Amasya is a land of legends. Strabo, an Amasya native and the world’s first geographer, tells us that the name of this city, which he calls ‘my country’ comes from the Amazons and that it was a city of kings.

The first observation that is made when speaking about civilizations in history is that they grew up from settlements on the banks of great rivers. And the Anatolian city of Amasya has fit this definition from the day it was founded right up to the present.

With a past going back 7,500 years, it is a city through which civilizations by the dozens have passed and which still preserves their imprint in all its vibrancy. Founded on both banks of the Yeşilırmak river (the ancient Iris) which flows between two mountains, the city is reminiscent of an open air museum. The first settlement here is said to date back to around 5,500 B.C. Traces of the Hittites, Phrygians, Cimmerians, Scythians, Lydians, Persians and Hellenes as well as of the Pontic, Roman, Byzantine, Danishmendid, Seljuk, Ilkhanid and Ottoman civilizations are encountered in Amasya, which was among the leading cities of the numerous civilizations that have ruled Anatolia. The Royal Rock Tombs on the slopes of the hill where Amasya Citadel stands are the best known and most striking of these remains. These royal tombs, which the Pontic peoples, who put a lasting stamp on the city, made by carving out deep troughs in the rock, are among the its most impressive monuments. And the most magnificent among them is the Mirrored Cave which takes its name from their legend.

CITY OF PRINCES
A portion of the bridges, castles and other ruins in the town date back to the Roman and Byzantine civilizations, which held sway over the area for a long time. Selcuk art and architecture came to dominate in the city starting from the period of Turkish hegemony over Anatolia. Mosques, mausoleums and religious colleges were built. One of them, the Gök Medrese, is the finest example you will ever see of Selcuk architecture as well as of its stone carving patterns and techniques. Under Seljuk protection and Danismendid administration, Amasya became a city of strategic importance. With the advent of the Ottomans, the city’s mission was further enhanced when the Ottoman crown princes were sent here to be governors of the province so as to gain experience in state administration. Known as the city of crown princes, Amasya trained many an Ottoman sultan. As it gained in importance, Ottoman culture also came to dominate the city as baths, bridges, fountains, khans and houses were built. Some of the finest examples of this building spree are the Ottoman houses which we can still see today. These traditional houses with their cantilevered balconies overlooking the banks of the Yeşilırmak are also known as the Yalıboyu Houses. They consist of one or two stories over a ‘bodrum’ or cellar with a pavilion known as a ‘şahniş’ over the first, or in some cases, the second story. Usually boasting a courtyard as well as a garden, especially the ones that are divided into separate men’s and women’s quarters have the garden in the middle so that it is closed off to the outside. In other houses privacy is achieved by means of a high garden wall. The houses in the Yaliboyu quarter were built on the ruins of the old Roman city walls in such a way as to afford a view of the Yeşilırmak. In a strategic sense, Amasya also played a major role in history during the Turkish National Struggle as the city where the Amasya Protocol was drawn up in October 1919.

OVER 20,000 MONUMENTS
Over 20,000 monuments and artifacts from civilizations ranging from the Hittites and the Romans to the Seljuks and the Ottomans have been found in and around Amasya and are exhibited today in the Amasya Museum. Among them the most interesting are the mummies of Prince Cumudar, Minister of Anatolia, İşbuğa Noyin, Commander of Anatolia, and İzzettin Mehmet Pervane Bey, all of them leading figures of the Ilkhanid dynasty which ruled in the 14th century, and of their sons, daughters and wives.

This charming and monumental city is famous at the same time for its handicrafts. The local people’s habit of drinking tea has also led to the development of the samovar, and artisans producing unique and elaborately ornamental samovars made especially of tin, brass and copper stand out in the city. Handmade wood carving and the production of walking canes and of costumes made of velvet and of the purple satin with a silver thread running through it known as ‘bindallı’ are widespread as is carpet and kilim weaving. The town’s historic past and cultural richness are reflected as well in the local cuisine, which includes such specialties as ‘toyka’ soup, stuffed broad beans, okra, a mutton dish known as ‘keşkek’ and a sweet made with paper-thin sheets of ‘yufka’. Last but not least, Amasya apples, which have been immortalized in verse and are known to practically everyone, have a fame all their own.

* Turkish Airlines flies round trip Istanbul-Amasya (Merzifon) on Mondays, Wednesdays and fridays.

Resource: THY Skylife

Amasya Museum was first established in 1925 as a store in medrese building, a part of II. Beyazid Külliyesi, by bringing together only a few archaeological artifacts and mummies.

Later , the artifacts got increased in number and as a result of the need for displaying them, it was moved to Gok medrese in 1962, one of the monumental structures of the Seljukian Period.

It moved to its modern building of our day on 22nd March 1977 and opened to visitors on 14th June 1980.

The museum has 23.476 items including archaeological, ethnographic coins, official seal, handwritings and mummies belonging to 12 different civilizations beginning from Kalkolitic Age to Bronze Age such as Hittities, Urartu, Frig, Persian, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods. With Hazeranlar Museum House and King Rock Tombs in addition to these artifacts, it plays an important role in the culture and the tourism of our country as the most modern museum of the region.

Open Air Exhibition (garden)

Stone structures of Hittitie, Helenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Ilhanli, Seljuk and Ottoman periods are displayed in the garden to the west of the museum.

Mummies

Mummies in our museum are displayed in the tomb of Seljuk Sultan I. Mesud in the garden of the museum.

There are eight mummies. Thought to be İşbuğa Nuyin, Cumudar İzzettin Mehmet, Pervane Bey, his wife and his sons and daughters, the mummies belong to the people who were once on duty as Nazır and Emir when İlhanlı State was the ruling power in Anatolia in the 14th century.

