e SAMSUN Governorship of Samsun Publisher e Governorship of Samsun Tel: +90 362 431 64 75 - Fax: +90 362 431 64 77 www.samsun.gov.tr Prepared by Samsun Culture and Tourism Directorate. Has been sponsored and published by the Middle Black Sea Development Agency Samsun Culture and Tourism Directorate Tel: +90 362 431 00 14 - Faks:+90 362 435 65 48 Samsun Urban Directorate Tel: +90 362 444 7 555 - Fax: +90 362 437 08 55 www.samsunilozelidare.gov.tr Publisher Ekin Group Halaskargazi Cad. 145/1 Kat:8 Osmanbey 34381 / İstanbul Tel : +90 212 296 22 22 Faks: +90 212 247 44 60 E.Posta: [email protected] www.ekinyazim.com Managing Director Halim Buluto€lu Director Periodicals and Books Cihan Yi€in Text Baki Sar›sakal (Samsun central text) Dilek Safer Art Director Murat Kezli Photo Metin ‹fller, Tansu Tekin Ekin Group archive Samsun Culture and Tourism Directorate archive Samsun Metropolitan Municipality archive fienol Kocatepe Çarflamba, Kutlukent, Ladik, Ayvac›k, Tekkeköy, Asarc›k districts officers archives Printed by Seçil Printhouse Tel:+90 212 629 06 15 4th print, September 2011 Hüseyin AKSOY Governor of Samsun Samsun Samsun, the place where the Great Leader Atatürk started the National Liberation Crusade and the place where he took the first step towards it, is one of the cities of the Black Sea Region with the highest potential of tourism thanks to its natural, historical and cultural richness, and its sea, land, air and railway transportation capabilities. Samsun has a 6000 year old history which has been the host of many different cultures and has become an important cultural and trading center of Anatolia since its establishment. Samsun, which has such an historical background, presents its guests many tourism activities from winter tourism to thermal tourism, from health tourism to nature and sea tourism It is the most important city of the Black Sea region by means of Social and Cultural life with its State Opera and Ballet, State Theater Stage of Samsun, State Classical Turkish Music Chorus, Galleries, Museums and Libraries. Samsun still isn’t at the point is deserves today in tourism despite its 200 km seaboard, natural beaches, numerous archeological sites, registered structures, hardwood mosques, 17.426 archeological and ethnographic artifacts exhibited in museums, hundreds of endemic plants, plateaus, mountains, forest waterfalls, lakes, and trekking, winter skiing and grass skiing, paragliding and water sports possibilities. Our goal is to promote Samsun the future City of Tourism to its rightful position. The latest investments in tourism in the recent years have raised hopes regarding this subject. I would like to thank and to present my compliments to all of those who participated in this study which I believe will contribute to the presentation of our city that has a rich historical background and is in a fast development phase in terms of social, economical, cultural and touristic life. I also wish for this study to gain Samsun new companions. Hüseyin AKSOY Governor of Samsun Contents Samsun City Center . .8 LiseSt. .....................84 Two Samsuns in history . .14 Yakakent....................90 Center of Samsun / Museums . .26 Alaçam ....................102 Monuments . .32 Bafra .....................110 Prominent religious buildings . .34 19May›s ..................132 Parks, gardens and walking paths ..38 Tekkeköy . .142 Beaches ....................44 Çarflamba . .152 Atakum ..............................46 Terme.....................164 İlkadım ..............................47 Kavak .....................174 Canik ................................47 Havza .....................182 Cumhuriyet square and its surroundings48 Vezirköprü . .196 Bankalar St. .52 Ladik .....................212 Saathane square . .58 Asarc›k ....................224 Municipality square and its vicinity 61 Ayvac›k ....................230 Bulvar......................66 Sal›pazar› . .236 The bazaar district . .72 Guide ...............................250 İstiklal A., Ülkü S., Osmaniye A. 74 Samsun City Map Black Sea LEGEND City center Districts center Town center Dam,Lake,River Brook State highway Road Transp. Codes State Railway Fish Hakchery District Town Scale Samsun 8 SAMSUN ports of the region. The port of Samsun is also the port at which Mustafa Kemal Samsun is the largest city in the Black Atatürk, the great leader of Turkey’s Sea Region of Turkey. national independence war, set foot in After all, it is situated in the centre of the Anatolia, to initiate the war of Black Sea Region. The highway independence. At that time there were no connection from the centre of Turkey, port facilities, it was just a dock which Ankara, to the Black Sea region is could serve only small boats. The ensured via Samsun. “Band›rma” steamer, which brought The land route also goes from Samsun Atatürk to Samsun, became the symbol to Sinop in the west and