Understand
[edit]
According to Greek historian and geographer Strabo (64 BC-24 AD), this town is named for the ancient Amazon female warriors who flaunted themselves here. This is just one of so many misunderstandings, errors and downright baloney myths written down by Strabo. He was born and brought up in Amasya, travelled extensively around the Mediterranean regions, and his only extant complete work, the extensive if unreliable Geographica (Γεωγραφικά) became a standard reference text. It's striking how often later authors simply copied it, right into modern times, when better info was in front of their noses.
The River Yeşilırmak carves a deep gorge through the mountains, and early settlement was perched on the crag north of this then spread up and down the valley. The rulers of Pontus etched their rock tombs into the cliff face, and various armies and invaders came and went, but it was as a refuge that Amasya came into history. In 1402 Timur stormed west and smashed the Ottomans at Ankara, almost for ever. Sultan Bayezid was taken captive and killed, and the rest of his family began murdering each other, but his son Mehmet was spirited away to Amasya. Mehmet grew up to become Sultan and restored Ottoman power. This started a tradition whereby princes were brought to Amasya to learn statecraft and other essential arts before their reign, and the town was embellished through their patronage.
The town has small-scale industry and grows apples, but smokestack industry was never established here so its Ottoman old town was preserved. One major activity is as an army training base: all Turkish males over 20 must do at least a month in the army. There are passing-out ceremonies for each intake, usually the second Wednesday of the month, and their families flock to see them. This is about the only time you're likely to find Amasya booked out.
Get in
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By plane
[edit]1 Amasya Merzifon Airport (MZH IATA) has daily flights from Istanbul, taking 90 min. It's 42 km northwest of town.
By train
[edit]The Hattı train runs three days a week from Sivas, which has fast trains from Ankara, and slow trains from the east of Turkey. It sets off around 08:30 and take 5 hours to Amasya, continuing to Havza and Samsun. The return to Sivas leaves Amasya at 11:40. Another leaves Amasya early morning and takes 3 hours to Samsun, returning late afternoon - this is shown on the regional or Bölgesel part of TCDD timetables, while the Hattı is a mainline or Anahat train.
2 Amasya railway station 
(Amasya Garı) is in the west part of town. If you are catching the early train to Samsun you will probably find a guy on the platform selling samovar tea and simit. Turn west - left - coming out of the station for budget pansiyons along Yalı Sokak.
By bus
[edit]Buses from Istanbul take 11 hours overnight via Gebze and Bolu and continue from Amasya to Samsun.
From Ankara, six buses a day take 4 hours via Çorum. One per day is from Izmir and one from Antalya.
Amasya Tur is the main bus line, and there's a swarm of dolmuşes.
3 Amasya Otogar is the new bus station, 10 km northwest of town at the junction with the bypass. It's modern but poor on facilities, eg no ATM but you need cash for ticket kiosks and taxis. Your inter-city bus ticket may include a downtown transfer, enquire when booking. The former bus station in Kirazlıdere district is still marked on maps but is a demolition site.
Get around
[edit]Most sights are in walking distance. You need your own wheels to explore the region: rent a car from your arrival airport.
Traffic is restricted in Old Town and diverted through a tunnel.
See
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Castle and Old Town
[edit]- Harşena hill rises abruptly behind the north bank of the river.
- 1 Kızlar Sarayı or Maiden's Palace was an Ottoman building. Only a few walls remain, but it marks the start of the steep path to the castle.
- Tombs of the Pontic Kings are carved into the rock face on the path up. They're 8 to 15 m high and date to 3rd century BC. Five are here, with over a dozen more dotted about castle hill and beyond.
- 2 Amasya Castle (path from Kizlar Sarayı or road from north). Daily 09:00-16:30. Harşena hill has been used as a fortress since 3000 BCE, repeatedly stormed then rebuilt - what you see now is mostly from the rebuild of 1075 AD. It's on two levels and riddled with cisterns and tunnels. Great views of the city. Adult 50 TL.
- Hatuniye district is the Old Town along the north riverbank, once within city walls. Hazeranlar Sk extends east from Madenüs Bridge to Alçak Bridge and Hacı Tevfik Sk. These narrow alleys are traffic-restricted and lined with picturesque houses.
- Calligraphy Museum is west end of this strip at Bülbül Hatun Sk 1.
- Hatuniye Mosque was built in 1510. It's 100 m west of Alçak Bridge at Figani Sk 4.
