Silk Road, Gumushane province has many fortresses such as Canca, Akcakale, Edire, Kov, Kodil and Gumustug.

Imera Monastery built in the 14th century is 38 kilometers from the city center, at Olucak village. Other ancient Christian churches are; Metropolitic, Balcilar, Hegios Georgios, Ayana, Mandiri, Emirler, Cakalli and Dilek.

Apart from the city center, Kurtun, Torul, Kose, Kelkit, and Siran are other provincial districts of Gumushane.

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The major center of coal production in Anatolia, Zonguldak has developed rapidly after coal had been found here. It is also an important port in the Black Sea.

The city was established around 550 BC by Doric clans under the name of Mariandyn. Around 560 B.C. Megara and Boiotia people established a strong Greek colony there changing its name as Herakleia Pontika. The origin of the city’s Archaic name is based on Heracles, the legendary hero of Greek mythology. As time passed by, the Greek name Heracles was changed to “Eregli” among the people. The city, which was dominated by the Kingdom of Bithynia in the 2nd century BC, was occupied by Romans in the 1st century B.C. Then, the city was dominated by Byzantine, Genoese and Ottoman Empire, and named as “Bender-i Eregli” during Ottoman period. Eregli carried a great strategic importance during the War of Liberation with its rich coal beds and harbor. The city, which was occupied by France after WW I, was freed on June 18th, 1920.

Zonguldak has very beautiful beaches in Kopuz and Uzunkum, where you may choose one of the tea gardens or restaurants to watch the perfect scene around. If you are a nature-lover photography then you will take plenty of photos. Eregli, 60 km west of Zonguldak, is located on a hill where a Byzantine castle stands. Eregli has a mythological significance and it is said that near here at Kavakderesi Hercules caught the three-headed dog Cerberus and returned it to Hades, the god of underworld.

Cerberus stayed in a cave called “Cehennemagzi” (Entrance to Hell) which is located near Kavakderesi outside Eregli. It has fine beaches and is a haven for ships. When passing through do not forget to taste the delicious strawberries of Eregli which are among the best in the world.

Safranbolu, 127 km southeast of Zonguldak, is now a district of Karabük, and is like a museum of traditional Turkish architecture. The castle on the hill is a perfect spot for an overall view of the pretty town. The town is renowned, with its traditional houses which are really praiseworthy, especially the Cinci Han and Hamam (Turkish bath), Izzet Pasha Mosque and Library, Koprulu Mosque, all from the 17th century Ottoman period. You may sit at the cafes which have a special atmosphere and watch the perfect scene in front of you, along with a Turkish coffee. Safranbolu is also famous for its extra quality “Turkish Delight” (Lokum).

Devrek is a green, scenic town, 50 km southeast of Zonguldak. The wooden walking sticks (baston) that are made here are very popular.

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The city of Ankara lies in the center of Anatolia on the eastern edge of the great, high Anatolian Plateau, at an altitude of 850 meters. It is the center of the province of the same name, which is a predominantly fertile wheat steppe-land with forested areas in its northeast region. It is bordered by the provinces of Cankiri and Bolu to the north, Eskisehir to the west, Konya and Aksaray to the south, and Kirikkale and Kirsehir to the east.

The region’s history goes back to the Bronze Age; Hatti Civilization, which was succeeded in the 2nd millennium BC by the Hittites, then the Phrygians (10th century BC); Lydians and Persians followed. After these came the Galatians, a Celtic race who were the first to make Ankara their capital (3rd century BC). It was then known as Ancyra, meaning anchor. The town subsequently fell to the Romans, Byzantines, and Selcuks under ruler Alparslan in 1073, and then to the Ottomans under sultan Yildirim Beyazit in 1402, who remained in control until the First World War.

The town, once an important trading center on the caravan route to the east, had declined in importance by the nineteenth century. It became an important center again when Kemal Ataturk chose it as the base from which to direct the War of Liberation. In consequence of its role in the war and its strategic position, it was declared the capital of the new Turkish Republic on the 13th October,1923.

Anitkabir (Ataturk Mausoleum)
Located in an imposing position in the Anittepe quarter of the city stands the Mausoleum of Kemal Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic. Completed in 1953, it is an impressive fusion of ancient and modern architectural ideas and remains unsurpassed as an accomplishment of modern Turkish architecture. There is a museum housing writings, letters and items belonging to Ataturk as well as an exhibition of photographs recording important moments in his life and the establishment of the republic. An important exhibition of the War of Liberation is also open to the public. (Anitkabir and the museum is open everyday, except Mondays. During the summer, there is a light and sound show in the evenings).

The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations
Close to the citadel gate, a 15th century Ottoman bedesten has been beautifully restored and since 1921 it houses a marvelous and unique collection including Paleolithic, Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Hatti, Hittite, Phrygian, Lydian, Urartian and Roman works. In 1997 this great museum won the “European Museum of the Year” award among 65 museums from 21 European countries. (Open everyday, except Monday. During the summer, the museum opens everyday).

The Ethnographical Museum
Opposite the Opera House on Talat Pasa Boulevard in Namazgah district is the Ethnographical Museum. There is a fine collection of folkloric artifacts as well as fine items and rugs from Seljuk and Ottoman mosques in this museum since 1930. When Ataturk died in 1938, he was buried in the internal courtyard until the construction of his Mausoleum in 1953. The bronze statue of Ataturk on the horse in front of the museum was made in 1927 by an Italian artist P. Canonica. (Open everyday, except Monday).

The Ankara Citadel
The foundations of the citadel were laid by the Galatians on a prominent lava outcrop, and completed by the Romans; the Byzantines and Seljuks made restorations and additions. The area around and inside the citadel is the oldest part of Ankara and many fine examples of traditional architecture can be seen within the citadel walls. There are also lovely green areas in which to relax.

