Places to visit in Amasya
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- On the rock of Harşena above the town is the terraced site of the royal palace and the tombs of the kings of Pontus (illuminated at night) which, although not kept in the best condition, are an impressive sight from the town.
- Harsene Kalesi - A fortification, mentioned by Strabo and
largely rebuilt in medieval times also lies in ruins on a rocky outcrop
above the town. And in the district of Nerkis lies some remains of
another castle, Enderun Kalesi.
- The town itself has many historically and architecturally valuable
buildings, including the Ferhat aqueduct, the 13th century Seljuk
Burmali Mosque, the 14th century Ilkhan Bimarhane Mental Hospital with lovely reliefs around its portal, the tomb of 15th century scholar Pir Ilyas
and the 15th century mosque of Yildirim Beyazit. Unfortunately, Amasya
is vulnerable to earthquakes which have damaged many monuments (most
recently in 1939).
- There are a number of well-preserved traditional Ottoman Turkish
mansions, some of the best examples of Turkish domestic architecture.
The 19th century Hazeranlar Konağı has been carefully restored
and includes a small art gallery and ethnographical museum. Other
wooden houses are being restored as hotels and guest houses.
- The Archaeological Museum of Amasya has a large and interesting collection, of artefacts from many eras of antiquity, including the mummies of the Ilkhanli rulers of Amasya.
- A number of tombs of Muslim saints, yatır, said to emanate healing powers. The sick and dying come to breathe the air and drink the waters of nearby springs.
- Lake Borabay (65 km northeast of Amasya in the district of Taşova)
is a crater lake with an impressive view and fresh air. It is a perfect
area for fishing (especially trout), picnicking and sports. Other
excursion sites from Amasya include Yedikir reservoir and Omarca National Park.
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