Amasra, a city on Black Sea coast with2 bays and 2 islands, challenging southern resorts
Amasra, which is said to have taken its name from the Persian princess Amastris, was founded in the 12th century BC. This city, with its unique coastline, two bays, and two islands, rivals the southern resorts. It is even likened to a sleeping princess from ancient times.
This popular resort town has recently seen a resurgence in tourism, attracting a considerable number of visitors. Here, the Black Sea is as calm as a blue lake, while everywhere else is lush green.
HISTORY
The city, known as Sesamos until the 3rd century BC, is said to have been founded by the Hittites or Gasgas in the 12th century BC. The city fell under the influence of the Persian Empire. The Persian princess Amastris established a new city in her own name and ruled independently.
Later, the city fell into the hands of the Pontus, Romans, and Genoese. It gained fame in the 1200s with its castle and churches. In 1460, Fatih Sultan Mehmet conquered Amasra. During that time, Amasra, likened to the “Sleeping Princess”, became a center for qadi during the Ottoman period.
Located on a peninsula, this charming resort town boasts two bays and two islands. One island is accessible by boat, while the other is crossed by a single-arched Roman structure.
The city is also famous for its unique historical sites such as the Bird Rock Monument, the “Bedesten” possibly built as the Roman provincial Council Palace, the single-arched Roman Bridge built during the reign of Emperor Claudius, the foundations of a church on Rabbit Island, the Fatih Mosque within the castle built in the 9th century, the Inner Castle Mosque, baths, a theater, and caves.
WHAT TO DO IN AMASRA
Amasra reflects its historical texture with clean streets and buildings, and evenings are cool here both in summer and winter.
Visitors can rent boats from the port for excursions. You can visit Rabbit Island, where gray, white, and black rabbits live, explore caves, take photos of the castle and city walls from the sea.
There are tea gardens, cafe-bars, and tree-lined beach parks with viewing terraces. The locals say the most beautiful place to watch the sunset is where the “sun sinks into the sea like a red apple.”
You can also visit the island connected by a bridge to see the houses, experience solitude on the viewing terraces overlooking Küçük Liman (Small Port), and see the mosque converted from a restored church.
There is also a museum containing Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman period tear bottles, scent bottles, pottery and clay pots, kitchen utensils, tombstones, sarcophagi, amphorae, marble snake-lined Stele of the health god, statues, and ethnographic artifacts.
ÇEKİCİLER ÇARŞISI (BLACKSMITHS BAZAAR)
When it comes to shopping, one must visit Amasra’s most famous street, “Çekiciler Çarşısı”. The bazaar sells all kinds of wooden items, including:
Wooden salad bowls, wooden toys from ships to cars, models, figurines, newspaper racks, bread boxes, tables, chairs, stools, mirrors, boxwood spoons, wicker goods, and wooden jewelry.
In recent years, Amasra has been showcasing its unique salad varieties at the fairs it attends. Especially salads made from organic vegetables, flavored with special sauces, and creatively cut and shaped by the chef’s skill.