The Temple of Augustus
The Corinthian style temple can be found in the old Ulus district of the city. It was built in the 1st century BC and only later dedicated to the Emperor Augustus at the beginning of the 1st century AD. It is important today for the ‘Monument Ancyranum’ or ‘Res gestae Divi Augusti’, the testament and political achievements of Augustus that is inscribed on its walls in both Latin and Greek. This inscription is the copy of the original which was engraved on two bronze pillars and placed at the entrance of his Mausoleum in Rome. The originals are lost but the copy engraved on the Augusteum in Ankara still exists. In the fifth century the temple was converted to a church.

The Roman Bath
The bath, situated on Cankiri Avenue in Ulus, has the typical features of Roman baths: a frigidarium (cold section), tepidarium (cool section) and caldarium (hot section). The hot and warm rooms were wider divisions because of Ankara’s very cold winter climate. They were built in the time of the Emperor Caracalla (3rd century AD) in honor of the god of medicine, Asclepios. The dimensions of the bath was 80×130 meters and it was made of stones and bricks. Today only the basement and first floors remain.

The Column of Julian
This column, in Ulus, was erected in 362 AD probably to commemorate a visit by the Roman Emperor Julian the Apostate on his way to the campaign against Persians. It stands fifteen meters high and has a typical leaf decoration on the capital.

Haci Bayram Mosque
This mosque, in Ulus, next to the Temple of Augustus, was built in the early 15th century and subsequently restored by Sinan in the l6th century with Kutahya tiles being added in the 18th century. The mosque was built in honor of Haci Bayram Veli whose tomb is next to the mosque.

Rahmi Koc Industrial Museum
This is Turkey’s second industrial museum opened in April 2005 by Koc family in a 500 year old building. Cengelhan was originally built in the mid-16th century by Rustem Pasha, husband of Mihrimah Sultan and son-in-law of Suleyman The Magnificent. This was a typical Anatolian caravanserai offering lodging for travelers and also supplies for the tradesman. This building opposite the Citadel is now converted into a museum preserving its architectural characteristics in a new setting. Here, the story of early industry is told through scale models since most of the full-size objects are on exhibit at the Istanbul Rahmi Koc museum.

You can also enjoy its Brasserie in the museum courtyard, sitting together with classic cars from 1900s

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Samsun is situated between two river deltas jutting out into the Back Sea, north of Turkey. West of the town the Kizilirmark (the Red River), one of the longest rivers of Anatolia, produced its fertile delta, East of the town the Yesilirmak (the Green River), a river that passes some remarkable towns on its way to the sea, did the same.

People always were attracted by the combination of fertile ground and shallow waters for a harbor, due to this Samsun has a long history and its myths go back even longer. According to ancient myths the delta east of Samsun was the land of the Amazons. The geographer Strabo (64 BC-21 AD) describes the Amazons as a people of female warriors. In order to shoot easily with bow and arrow they had one of their breast removed. Amazon is derived from the old Greek and means ‘without breasts’. The Amazons used men from neighboring peoples to reproduce themselves and male children were sent to neighboring peoples. The myths situate the period of the Amazons about 1200 BC.

Fiction or non fiction, fact is that the Amazons’ myth spread again under the conquerors in South America. Along world’s biggest river a people of female warriors should live. The female warriors were never found but the river was named the Amazon.

What we know for sure is that Greek colonists settled in the 6th century BC and established a flourishing trade with the people of the interior of Asia Minor.

In the 3rd century BC Samsun came under the rule of the expanding Kingdom of Pontus. Initially the Kingdom of Pontus had been a part of the empire of Alexander the Great that broke up soon after his death in the 4th century BC. At its zenith the Kingdom of Pontus controlled the north as well as parts of central Anatolia and merchant towns on the northern Black Sea shores.

The Romans took over in 47 BC and were replaced by the Byzantines. The town was captured by the Seljuks (around 1200 AD), taken over by the Ilhanid Mongols and later became part of a Turkish principality. Samsun was incorporated in the network of Genoese trading posts and was taken by the Ottomans in the first part of the 15th century. Before leaving, the Genoese burnt the town to the ground.

Under Ottoman rule the land around the town later mainly produced tobacco. The town was connected to the railway system in the second half of the 19th century and the tobacco trade flourished. Its port had fallen prey to a slow decay and despite the tobacco Samsun became a rather dormant place.

Whatever their size, ports remain important gates for in or exporting new ideas and renovations. Here, on 19 May 1919, a man stepped ashore who would create a Turkish state, change a society and even alter a language; this great man was Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

As a result of choosing the losing side in the First World War the Ottoman Empire was in shambles. The victorious Entente powers virtually occupied Istanbul. The Entente didn’t only intended to divide the Empire but had a division of Anatolia in mind as well. The Greeks had visions of a new Hellenic Empire, the French had the Hatay and Syria and desired a part of South-Eastern Anatolia, to the Italians a southern part of Anatolia (Mediterranean region) was promised. The British already had Arabia, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq.

On 15 May 1919 Greeks forces occupied Smyrna (Izmir). The admiral of the British warships, at anchor offshore, had to order the Greek commander to restore order. A few days later the Italians landed in Antalya, taking a piece from their promised part of Anatolia.

The interior of Anatolia however was beyond any control (apart from some Entente, mostly British, detachments and officers) and was in the hands of the remnants of the Ottoman Forces and gangs of Greek or Turkish brigands.

To put an end to this situation the major Entente power involved (Britain) asked the weak Ottoman government to restore law and order in those parts. “If the Ottomans wouldn’t do it, they would” was the threat.

Since the southern rim of Anatolia was more or less under control by British warships and by competing Greek and Italian troops, the restoration of law and order had to be carried out from the north of Anatolia.