- Haranlar Mansion, Hazeranlar Sk 19 (50 m west of Alçak Bridge), ☏ +90 358 218 4018. Temporarily closed. This house was built in 1483 and has been restored into a gallery and museum of 19th century life.
- Şehzadeler Museum at Alçak Bridge is waxworks of the princes who dwelt here. It's as unimpressive as it sounds.
- 3 Büyük Aga Medrese, Zübeyde Hanım Cd 2, ☏ +90 358 218 2981. Founded in 1488 in the reign of Beyazit II, this religious school was wrecked by 19th century earthquakes. It was restored in 1978 and is again used for Koranic studies.
- National Struggle Museum next to Büyük Aga Medrese is a small display about Atatürk's time in Amasya. It's within the library, on the site of the former Saraydüzü Barracks.
City centre
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- Ziya Paşa Bulvarı on the south riverbank and Mustafa Kemal Paşa Cd a block back have things worth seeing but are mostly modern and busy with traffic.
- 4 Fatih Sultan Mehmet Mosque was built in the 1990s in traditional Ottoman style. It's north side of town at Cülüs Sk 24.
- 5 Mehmet Paşa Mosque, Mehmet Paşa Cd 48. Mosque built in 1486 AD by Mehmet, tutor of Ahmet the son of Beyazit II. The ornate door and pulpit have been moved to the museum.
- 6 Bimarhane (Sabuncuoğlu Medical History Museum), Atatürk Cd 15. Tu-Su 08:00-17:00. Medressah built in 1305 which became a mental health research facility using music to treat its patients. For 75 years or so it then housed Amasya's music conservatory but has re-opened as a museum displaying Sabuncuoğlu's work here.
- 7 Atatürk's statue surveys what's going on in Yavuz Selim Square, as does his horse. Hükümet Bridge just north carries Elmasiye Cd across the river into old town.
- Amasya clocktower north end of that bridge looks like the architects flip-flopped on what style it was meant to be. Built in 1865, the original was destroyed when the wooden bridge was replaced by a broad concrete bridge in 1940. It was rebuilt in its former glory in 2002.
- 8 Burmali Minare Mosque (Spiral Minaret Mosque), Amasya Blv. This mosque was built circa 1240. The minaret suffered a string of calamities and was rebuilt in 1730 with a distinctive spiral-fluted exterior, hence the name. Interred here are the architect and his son, but the mummified Prince Cumudar has been transferred to the museum.
- Taş Hanı next to Burmali Minare was a caravanserai built in 1699. It was converted into a hotel in 2012 but this has closed down and there's no access.
- 9 Vakif Bedesten Kapali Bazaar. Daily 08:30-19:00. This covered bazaar from 1483 is still in use. It's just unimpressive clothing and kitsch so it's a place to brows buy not buy anything.
- 10 Beyazıt II Complex (Amasya İkinci Beyazıt Külliyesi). A külliyesi is a religious complex with a mosque, medressah, hospital, soup kitchen and pilgrim lodgings. Often only the mosque survives, but the Amasya complex is fairly intact though several buildings have been re-purposed. It was built in 1486 and is dedicated to Beyazid II. Today it also houses the city library and a miniature museum, see below.
- Miniature Museum (Minyatür Amasya Müzesi) (within Beyazıt II Complex), ☏ +90 358 281 0002. Tu-Sa 08:00-18:00. Scale model of Amasya as it stood in 1914. Over 10 minutes, the lighting cycles through day to night to day. Adult 50 TL.
- 11 Amasya Archaeology Museum, Mustafa Kemal Paşa Cd 91, ☏ +90 358 218 4513. Daily 08:30-16:30. Fascinating museum with good signage in English and Turkish. Highlights include the Hittite statuette of Amasya, the mosaics, the tomb of Sultan Mesud I in the garden, and mummies from the Mongol period, naturally air-dried in their mountain tombs.
- 12 Halifet Gazi Tomb, Torumtay Sk 114. Halifet Gazi was a local governor who died in 1232. His mausoleum was built in his lifetime, circa 1210, so there was a fellow assured of his enduring importance. It's decorated with Medusa's and rams' heads but is in poor repair.
- 13 Gök Medrese, Ferhat Sk 101. Impressive madrasah and mosque built by Seyfeddin Torumtay around 1267 AD. It's in Seljuk style with 15 domes and an impressive portal. Torumtay's own mausoleum is just in front, added in 1278.
