What to see and do in Amasya, a charming city in Türkiye

Amasya It is one of the most attractive cities in all Anatolia and one of the most interesting destinations anywhere tour of the interior of Türkiye.

It is located less than 150 kilometers from Alacahoyüc, One ancient hitite cities, so your visit can easily be added to a tour of the traces of this ancient civilization.

In this way you can make a good few days excursion from Ankara admiring some of the most fascinating remains of the history of this region.

Part of the monumental heritage of Amasya, especially the Tombs of the Kings of Pontus excavated in the rock, are included by Türkiye on the tentative list World Heritage for the Unesco.

But in addition to those remains of that ancient civilization, the old town of AmasyIt forms one of the best sets of ottoman architecture from all over the country, which in this case is quite well restored.

Being a place of undoubted tourist attraction, both for Turkish and international travelers, Amasya It has numerous hotels located in old traditional ottoman mansions, well-kept restaurants and cafes, as well as shops with good quality artisan products.

And even some nightlife, which is not very common in the small towns in the interior of Anatolia.

Curiosities of the history of Amasya

The settlement of Amasya It has been inhabited for 5.000 years, being very important at certain times in history.

All this is because it occupies a truly strategic place, on a prominent rock next to the Yesilirmak River, which at this point crosses the Pontus mountains on the way to Black Sea.

From this point one of the main communication routes between the coast and the interior of Anatolia was controlled for many centuries, and all the regional powers wanted to dominate this decisive enclave.

Its period of splendor began around the year 300 BC when Mithridates He occupied the place and founded the Kingdom of Pontus, which lasted almost two and a half centuries as an independent power until the Roman conquest by Pompey.

Later, over time, it was an important center Byzantine, Seljuk y Ottoman.

What to see when visiting Amasya

The river divides the city into two very different parts.

The north side is a very narrow extension of land wedged between the shore and the great mountain that appears crowned by the ancient Acropolis of Amaseia.

On the almost vertical wall of that mountain, the five spectacular excavated tombs of the monarchs of the Kingdom of Pontus, which are the most prominent monument of Amasya.

Ottoman wooden houses in Amasya

In this neighborhood, known as Hatuniye Mahallesi, there are a lot of traditional wooden ottoman houses.

Although many have disappeared - due to fires, earthquakes and floods - a good number are still preserved, allowing us to get an idea of ​​what it was like. Amasya a few centuries ago.

Many of these buildings have been restored, some converted into hotels, restaurants and shops.

All of this forms a very attractive complex to walk through, browsing in shops or resting to have a tea or a soft drink, and some of these places have windows and terraces that overlook the river.

Although what is interesting to appreciate is the whole, it is worth looking for some specific buildings such as the Hamam Yildiz, Seljuk baths from the 13th century, and Hazenranlar Konagi, a 19th century mansion that has been restored.

Royal Tombs in Amasya

It's easy to find your way to royal tombs, and near the ticket office there is a cafe with a terrace from which there is very good views of Amasya.

The tombs were carved into the hard basalt rock and became the place to venerate the kings who were deified after their death.

The tombs must have had facades decorated with marble, but these covers disappeared a long time ago.

The climb to the tombs can be tiring if you are not used to the exercise but in any case it is worth reaching them.

Although the view of the whole is better from the south bank of the river, there are details that can only be appreciated if you reach them.

One thing that surprised us was that not only the interior of the tomb is excavated in the rock, as a kind of corridor, also excavated, runs along the sides and back of these sanctuaries, turning them into truly free-standing complexes.

These corridors must have served as ceremonial routes during the rituals held in honor of the kings.

To access the two largest tombs you climb through a kind of tunnel opened in the precipice, and overall the visit has a point of small adventure.

Archaeologists have discovered that one of these enclosures was used as a chapel during the Byzantine period.

Büyük Aga Medresei Madrasa in Amasya

Before crossing any of the different bridges over the river to the other part of the city, it is worth heading towards the Büyük Aga Medresei, a curious one madrasa octagonal from the 15th century.

The madrasas are koranic schools and when we visited her patio it was full of students reciting the sacred texts out loud to learn them.

On the other side of the river lies most of the population of Amasya and there are also quite a few places of interest.

Of course you always have to walk along this shore to enjoy the view of the ancient city and the Pontic tombs.

On this walk you will find the monument to Strabo, the great geographer of antiquity, who was a native of Amaseia.

A curiosity that is also found on this walk is a statue of a character in Ottoman clothing, but who has a mobile phone in his hand and is in a position to take a selfie.

Naturally everyone wants to take a photo with that statue.

Mosques abound throughout this area.

of the Sultan Beyazit II is kulliye largest of Amasya.

Una kulliye It is a complex formed by a mosque and a series of annex buildings that depend on it, and normally include a madrasa, a kitchen, a fountain, a library, a hospital and a lodging.

Amasya Museum

If you have a little time, it is worth visiting the Amasya Museum, in which good pieces of all the cultures that have established themselves in this place are preserved.

highlights the bronze statuette of Teshub, Hittite god of storms.

There are also a series of mummies from the 14th century.

Harsena Castle in Amasya

If you do not have your own vehicle, you have to take a taxi to go up to the Harsena castle, on top of the large rock that overlooks Amasya from a height of almost 300 meters above the river.

There are remains of the fortress king Mithridates, although the place has been inhabited and defended for many centuries before and after. The views from the top are magnificent.

Map: how to get to Amasya

La Amasya city is in the interior of the Anatolian peninsula, 325 kilometers northeast of Ankara, four hours by car.