Here laid the chance for general Mustafa Kemal (the victor of Gallipoli). In 1934 when the Turks had to adopt a surname, his became Atatürk (father of the Turks).

Clever manipulating and the help of friends and sympathizers at the right places, gave him the chance to become Inspector General of virtually all of the Ottoman forces in Anatolia. He and his carefully selected staff left Istanbul aboard an old steamer for Samsun on the evening of 16 May 1919.

The Inspector General who stepped ashore on 19 May 1919 set up his quarters in the Mintika Palace Hotel. He made the people of Samsun aware of the Greek and Italian landings, staged mass meetings (however he stayed in the background) and made, thanks to the excellent telegraph network, fast connections with the army units in Anatolia. He started to form links between various nationalists groups. He sent telegrams of protest to foreign embassies and the War Ministry about British reinforcements in the area and about British aid to Greek brigand gangs.

In Istanbul the British became alarmed when they learned that the victor of Gallipoli had been send as Inspector General and his behavior didn’t make it any better. They urged a recall of the Inspector General. Thanks to friends and sympathizers in government circles a ‘compromise’ was worked out; the power of the Inspector General was curbed, on paper.

However, British and French control officers and the sea with British warships were uncomfortable and close by to keep on acting freely. After a week in Samsun Mustafa Kemal and his staff moved to Havza, about 85 kilometers inland. He did this with the pretext that he was ill and needed the hot springs of Havza to recover.

Today many visitors will find themselves in Samsun mostly for reasons of business or for Atatürk starting there the War of Independence. The dormant town of the times of Atatürk became an important trade centre and has a large modern port. The only thing that didn’t change is the hospitality of Samsun’s inhabitants and the growing of the aromatic Turkish tobacco in the deltas. Few things remind the visitor of the rich past of this town.

The town is pleasant and its centre, Cumhuriyet Meydani (Square of the Republic), is near the port. North of Cumhuriyet Meydani (at Atatürk Bulvari) is the Tourist Information Office. A bit west from the tourist information office you’ll find the Statue of Atatürk’s Landing. Further West along Atatürk Bulvari, you’ll pass the Buyuk Samsun Hotel and thereafter you’ll see the Kultur Sarayi (Palace of Culture), a building shaped as a ski jump. Events as concerts and other performances take place here.

East of the tourist office you’ll find the Archaeological and Atatürk Museum. The archaeological part of the museum displays fine ancient artifacts found in the Samsun area. The Atatürk section comprises photographs of his life and some personal belongings (Open from 8:30 till 12:00 and from 14:00 till 17:00).

Following from Cumhuriyet Meydani the road north to the port and turning right brings you to The Russian Market (Rus Pazari). All kinds of goods are sold here at a friendly price.

East of Cumhuriyet Meydani you might have a glass of tea, coffee or something cold in the pleasant Park. In the evening it won’t take long before you have a fine conversation with the friendly locals.

In the eastern side of the park stands an equestrian Statue of Atatürk, it’s big and a bit overdone. The Austrian sculptor Heinz Kriphel worked three years on it (1928-1931).

It’s also possible to have a ride in a two horse drawn carriage (Fayton), mostly there will be some of those waiting at Cumhuriyet Meydani or in the shade opposite Atatürk Bulvari. The Black Sea people love their horses and take a pride in and depend on them. The horses are well groomed and tenderly cared for, farmer’s carriages are often painted with local motives.

South from Cumhuriyet Meydani you can follow the 19 Mayis Bulvari. It will take you right away to the Atatürk (Gazi) Museum. It houses Atatürk’s bedroom, his study and conference room as well some personal belongings.

Nearby is the Pazar Mosque, Samsun’s oldest building, a mosque built by the Ilhanid Mongols in the 13th century.

On the way to Amasya the road climbs slowly but steadily and passes over the Karadag Gecidi (Karadag Pass) at an altitude of 940 meters. The landscape is green and little streams flow beneath the road.

Havza is a little charming town and is still well known for its hot springs (56 degrees centigrade). In Havza Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, just before he started The War of Independence, learned that the area was harassed by Greek gangs of Pontus state. A mass meeting was staged and the citizens adopted a policy of resistance. The Sultan’s government in Istanbul sent, under heavy pressure of the Entente powers, to the Inspector General Mustafa Kemal in Havza, an order to return to the capital (Istanbul). Mustafa Kemal disobeyed this and all succeeding orders. Since British troops were not far off and had heard what was going on in Havza, Mustafa Kemal decided to move about 50 kilometers further to Amasya. In Havza the goal of putting up resistance was reached.

Climate in Samsun in August/September is about 28 centigrade in the day, around 24 at night, rather humid.

There is one flight a day to and from Istanbul (1 hr and 25 minutes), and one flight a week to and from Ankara (50 minutes). For up to date information and flight schedule please contact Mr. Burak Sansal. From the airport it’s about 3 kilometers to the town’s centre.

There is at least a bus a day to all major destinations; Amasya (two hours), Giresun (four hours) and Sinop (three hours). The bus station is about 2 kilometers east of Cumhuriyet Meydani, in town bus ticket offices can be found south-east of Cumhuriyet Meydani.

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When the Roman Empire was divided into two at the end of the 4th century, Trabzon remained under the sovereignty of the Eastern Roman Empire which later on was called as Byzantine Empire. When relations and wars between the Byzantines and the Arabs started, the Arabs called the people under the Roman Sovereignty as Rum, and the areas under the Roman sovereignty as Diyar-i Rum or Memleket-ul Rum (land of Rums).

Anatolia, as it was under the Roman sovereignty at that time, was mentioned as Diyar-i Rum. Later, since the Turks also accepted to use the word Rum, the Province of Anatolia was called Eyalet-i Rum, the Anatolia Sultan, Sultan-i Rum, and Mevlana of Anatolia as Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi.