- Yörgüç Paşa Mosque, Yörgüç Paşa Sk 20 (100 m north of Gök Medrese). Yörgüç was a tutor of Prince Mehmed (later Sultan Mehmed II) and built this mosque in 1431 over the ruin of a Byzantine church. The complex originally included a hospital and Madrasah.
Further out
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- 14 Mirror Cave (Ayınlı Magara). 24 hours. This rock tomb has wall paintings within, from its use as a church by the Byzantines. The name comes from its reflective portal when caught by the sun. You may find the entrance barred.
- Gözlek is a geothermal area 25 km southeast of Amasya with spa hotels.
- 15 Lake Borabay is a small mountain lake 50 km northeast towards Taşova and Erbaa. It's at 1050 m altitude in the forests of Ak Dağı mountain; a hiking trail goes around it. There's camping, picnic tables, chalets, a restaurant and pedal boats.
Do
[edit]- Hamams - traditional Turkish baths - are single-sex, usually for men 06:00-10:00, women 10:00-17:00, and men again 17:00-00:00. Check with the hamams ahead of time.
- Mustafa Bey Hamami, Habibi Sk 1 (next to Bimarhame), ☏ +90 358 218 3461. Daily 07:00-00:00. A beautifully restored building of 1678 with a Swiss-style sauna room.
- Yıldız Hamam, Derya Sk 1 (by wax museum), ☏ +90 539 652 4414. Daily 05:00-23:30. Built in 1510 but clean and efficient.
- Seray Altuntaş Hamamı is 200 m west of Yıldız Hamam at Şifre Sk 3, open daily 08:00-23:00.
- Kumacık Hamam, Mehmet Paşa Cd 68 (next to Beyazid Paşa mosque), ☏ +90 358 218 1651. Daily 06:00-00:00. A small hamam with a pool built in 1495.
- Football: Yeni Amasyaspor play soccer in TFF 3. Lig, the fourth tier, at June 12 Stadium by the railway station.
- Hiking. Mountains surround the city on all sides and can easily be walked.
Buy
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- Lots of little stores, Migros and Bim are the main chains.
Eat
[edit]- Riverbank both sides has several eateries.
- Anadolu Mantı House, Hazeranlar Sk 57 (100 m east of Madenüs Bridge), ☏ +90 358 212 3030. Daily 09:00-21:30. Mantı is a kind of homemade pasta with various toppings. This is a great little place to try it.
Drink
[edit]- Cafes and restaurants serve alcohol, there isn't a free-standing bar.
- Yesil Ev (green house) is a tea shop by the railway station, open daily 09:00-19:00. For a group, semaver is the Turkish version of the samovar, and you'll be drinking tea for hours.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Elit Otelhan, Celal Topala Sk B-1 Block 3, ☏ +90 358 218 8989. Modern efficient hotel on highway north of centre, convenient for motorists. B&B double 3000 TL.
- 2 Büyük Amasya Oteli, Şehit Ahmet Özsoy Cd 12/A, ☏ +90 358 218 5080. Clean and comfy place in town centre. B&B double 3000 TL.
- Ilk Pension, Hitit Sk 1 (next to Carrefour), ☏ +90 501 153 6277. Friendly central konak. B&B double 1500 TL.
- 3 Grand Harşena Otel, H Teyfik Hafız Sk 4, ☏ +90 358 218 1810. Atmospheric konak on the riverbank. B&B double 3000 TL.
- Beyazid Han Konak, Ziya Paşa Blv 4A (next to Beyazid Mosque), ☏ +90 358 212 5212. Renovated historic building, beautiful cool courtyard, beds are cramped for tall people. The main problem is blaring music late at night. B&B double 3000 TL.
- 4 Apple Palace, Vermiş Sk 20, ☏ +90 358 219 0019. On the hill south of town with great views, but cleanliness and catering are disappointing.
Connect
[edit]Amasya and its approach highways have 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of Jan 2025, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.
Go next
[edit]- Sivas has several fine mosques and museums. Fast trains run from Ankara.
- Boğazkale has the ruins of the Hittite city of Hattuşa.
- Samsun is a large resort on the Black Sea coast.
| Routes through Amasya |
Istanbul ← Bolu ← Gerede (   N / S) ← Ilgaz (  N / S) ← Merzifon (  N / S) ←
|
W  E
|
→ Niksar (  S) → Erzincan → Erzurum
|
| Çankırı ← Çorum ← | W  E
|
→ Tokat → END |
| Kastamonu ← Boyabat ← Havza ( N / S) ←
|
W  E
|
→ END |