The remote archaeological site of Hattusa (Hattuşa) was once the busy and impressive capital of the Hittite Empire, with 15,000 inhabitants living inside its city walls which cover more than 6 km in length.
Historical Background of Hattusa
On the Memory of the World List, the ancient capital of the Hittites keeps company with famous cities such as Venice and Toledo, Damascus and Jerusalem, Rome and Carthage, Lübeck and Versailles, and Teotihuacan and Macchu Picchu. (J. Seeber Hattusha Guide. A Day in the Hittite Capital, Ege Yayınları, Istanbul, Turkey, 2002).
Before 1905 little was known about the Hittites, once the rulers of a vast empire in the Middle East who conquered Babylon and, at the peak of their power, challenged the Egyptians and Assyrians, more than 3000 years ago, for control over the land of Israel. Although the Bible prominently makes over 40 references to the great Hittite Empire and its importance is noted in Egyptian chronicles, no archaeological evidence had ever been found that it really did exist. In 1834, Charles Texier stumbled on the ruins of the Hittite capital of Hattusa (also written as Hattuşa, Hattusas or Hattusha) near the village of Boğazköy (present Boğazkale). In 1905 excavations started and uncovered the long lost capital of the Hittite Empire, together with a pile of stone tablets that completely documented its history.
The Hittites, who spoke an Indo-European language, swept into Anatolia around 2000 BC where they conquered the Hatti. From the Hatti, they borrowed their culture and name. They made Hattusa, the Hatti capital, theirs and enlarged and beautified it. At the end of the second millennium BC, the Hittite empire disappeared under still unclear circumstances, leaving behind it the remains of a powerful and intellectually brilliant civilization. The destruction of the Hittite empire was so complete that only the tiniest pieces of a large mosaic remained, erasing their centuries-long rule over Asia Minor from the memory of man.
Sights and Photos of Hattusa
The Hattuşa National Park is not only a place of great archaeological and historical value but its surroundings are of great natural beauty, offering breathtaking views.
Hattusa Lower City
The Lower City of Hattusa is dominated by a large artificial platform upon which the Great Temple (Temple I), or Büyük Mabed once stood. The Great Temple is the largest building in Hattusa. The temple complex measures 65 x 42 m and dates back to the 14th-13thcentury BC. The temple complex covers an area of approximately 14,500 m2 and is thought to have been dedicated to the Weather God of Hatti and the Sun Goddess of Arinna. Large monolithic doorsills mark the position of the doorways between the storage rooms of the Great Temple. On the ground floor only, there were 82 rooms surrounding the temple. Since most of these storage facilities were two or three-storied, it is estimated that there was a total of about 200 storerooms. During the excavations of the store-rooms, hundreds of huge pottery vessels were found. Inside the great temple, there is also a block of green nephrite-type stone, carefully carved, thought to have had a religious meaning. Some people claim it originates from Egypt, others that it is a meteorite. However, according to Seeber, this type of stone is not uncommon in the geology of the region. The Lion Basin was originally 5.5 m long and carved from a single block of limestone. Unfortunately, Byzantine or Roman stonemasons have cut the block into pieces and hauled some of them away.
The Lion Gate was one of the two grand entrances in the southern curve of the city wall of Hattusha. The gate is named after the two sculptured lions that were cut out of the exterior of the huge blocks lining the passageway. Lions were popular figures of protection throughout the Near East. Two rectangular towers flanked the entranceway between the exterior and interior portals. Both portals were fitted with pairs of heavy wooden doors.
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Hattusa Upper City
Hattusa was hailed in ancient sources as the City of a Thousand Gods. A multitude of gods required a multitude of temples in their honour. Therefore, it is no surprise that much of the remains at the vast area of Hattusha are places of worship. Nearly all the foundations, at least 28, found at the upper city are temples.
At about 1 km from the Great Temple are the remains of Hattusa's fortified upper city. The Lion Gate or Aslanlı Kapı was one of the two grand entrances in the southern curve of the city wall of Hattusa. The gate is named after the two sculptured lions that were cut out of the exterior of the huge blocks lining the passageway. The two lions symbolically guard Hattuşa against attackers and evil spirits. Two rectangular towers flanked the entranceway between the exterior and interior portals. Both portals were fitted with pairs of heavy wooden doors. The Aslanlıkapı marks the beginning of the remains of a dry-stone city wall.