The Byzantines gave special importance to Trabzon from the military point of view. During the reign of Emperor Justinian in the 6th century the city walls were thoroughly repaired and enlarged. A road from Trabzon to Persia was opened. Huts for defense were built at bends and effort was given to establish Christianity so that the tribe Can, the dwellers along the road would be obedient. Aqueducts of Saint Eugenius were built.

In the 8th century the Moslem Arab armies entered Anatolia and came down to Trabzon, invading the area around the citadel. They saw hazel nuts for the first time.

In the 9th century the Moslem Turkish armies started coming to the Trabzon area and outer part of the citadel went under the sovereignty of the Moslem Turks. Inside the citadel there were still the Greek colonists. It is in this period that construction of the Saint Ann Church in the Ayvasil district completed.

In the 10th century Islamism outside the citadel speeded up and the Turks around became Moslems. Two of the four routes of the Seljuk raids which began in the 11th century passed through the Eastern Black Sea region and Trabzon was then the native country Moslem Turks. Canik was one of the eight provinces of the country conquered by the Moslem Turks in Anatolia and the name Turkey was given for the first time in 1081. Its principal city was Trabzon (the name Canik derived from the word Canika, the place where the Can Tribe lived near Macka area in the south of Trabzon) and moved to the west, and the name Samsun as time passed by derived from it. In the second half of the 11th century there were two Trabzon’s: The outer part of the citadel was under the sovereignty of the Danismeds; The inner part of the citadel was under the sovereignty of the Byzantines.

After the fights over the throne started in Byzantium (Istanbul) in the 12th century, the Commenos family was dethroned, young Alexis Commenos escaped to Georgia. He declared his Kingdom in Georgia in 1204 and came to Trabzon by the help of the Christian Georgians. He took the citadel from the Byzantian governor who was at his side and made Trabzon the capital of his Kingdom; the state of Trabzon emerged. As the King was a Christian Anatolian, the state was also called as the Trabzon Rum State. But the people with the intention to capture Anatolia and the ignorant who were deceived by them used the name, Rum Pontus state.

In the 13th century when the Trabzon state was founded, the Seljuk Turks besieged Trabzon twice and bound them to tax. The King of Trabzon, Alexis Commenos, fortified the citadel and ditches were dug around it. The outer part of the citadel became a large commercial city and was mentioned as “The pupil of whole Asia”. The palace of the King and official buildings were placed on the high plains of the inner fortress. The commercial life of the country that extended from Batum to Kerempe including Crimea which was in the hands of the Genoese and the Venetians. On the coast of the city there were castles and warehouses.

In the mid-13th century the Trabzon state, being rather small, began to be surrounded by the Cepnis. The Cepnis under the sovereignty of the Sungurlu tribe, from the Ucok subdivision of the Oguz division, who was the son of Kara Han and the grandchild of Turk Han, settled down on the borders of the Trabzon state. While there were Christian Kings in the inner citadel Islam was spreading quickly in the outer citadel. Ahi Evren Dede, an Islamic missionary, was buried in Boztepe after his death in the 14th century.

Meanwhile Trabzon became the center of Europe-Asia trade. But Moslem pirates, coming particularly from Sinop, were raiding the coasts and plundering the city. The King of Trabzon, Alexis Commenos II (1297-1333) who had the Giresun castle built, had constructed walls against the sea which is supposed to be the Moloz District now.

In the beginning of the 15th century Tamerlane invaded Anatolia and captured Trabzon too. But he did not add it to his Empire, he taxed it under the administration of his son Halil Mirza.

In 1411 the Saint Savas Church built in the Boztepe slope was decorated; according to the people the construction of the bell tower and belfry of the Saint Sophia Church was completed in 1427 and the drawing of the pictures on the arches of the entrance door of the Church was terminated in 1444.

A very bad struggle for the throne had started in Trabzon, it was evident that the last years of the Trabzon State had come. As a matter of fact the ruler of the Ottoman Empire Sultan Murat II had attacked Trabzon in 1442 from the sea and returned home taking slaves and taxes. The ambassador of Trabzon was also among those who congratulated Sultan Mehmet (The Conqueror) when he was enthroned in Edirne in 1451. During the preparation of the conquest of Istanbul in 1452, first the Bogazkesen Castle (Rumeli Hisari) was built in order to put an end to bonds between Trabzon and Istanbul; And after he conquered Istanbul in 1453, he also bound Trabzon to tax for 2000 duke golden coins. When it was not paid he sent Hizir Bey, the tutor of his son Sehzade Beyazid who was the governor in Amasya, over Trabzon in 1456.

Hizir Bey surrendered Trabzon and established his headquarters in the eastern section (now the Municipal building). But since the King of Trabzon declared that he would pay the tax required, he returned. The tax was sent to Istanbul in 1457 and was accepted only if the amount was increased to 3000 duke golden coins.

The King of Trabzon Commenos IV began to search remedies to be saved from this pressure of the Ottomans and tried to bring together all the governments and nations from Caucasia and the coasts of Euphrates River (Firat) to France and Vatican in opposition to the Ottoman State. At the end, by applying the old tradition, he engaged his beautiful girl to Uzun Hasan Bey, the ruler of Akkoyunlu, provided that he should defend Trabzon against the Ottomans. The last King David Commenos who took his place in 1458, first sent his niece to Uzun Hasan Bey so that she could be his wife and requested not to be taxed. Uzun Hasan Bey in return to Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror, asked him not to tax Trabzon, and also that he wanted back the debt that remained from his ancestors. The Conqueror by sending back the envoys told that he would personally come and pay his debt. In 1461, he set off to Trabzon.