Ordu, Giresun, of the national independence war. Trabzon, Rize, and Artvin in the east. However, this symbol was not In addition, the largest airport of the appreciated and preserved; it was sold region is in Samsun on that beautiful for scrap metal in the 1950’s. plain between Samsun and Çarflamba. Now, a replica of that beautiful ship has The port of Samsun is one of the oldest port from a distance or from the fairgrounds. Now this is changing, and the people of Samsun are reuniting with the Black Sea. The constructions at the port and East Park are finished, and those at West Park are almost complete. This place has become a recreational site including sightseeing terraces, mile-long walking and jogging tracks, a zoo, sports fields, water parks and, of course, many cafes and restaurants. In addition, the formerly foul-smelling water has been cleaned, by stopping the flow of wastewater to the port and the sea and by building waste treatment facilities. Now, fish can live in the port and this has increased the number of fishermen who stand along the shores with their fishing lines. A shoreside sculpture of a Samsun fisherman, which was built by the 9 been built and it is exhibited in the Samsun Metropolitan Municipality, museum at East Park, on the eastern salutes everyone. He is there as if to say, edge of the port. you will be able to fish here for many years to come. Samsun had long forgotten the sea; but Lost traces of great now the two are history reunited... The city of Samsun has a 7000-year- The port of Samsun was established at long history. It was called Amisos in the huge gulf where Samsun meets the antiquity but the settlements in the sea from one side to the other, as if to region date back to even earlier times. separate the land from water. Moreover, Traces of this settlement in the tumulus there was a railroad between the sea and at Dündartepe which is in İlkadım the land, allowing the people of Samsun region. Also some founding can be seen to forget the sea for about 40-50 years, in the region of Bafra, and in the merely watching the dirty waters of the tumulus covered by Kızılırmak delta. The most fertile plains of Turkey Samsun Samsun has two huge plains 10 created by two rivers, one of which is the longest river in Turkey. One is the K›z›l›rmak Delta and the Plain of Bafra; the other is the Yeflil›rmak Delta and the Plain of Çarflamba. These are two of the very few large areas which the Black Sea Region two plains have been Turkey’s fruit offfers between the steep and vegetable garden. The richness mountains. still endures. The points where These two rivers have fertilized the these two deltas meet the sea have land for thousands of years with the formed little lakes and wetlands, alluvial deposits they carry. These and these have become home to many birds. The Delta and wetland of Bafra has especially rich fauna. These two wetland fields, which are situated on the migration routes of the birds, are also a perfect place for bird watchers. Plateaus When we think of the plateaus of the Black Sea Region, the plateaus of the Eastern Black Sea Region come first to mind. The plateaus of Trabzon, Rize, Ordu and Giresun are very famous. Transhumant culture is almost specific to this region. However, even if they are not famous, the plateaus of Samsun are beauties that are worth potential for various touristic activities seeing. with the sea, the unique sand, the Samsun The plateaus of Ladik and Vezirköprü, very green forests, mountains that are 11 especially Kunduz and Akdağ, are the snow covered in the winter, the lakes, first plateaus to mention. In plateaus long rivers, curative thermal springs, at Kunduz and Akdağ there are perfect the delta of K›z›l›rmak, which is one of places for nature lovers and campers. the largest wetlands of Turkey, and its Nature lovers from Samsun especially 340 bird species. prefer those nearer to the city centre The number of hotels in Samsun and within Yakanet for walks in nature. and its districts is increasing in comparison to previous years. The Samsun is on the brink of number of hotels, which is currently touristic regional more than 27, will increase further development in the years to come upon the Recently, alternative tourism options completion of those under have started developing in Samsun. construction. Nature tourism is popular and has New hotels are being planned in with developed infrastructure is limited. compliance with the demand. Nevertheless, the number of beaches Maybe many things will change in the is increasing. This increase will initially next few years. The Metropolitan be at the centre of the city and Municipalitiy, Governor’s office and especially Atakum. The numbers of Samsun Chambers of Commerce are working hotels along the coastline were few. 12 together on infrastructure for fairs and However, new hotel constructions have conference tourism.