Amasya is a historic city and province in north-central Turkey, set in a dramatic gorge on the Yeşilırmak river beneath the rocky heights of Mount Harşena. Known as the Şehzadeler Şehri, or City of Princes, where Ottoman heirs trained as provincial governors, Amasya is famous for its Pontic royal rock tombs carved into the cliffs, its riverside Ottoman timber mansions, and its sweet apples. The birthplace of the ancient geographer Strabo, it blends Hellenistic, Roman, Seljuk, and Ottoman heritage in one of Turkey's most scenic provincial towns.
Amasya's history spans more than 2,500 years, shaped by successive empires drawn to its strategic river gorge. The city was capital of the Kingdom of Pontus (3rd–1st century BC) under Mithridates I and his successors, who carved their royal tombs into the clifftops of Mount Harşena. The geographer Strabo, born here around 64 BC, described it as the greatest city of Pontus. After Roman conquest (64 BC), it grew into a prosperous provincial centre. The Seljuks seized it in 1075 and built the Gök Medrese; the Ilkhanids ruled from 1243 and left the Bimarhane (1308). Ottoman rule, begun in 1386, brought the city its most celebrated identity: as the Şehzadeler Şehri, City of Princes, where Ottoman heirs served as provincial governors before ascending the throne. The 1486 külliye of Sultan Bayezid II and the Yalıboyu mansion quarter define this era. The modern Republic era began with the pivotal Amasya Protocol of June 1919, where Mustafa Kemal launched the Turkish War of Independence.
Historical timeline
Key moments that shaped Amasya.
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1
Mithridates I founds the Kingdom of Pontus; Amaseia becomes the royal capital
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2
Strabo, the celebrated Greek geographer, is born in Amaseia
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3
Pompey the Great defeats Mithridates VI Eupator; Pontus absorbed into the Roman Republic
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4
Danişmendid Turks capture Amasya from the Byzantines
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5
Mongols (Ilkhanids) assert control after the Battle of Köse Dağ
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6
Gök Medrese (Blue Seminary Mosque) built under the Seljuks
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7
Torumtay Türbesi (tomb) constructed by Seljuk governor Torumtay
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8
Darüşşifa / Bimarhane built under the Ilkhanids — one of the world's first psychiatric hospitals
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9
Amasya incorporated into the Ottoman Empire under Murad I
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10
Sultan Bayezid II builds his great külliye (mosque complex) in Amasya
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11
Büyük Ağa Medresesi constructed, the last great Ottoman madrasa in the city
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12
Prince Suleiman (later 'the Magnificent') serves as governor of Amasya before his accession
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13
The Peace of Amasya signed between Suleiman the Magnificent and Safavid Shah Tahmasp, ending the first Ottoman-Safavid war
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14
Hazeranlar Konağı built — the iconic riverside Ottoman mansion now preserved as a museum
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15
Atatürk signs the Amasya Circular on 22 June, launching the Turkish War of Independence
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16
Foundation of the Turkish Republic; Amasya becomes a provincial capital
Historical eras
The chapters of Amasya's past.
Kingdom of Pontus
Roman Period
Byzantine Period
Danişmendid and Seljuk
Ilkhanid
Ottoman Empire – City of Princes
Turkish War of Independence
Turkish Republic
Historical sites
Places where Amasya's past comes alive.
Pontic Royal Rock Tombs (Kral Kaya Mezarları)
Where: Mount Harşena cliff, above Yalıboyu
Admission: ₺80–120 (approx $2–2.50); Müzekart accepted
Harşena Castle (Amasya Kalesi)
Where: Summit of Mount Harşena
Admission: Free
Sultan Bayezid II Mosque and Külliye (1486)
Where: Riverside, Hatuniye Mahallesi
Admission: Free
Gök Medrese Camii (Blue Seminary Mosque, 1266)
Where: City centre, Atatürk Caddesi
Admission: Free
Bimarhane / Darüşşifa (1308) — Sabuncuoğlu Museum
Where: Gümuşlü Mahallesi
Admission: ₺50–80 (approx $1–1.80); Müzekart accepted
Torumtay Türbesi (1278)
Where: Adjacent to Gök Medrese
Admission: Free
Hazeranlar Konağı (1865)
Where: Yalıboyu waterfront
Admission: ₺50–90 (approx $1–2); Müzekart accepted
Taşhan (Ottoman Caravanserai)
Where: Historic bazaar quarter
Admission: Free (courtyard)
Museums
Curated collections that tell Amasya's story.
Amasya Museum (Arkeoloji ve Etnografya Müzesi)
Hours: Tuesday–Sunday 08:00–17:00; closed Monday
Admission: ₺80–120 (approx $2–2.50); Müzekart accepted
Sabuncuoğlu Şerefeddin Museum of History of Medicine
Hours: Tuesday–Sunday 08:00–17:00; closed Monday
Admission: ₺50–80 (approx $1–1.80); Müzekart accepted
Hazeranlar Konağı Ethnography Museum
Hours: Tuesday–Sunday 08:00–17:00; closed Monday
Admission: ₺50–90 (approx $1–2)
Amasya Atatürk Museum
Hours: Tuesday–Sunday 08:00–17:00; closed Monday
Admission: ₺40–80 (approx $0.90–1.80); Müzekart accepted
Historical tours
Guided experiences that bring history to life.