Uzun Hasan Bey was afraid and begged pardon by sending his mother Sara Hatun to Ercincan, Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror said that he would forgive in case no help was rendered to Trabzon, but continued his voyage to Trabzon taking Sara Hatun with him. The army was divided into two in Bayburt. One part went on taking a separate route under the command of the Grand Vizier Mahmut Pasha. The route which the Conqueror followed was very difficult, particularly while crossing the Bulgar mountain. Sara Hatun wanted to take an advantage of this and tried to persuade the Conqueror to give up the voyage. But he did not take her words into consideration and Trabzon was surrounded from land and sea. The King of Trabzon David Commenos who learned that the Sultan and the Grand Vizier were coming at the head of the army, forgot about Trabzon which in fact was not of his own. He notified that he would give back the citadel if another suitable piece equal to the income of Trabzon was given. He assigned Amirutzes, his chief private secretary, as a representative and the Conqueror made the Grand Vizier Mahmut Pasha his representative. Amirutzes and Mahmut Pasha were cousins. Therefore discussions of surrender concluded immediately and Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror entered the citadel of Trabzon on Monday, the 26th of October 1461, he closed the phase of the Trabzon State that lasted 250 years in history. The Commander of the Fleet and the Governor of Gelibolu Kazim Bey took over the administration of the city.

Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror first of all changed the Panaghia Krys Krysokephalos church into a mosque and prayed in it. It was called the Ortahisar Mosque; now it is called Fatih Mosque. Later he turned Saint Eugenes church into a mosque and the first Friday Prayer was performed; it was called the Yenicuma Mosque. Since the community of a church in front of Mumhane became Moslems, this church was also turned into a mosque and was called Karabas Mosque. But it was destroyed in 1788.

Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror gave the jewels left over from the Trabzon State to Uzun Hasan Bey’s mother Sara Hatun and sent her to her son. The son of Commenos, the ex-king of Trabzon, settled in the region named Pera in Istanbul and accepted Islam. The people of Istanbul called that place Beyoglu meaning the place where the son of the Trabzon Bey stayed.

The Christian families were taken out of the castle of Trabzon. The riches were sent to Istanbul. Others were settled in the neighboring called Meydani Sarki (Dogu meydani - Belediye meydani), Arafilboyu and Yenicuma. Suleyman the Magnificent came back to Istanbul, and Trabzon became a “Sancak” (outpost) which was later bounded to the Anatolian state.

In 1489 the son of Sultan Beyazid, Sultan Selim Yavuz, became the governor of Trabzon and came to Trabzon with his mother Gulbahar Hatun (Ayse). He himself gathered the intellectuals in Trabzon for his first born child Suleyman the Magnificent in 1494. Then due to the threat of the Shiis developing in Persia, he had city-walls constructed around Trabzon. But he could not convince the political danger of the Persian ruler who was pretending to be a religious ruler to his father and elder brother, the governor of Amasya. In the end he pressed of Shah Ismail’s forces with his troops formed by the citizens of Trabzon. In 1508 he overcame Shah’s big army corps and drove them out of his borders. He was going to go further but returned on demand of the Sultan.

Yavuz Sultan Selim was acting as a monarch and using the emperors rights. He himself attacked Georgia and owing to his heroic acts and successes he was named “Yavuz” (brave). Meanwhile his son Suleyman (Kanuni) was at the age of 15 and took over the governance of Kefe. Yavuz Sultan Selim went to Kefe by the sea with his army formed by the citizens of Trabzon and attacked Caucasia without permission; and not obeying the orders, he wanted to have a governor’s post in Rumeli in order to be near Istanbul. As he couldn’t get what he wanted, he attacked Edirne via Rumeli and was defeated by his father’s (Sultan Beyazid) army and escaped to Crimea. In 1512 Sehzade Ahmet, during his father’s lifetime, was called to Istanbul to become the ruler. But this time janissaries rebelled and he went back. Upon this, Yavuz Sultan Selim was called and became the ruler. Yavuz was interested in sports and science. During his governance he used the area called “Atapark” as a play ground; he shot arrows and organized competitions of bowshots for young Trabzon citizens.

A beautiful mausoleum was built over his mother Ayse (Gulbahar), the daughter of Dulkavidli ruler Aleaddevler, who died in 1505. Haci Kasim Fountain dating 1409 and Seydi Haci Mehmet fountain dating 1500 on Kavak Meydan street survived from the time of Yavuz Sultan Selim’s governance. Hatuniye Mosque which was built for his mother, was completed in 1514. It is one of the greatest master pieces of the Ottomans in Trabzon.

After Yavuz Sultan Selim left in 1522, Iskender Pasha became the governor of Trabzon. In 1514 Erzincan became a state and Trabzon was bounded to it. Iskender pasha became the governor of Trabzon for four times. During his governance he built Iskender Pasha fountain at Belediye Square in 1519, another fountain at Hoca Halil Mahalle, Asagi Hisar in 1523 and a mosque at Belediye Square and a medrese (which isn’t there anymore) in his name in 1529. Iskender Pasha, died in 1533, was buried within the mosque built by him. His tomb can be seen there.

During Kanuni Sultan Suleyman’s reign (1520-1566) the Anatolian state was divided into two; Rumeli (Thrace) and Anatolia. The capital of the new Anatolian state was Trabzon and the subdivisions called Kemah, Bayburt, Malatya, Kahta, Divrigi and Darende were joined to Trabzon. But in 1534 the administrative system changed again; Erzurum became the capital and Trabzon was joined to Erzurum. In 1514 the city-walls of Trabzon were restored by Sirvanzade Mirza Mehmet Bey.

In the middle of the 16th century it is known that the Islamic religion hasn’t penetrated into some regions of Trabzon. A man named Sheik Osman Efendi from Maras, who came by way of Bayburt, reinforced the Islamic religion. His tomb is in Caykara now.