While the Great Seljuk army won the Malazgirt war in 1071, Sultan Alparslan’s high-rank commanders started the attacks against the Middle Anatolia. As a result of these attacks, Bizantyne sovereignity over Anatolia ended and, the commanders who did these conquests founded principalities (beylikler) independent in their internal affairs, after they had recieved the consent of the Seljuk State.
During this process, Amasya and its surrounding were conquered via Danishmend Ahmet Gazi also Turkish sovereignity started into the region. The battle which was held active 5th August 1101 between Amasya and Merzifon by the troops under the order of Seljuk Sultan Kılıç Arslan and Danishmend Gazi dispersed the Crusaders.
Danishmends’ sovereignity lasting intended about a century finished with the conquest of Amasya in 1175 by Seljuk Sultan II. Kılıç Arslan. As a result, the city of Amasya also its surrounding came beneath the Seljukian sovereignity.
throughout his long-lasting reign, II. Kılıç Arslan alloted the Seljuk State to his eleven sons also as a result of this allotement, Nizameddin Argunshah owned Amasya. Upon Nizameddin Argunshah’s brother, II. Rükneddin Süleyman shah’s getting hold of the Seljukian sovereignity, Amasya as many other places transformed into a province dependent active this sovereignity.
When the Mongolians became a threat, the Anatolian Seljuk king Alaeddin Keykubad gave various provinces to Harezm Beys as a fief (dirlik), so that he perhaps benefit from their experiences. Similarly, Amasya was imparted to Bereket Han as a fief in this period (1231).
After the reign of Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad (1220-1237), the ill-management of the country caused various social disorders in the Seljuk State. Amasya-centred, Babailer Rebellion which occured in 637H/1239M was the first also foremost of all the social activities in this period.
At this rebellion beginning under the leadership of Baba İlyas Horasani, Baba Ishak Kefersudi launched the practical process of the activity in the village of Kefersud, also during these happenings relating to the rebellion, Amasya witnessed them as an important historic location.
As a result of the spread of the increasing rebellion, Sultan II. Gıyaseddin Keyhusrev withdrew to the Kubadabad Castle as a precaution and meanwhile Hadji Armaganshah who was appointed as Amasya Subaşı was ordered to suppress the Hadji Armaganshah movement.
In the end, Baba İlyas, who was the chief of the Babaîler Rebellion and was suppressed in a bloody method, and hanged in the ramparts of the Amasya Castle after being captured in his tekke via Hadji Armaganshah. When the Seljuk State was defeated by the Mongols into the Kösedağ Battle in 1243, the Mongols started to plunder almost each part of of Anatolia, which took more than a century and Amasya was one of the places to be affected.
The Mongols who invaded Anatolia settled in the Middle Anatolia Region where Amasya was also situated. These settlers were named ‘Tatar’ in general. In this period, those who settled in Amasya was previously Ca’unğar tribes, also known as gone-hand clans.
After the İlhanlı ruler Ebu alleged Bahadır Han died in 1335, Sultan Alaeddin Eratna founded the State of Eratna by declaring their independence by the assist of Sultan Alaeddin who was the general governer of Anatolia in İlhanlı period and Amasya came under the rule of the State of Eratna in 1341.
In the equal year, Amasya was captured by Taceddinoğlu Principality(beylik) whose centre was Niksar. Sultan Eratna reserved his silence for a while, but when he got the protection also the support of Eygpt-Memluk Sultan Melih Nasır, he sent Tüli Bey (one of his emirs) towards the invaders. As a effect, Tüli Bey recieved Amasya and its around back from Taceddin Doganshah by the help of the local people into Amasya, thereby ending this invasion.
In this term, Zeyneddin Tüli Bey was the Emir of Amasya, but following his death Hadji Kutlushah was appointed as the Emir in 1347. Then, Şahabeddin Ahmet Shah ,the eldest son of Hadji Kutlushah transformed into the Emir of Amasya in the middle of 1352.
By the year 1356, Kebir Sücaaddin Bey transformed into the Emir ,using his power. However, Şahabeddin Ahmet Shah got this mission back from him recurrently in 1358.
Şadgeldi Pasha, the other son of Hadji Kutlushah was appointed the Emir of Amasya into 1359; later in 1361 Alaaddin Ali Bey , the son of Sücaaddin Süleyman Bey became the Emir. However, in the wake of Kaynar incident, Hadji Şadgeldi Pasha was created himself the Emir of Amasya for the subsequent time.
As the sultans ruling the Province following Sultan Eratna were frail and indulged in pleasure and joy of existence, they caused their condition authority to lose influence and the administrators into charge to get the idea to gain their independence. During these years, the Emir of Amasya, Hadji Şadgeldi Pasha started to act on his own and later declared his own principality.
Durign the reign of Şadgeldi Pasha, considerable construction activities were carried out. Amasya Castle was restored into 1363 and the old minting factory was rebuilt; also then a paper factory was built. It is also known that various construction units such as mosque, medrese and imaret were built in this period.
Fahreddin Ahmet Bey was the son of Hadji Şadgeldi Pasha who died in the battle with Kadı Burhaneddin, the judge (kadı) of the State of Eratna into 1381. He became the Emir of Amasya. Like his father, Fahreddin Ahmet Bey was in a continuous struggle with Kadı Burhaneddin; however, because he perhaps not get anything since that struggle, he offered to give Amasya to the Ottomans in revert for another sanjak. after this exchange, the metropolis entered the Ottoman government in 1393.