In 1563 Governor of Trabzon Kasim bey (Kasim Celebi) built Pazarkapi Mosque. In 1564 Batum was captured. In 1566 Suleyman the Magnificent died. It was seen that the suit array which was taken off his back was even from a material woven in Trabzon. Suleyman the Magnificent used to wear clothes from Trabzon linen and also made the royals and janissaries wear it.

In 1578 Erdogdu Bey, governor of Trabzon, changed the small mosque by adding a minaret to it at Tekfur Cayi region. Therefore the mosque and the neighboring were named Erdogdu. In 1582 the Trabzon - Batum state, whose capital was Trabzon, was established; and St. Sophia church was changed into a mosque without laying a hand on any of its frescoes.

In the 17th century the Russian Don Cossacks began to plunder the coasts of Black sea. Omer Pasha, the governor of Trabzon then, organized a fleet of boats named ‘menkisle’ with 5 crew each and stopped these attacks.

Meanwhile riots in Anatolia had begun. One of the notables of Celali and Akkoyunlu Turkmenians, Ali Pasha from Murathan, became the governor of Trabzon. In 1608 while Celalis were being despoiled, Murat Pasha was called to Bayburt and killed there.

In 1732, a famous traveler and writer Katip Celebi (Haci Halife)’s book titled “Cihannuma” was published. There is some information about Trabzon in this book. In 1640 Evliya Celebi came to Trabzon and gave a great deal of information about the city in his book titled “Seyahatname”. He describes the citizens of Trabzon as cleanly dressed, educated people fond of good talkers, fond of reading and writing poems. He divides the people into seven classes as: Notables and Nobles with Sableskin coats, scholars in special array, Merchants wearing Ferace made of broadcloth, Kontos and Dolman, Craftsmen who can mint and can masterly make all kinds of gold and silverware and weapons, Sea conveyors and Merchants with Shalwvar and Dolman made of broadcloth, i.e. the sailors, gardeners and fishermen.

Vizier Arnavut Mehmet Pasha who came to Trabzon as a governor in 1644 was dismissed from his position after a short time and went to Kopru district, the home-town of his wife, and settled there. Therefore he was called Koprulu Mehmet Pasha. He became the first member of Koprulu Family, and the name of Kopru was changed to Vezir Kopru.

In the middle of the 17th century the raids of Kazak pirates to Trabzon shore turned into Russian attacks. That’s why the Trabzon governors were generally in charge of guarding the castles on the border as an additional duty. Trabzon was often left without a governor and was governed by Aghas instead of governors. Public order began to deteriorate and governors became unable to render good service in the city.

During the period of Biyikli Mustafa Pasha, governor of Trabzon in 1727, the conditions improved a little and Zeytinlik medrese which was the third great foundation of education of Trabzon was built. But public order in the city deteriorated again because in 1828 war with Iran broke out and this time the governors, in order to participate in the Iranian war, were handing Trabzon over to their assistants called Mutessellim. By then public order had deteriorated entirely, Laz and Cepni Aghas were attacking each other. In 1741 Omer Pasha established peace again and had the Trabzon and Gorele castles repaired, opened the Harsit road and built a nice palace in Guzelhisar for himself. He was confronted with the wrath of the Sultan and his palace was burned and he was executed.

Hekimoglu Ali Pasha, one of the famous grand Viziers and the governor of Trabzon in 1749, improved the public order by his skillful administration. He repaired the Karabas Mosque. In 1754 he was appointed as the Grand Vizier for the second time and was taken from Trabzon. In 1762 Mustafa Efendi, from Saraczade Family, founded the Saraczade Library. During that time Trabzon was progressing in commerce and hazel-nut was being exported from Trabzon to Russia. But public order was deteriorating terribly. Canikli Haci Ali Pasha who was sent to Trabzon as a governor in 1772 improved the public order, but this time governorship inherited by this family from then on. The candidate governors began struggling for seat. Then Sari Abdullah Pasha, who was brought up as the slave of Canikli Family, was sent to Trabzon as a governor. In 1788 the misleading trends in the administration of Trabzon had become worse. The task of killing Sari Abdullah Pasha was given to Kuguzade Suleyman Pasha, the new governor of Trabzon in 1791. He immediately carried out his duty, trapped and killed him and buried him in the cemetery near the Tavanli Mosque.

At the beginning of the 19th century the Russian attacks to Trabzon shores strengthened. The Russians captured the Azak, Anapa and Fas Castles on the border and in 1810 they landed on the Sargana shores of Akcaabat. Sakaoglu Mahmut Agha, the chief of Akçaabat, taking men along with him, and his wife Uluvve Hatun taking women as followers, opposed the enemy. By the participation of the people who came from the surroundings and the Trabzon governor Carhaci Ali Pasha himself, fierce battles started. They drove the enemy to the sea.

Meanwhile public order was in a disorderly state in Trabzon Region. The Aghas and the notables didn’t take the government into consideration. As Haznedarzade Suleyman Pasha who was appointed to Trabzon as a governor, with a rank of Vizier, to improve the public order, was in a disagreement with Hopali Tuzcuoglu Memis Agha, the chief of Rize. Tuzcuoglu Memis Agha attacked Trabzon with all the notables and Aghas of the region and drove his head officer Cecenzade Hasan Agha out of the city. He dominated the Trabzon Castle and he acted as the head of the state for exactly four months. When the State forces came, he escaped and went to Of. He was captured and decapitated in 1817. But the social tension caused by the Aghas went on.

While Hazinedarzade Osman Pasha, who was sent to Trabzon as a governor in 1827, was taking protective precautions in his region against the Russian attacks, he was also trying to prevent the frequent revolts of the Aghas. In 1834 he completely stopped the revolts and improved the public order. He made the notables of Tuzcuoglu Family migrate to Ruscuk and Varna regions.

As a result of the improving public order, the commercial life and public works became active. Charles Texier who came to Trabzon in 1832, gave many information about Trabzon in his famous book named Asia Minor and mentioned Trabzon as the transit center of the East. As steam ships began their tours on the Black Sea in 1836, the commercial transportation in the Mediterranean directed to the Black Sea. In 1837 the Fatih mosque in Ortahisar was repaired and one of its rooms was constructed as a Sadirvan (fountain for the ablutions before prayers). The Çarsi Mosque was built in 1841. In 1842 the Fetvahane Library was constructed. Abdullah Pasha became the governor in place of his brother Hazinedarzade Osman Pasha who died in 1842, and contributed a lot to the public works of Trabzon.

The Hatuniye and Fatih Libraries were constructed in 1844, Kalcioglu Memis Agha Fountain was built in 1845. In 1848 Ismail Pasha, the Minister of public works, came to Trabzon with a group of specialists to examine the project about Trabzon - Baghdad Road in 1849. The Abdullah Pasha Fountain was put into service. In 1850 the Saraczade, in 1851 the Pazarkapi Medreses were founded, the Imaret Library was widened. Trabzon became the center of an intensive transit transportation in the middle of the 19th century; The trade in Trabzon Harbor started to expand continuously. Trabzon was the center of one of the 39 provinces of the Ottoman Empire. Sebinkarahisar, Samsun, Batum and Maradit were counties under the rule of Trabzon.

There was a regular sea transportation between Trabzon and Istanbul every fifteen days and it was necessary to have a well constructed highway to go to the East. For this reason, Ismail Pasa, Minister of Public works, came to Trabzon in 1850 and the construction of Erzurum - Trabzon highway began.

Primary and secondary Schools teaching with new methods were put into service in 1852. The marsh of Batum was dried, clean water was brought, and the Aziziye Mosque was built in 1862. Trabzon became a civilized and well-constructed city. In 1863 the St. Sophia (Ayasofya) Mosque was restored, the pictures in the mosque were covered with plaster; stairs were built for the bell-tower which was used as a minaret.

The provinces were abolished and the big cities were organized in the second half of the 19th century. Trabzon became a big city too, and also three provinces were added to Trabzon: 1) Central province of Trabzon (Giresun, Bulancak, Tirebolu, Of, Rize). 2) Province of Canik (Samsun, Unye, Bafra). 3) Province of Lazistan (Batum, Arhavi). 4) Province of Gumushane (Torul, Kelkit).

Trabzon was a lively and prosperous city. An American school was put into service in 1865 and an official printing office was established in 1866. Samsun, which was a subdivision of Trabzon, was completely burnt down and rebuilt on a modern new plan designed by the local government in Trabzon. In 1870 a formal newspaper named Trabzon and the first year book of Trabzon were printed.

The sea transportation in Trabzon increased considerably in those days and four ship companies arranged tours to Istanbul once a week. Two foreigners ran a beautiful hotel in the city. The shopping district was very rich and lively, goods from all over the world were sold there. The square called “Gavur Meydani” (The Municipal square) used to be a place where people took walks. This centre reminded people of Champs Elysses in Paris. The Kavak Square was the centre of sports and people on horses used to play jereed (Javelin) there. The population of the city was about forty thousand. There were some beautiful houses in the city and there was a road to the west across the city. While some changes in the administrative body were taking place in 1870, the Sebin Karahisar subdivision was separated from Trabzon and became a separate province, and Giresun became a county of this province. On the other hand in 1872, the towns of Surmene, Vakfikebir, Gorele and Aybasti were joined together as county of Trabzon.

Trabzon was developing day after day. In 1875 a French school was put into service in the city. There appeared a great progress in the commercial life and hazelnuts were exported to Belgium as well. When the Russian - Turkish war started in 1876, Trabzon was used as a supply centre of the army.

In 1883 a Persian school was put into service. Akcaabat which was known for its tobacco, Yomra famous for its fruit and therapeutically waters, Macka as the centre of making quilts, covering copper goods with tin and carving stones, were towns under the rule of central Trabzon. From the big harbor called Vakfikebir, butter, corn and beans were exported. Surmene was a natural harbor and the people living there were mostly fishermen. There lived a lot of scientists and artists in Of. In those days there was a constitutional government ruling the Ottoman Empire. When the first elections took place, Trabzon sent three deputies to the legislature. In accordance with the Ayastefanos agreement, Batum remained under the Russian rule and Rize became the capital of Lazistan in 1877. Mehmet Ziver Efendi, who wrote many poems about the fish (hamsi, like sardines) died in 1880. Leyla Hanim, whose poems were widespread among women, was the wife of Sirri Pasha, the governor of Trabzon then. Hamamizade Ihsan, an inhabitant of Trabzon, who has acquired a very distinctive place in the Turkish literature, was born in 1884.

Meanwhile Trabzon’s nearest county Akcaabat has become a sub-district in 1887. Of, Surmene, Akcaabat, Vakfikebir, Gorele, Tirebolu, Giresun, Ordu, Yomra, Macka, Sarli and Tonya were sub-districts of Trabzon by the end of the 19th century. Trabzon continued to be the starting point of international road to Iran and an important seaport town of Eastern Anatolia. There were eight ship agencies, one of which was local. There were nine consulates in Trabzon. In brief, it was a big and rich city. The Armenians in Trabzon started a riot but it was soon overcome in 1895.

When the Second Constitutional Regime was declared in 1908, seven deputies were elected from Trabzon for the parliament. In the 1912 elections seven parliamenters were elected again. During that period the administration of the Ottoman State had become weaker because of the struggle of rivalry of political parties. Italians took advantage of this instability and occupied the twelve islands in the Aegean and also landed at Tripoli (Trablusgarb) which was under the sovereignty of the Ottoman Empire. The Balkan war broke out; the government declared a state of emergency and wanted the aid of all provinces. People of Trabzon and its districts tried very hard to procure money for the government.

The Ottoman Government frequently changed hands and the power of the state weakened because of the struggle and rivalry of political parties. Bekir Sami Bey, who was a governor in Trabzon twice in 1911 and 1912, was also the foreign Minister of the Ankara Government during the years of the Turkish National War of Liberation. The governorship of Suleyman Nazif Bey, who was a famous Turkish poet, didn’t even last a year. The governorship of Professor Mehmet Ali Avni, who was famous with his scientific and artistic works, lasted shorter than Suleyman Nazif’s. Samih Rifats’s governance lasted only a month. In 1913, as the activities of Armenian Committees and the Second Balkan War started, Cemal Azmi Bey became the governor of Trabzon.

When World War I broke out in 1914, the Istanbul Government couldn’t keep its impartiality and was obliged to enter the war on the side of Germany. Disastrous days for Trabzon began. The city was bombed by 23 Russian warship on 1st November 1914. Bomb-shells followed one another, and a large group of young people from Trabzon died in the battle of Sarikamis in the east of Turkey. As the bombardments were continuing, Russian land troops passed the shore border on 24th February 1916 and occupied Rize and came to the border of Of. The people of Of and its sub-districts joined the 2500 soldiers under the command of Gurcu Avni Pasa, the commander of that region. They stopped the Russian Army on the border of Trabzon, in spite of the good state of the Russian army. But the Russians occupied Of on 5th March 1916 and Trabzon on 18th April 1916 anyway. Trabzon was saved from the enemy invasion on 24th February 1918 and was joined to the Motherland.

Some people say that the name of the city comes from the Greek “Trapezous”; “trapezion” is the table, and the ending “-ous” means the place which possesses/has something (eg. Kerasous; the place that has cherries, todays Giresun). Trapezous indicates the flat hilltop in the old city, which is surrounded by the medieval wall.

Sumela Monastery (Macka)
Situated in a very beautiful and natural setting, Sumela Monastery built in the 14th century is nestled into the side of rocks in a famous valley in Maçka, only 50 kilometers away from Trabzon. The setting is 1200 meters above the sea level.

Two Greek monks, Barnaby and Sophronios started the original building. The 7th century Icon apparently painted by an anonymous Trabizond (Trabzon) artist became the symbol of the monastery.

Some say that the name “Sumela” comes from the Greek word “melas” which means “black” and it refers to the characteristic dark color of this icon. But others say that “Melas is the name of the mountain above the monastery, “sou” in the Pontian Greek dialect means “at the”, so Sumela (Sou + Mela) means “at the Melas (mountain).

The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin and the large monastery complex had 5 floors and a total of 72 rooms. The upper floor was used as a gallery and a lookout post. The whole building was full of frescoes and the wall paintings. The large part of the building was hewn out of the rock. It stands in front of a beautiful valley scenery and sharp rocky mountains behind.

St. Sophia Museum
It was built in covered Greek cross architecture during the reign of King Manuel I Kommenos in 13th century. Muslim Seljuk stone workers also worked for the construction of St. Sophia Church and church continued its service until 1670 after Ottomans invaded the region. It was converted into a mosque in 1670 and served as a storage and hospital during World War I. Later it served as a mosque again. The chapel in the north of the church is older and the bell tower and was built in 1427. St. Sophia Church was converted into a museum in 1964 and is located in 3 kilometers west of the city. It is not to be confused with St. Sophia Museum in Istanbul.

It’s name comes from Greek: Hagia Sophia means Divine Wisdom.

Atatürk Mansion
The mansion, which was built by a rich Greek banker named Konstantinos Kappagianidis, is an example of 19th century European architecture. Atatürk stayed in this house when he visited Trabzon in 1930 and in 1937, was bought by Trabzon municipality in 1964 after he died in 1938 in Dolmabahce Palace, Istanbul. The mansion has been exhibited as a museum since 1964. It is 7 kilometers from downtown and is located in Soguksu.

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Safranbolu is the best preserved town in Anatolia. A rare blessing for those who would like to picture how an Ottoman town looked 200 years ago, Safranbolu, with its little-changed cobbled pavements and authentic marketplace is a virtual open-air museum.

The sloping terrain at Safranbolu, which is situated in a deep canyon carved out by three rivers, produced interesting architectural solutions. The stone-built ground floors of Safranbolu houses, most of which are two- or three-storey mansions, generally follow the natural gradient of the street. The upper stories meanwhile, supported by buttresses, may project over the street. Although the houses are built on small, oddly shaped lots, thanks to this building technique the upper level rooms are nevertheless rectangular and spacious. Another aspect of the technique is that the house’s axis can be rotated slightly on the upper stories according to need or exposure to the sun! The houses along the narrow streets of the marketplace thus rise twisting and turning like screw shells over the narrow and sloping plots of land to which they cling.

The interiors of the houses are as elegant as their exteriors. The low-ceilinged middle stories used in winter are cozy and warm like a womb while the upper floors, used in summer, are airy with high ceilings. The master bedroom, the most beautiful room with the best view, is usually situated on the topmost floor. This room, decorated with woodwork and stenciling, is where the master craftsmen exhibited all their skill. In typical Safranbolu houses, each room was furnished in such a way as to meet all the needs of the nuclear family. It is not for nothing that Safranbolu residents called each one of these rooms a ‘house’ since they could be a sitting room in the daytime thanks to divans running around the wall, simultaneously a kitchen thanks to the hearth, a bedroom thanks to the floor mattresses taken out of the cupboard at night, and a bathroom thanks to the washstand concealed in the cupboard! Because they were designed as independent units, each of the rooms was assigned a name such as ‘storage house’, ‘guest house’ or ‘dining house’.

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