Yer Kapı, or Earth Gate, popularly known as Sphinx Gate or Sfenksli Kapı, was named after the two great sphinxes that once guarded it. Unfortunately, these were removed and are now on display in museums in Istanbul and Berlin. The most striking feature at Yerkapı, is the presence of a 70 m long tunnel or postern that runs beneath the city's walls. The postern was built using the corbel arch technique, i.e. a series of flat stones that lean towards each other and as such form a triangle. Since the tunnel's exit is clearly visible from the outside and is flanked by two sets of monumental steps, it is thought to have a religious, ceremonial purpose. The rampart of Yerkapı forms the highest and southernmost point in the city's fortifications. However, as demonstrated by the steps on the outside, the paved rampart was primarily an architectural monument, a manifestation of the city's might. The rampart itself was crowned with the mighty city walls. The highest elevation of the terrain at Yerkapı offers an excellent lookout over the upper city of Hattuşa.
East from Yerkapı, lies Kral Kapı or King's Gate, another gateway that studded the mighty city walls. This gate was named after the relief of a regal-looking warrior carved on the left-hand pillar, representing a Hittite warrior god, probably Sharumma, the son of the weather god Teshub and the sun-goddess Hepat. The relief has been replaced by a plaster copy and the original is kept in Ankara's Museum of Anatolian Civilizations.
Nişantaş or Nişantepe, meaning marked rock, is a rocky outcrop with an 11-line inscription of 8.5 m long, in Luvian hieroglyphics carved into its eastern face. The hieroglyphs are badly weathered and only part of the inscription has been deciphered, suggesting it is a memorial to Suppiluliuma II, the last known king of the Hittites.
Next to the southern citadel of Hattusa lies Chamber 2 or the Hieroglyphic Chamber. When first discovered, it was thought to be a royal tomb. Now, it is considered to represent a symbolic entrance to the underworld. The chamber was decorated with reliefs, that survived in an excellent condition thanks to the blanket of earth that protected them over the millennia. The back wall is decorated with the relief of a Hittite sun god, while one of the sidewalls is inscribed with Luvian hieroglyphics. Luvian hieroglyphs are a picture script developed in Anatolia and completely unrelated to the Egyptian hieroglyphs.
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Yazılıkaya
The rock sanctuary of Yazılıkaya, meaning Inscribed Rock, is located at about 1.5 km to the northeast of the Great Temple of Hattusa's Lower City. As a natural sanctuary consisting of two chambers in the rock, Yazılıkaya had been a Hittite place of worship for a very long time. In later Hittite times (13th century BC), a temple structure and monumental gateway were put in front of the two chambers. The sanctuary apparently represents the House of the New Year's Celebration, a house of the Weather God Teshub where festivities were held to honour the Hittite pantheon of gods at the coming of the New Year in the beginning of spring.
The largest of the two chambers, Chamber A, is about 30 m long and has its side walls decorated with, unfortunately badly weathered, reliefs showing the pantheon of Hurrian (Hittite) gods. On the left side, there are the male deities and on the right the female. At the end of the chamber, there is a climactic scene which portrays the meeting between the male Weather God Teshub and the Sun Goddess Hebat. On the wall opposite to this climactic scene is a well-preserved relief showing the Great King Tudhaliya IV paying his respect to the deities.
The second chamber, Chamber B, is about 18 m long. The reliefs in this chamber are much better preserved because it was partly filled with earth until the mid of the 19th century. It is thought that this chamber was erected by Shupiluliuma II as a memorial to his father the Great King Tudhaliya IV. On the wall right of the entrance to this chamber, there is a carving depicting a procession of 12 gods of the underworld, while on the opposite wall there are two reliefs. One relief shows the Hittite god Sharrumma striding forward with the Great King Tudhaliya IV under his arm. Another relief on this wall depicts the Hittite Sword God Nergal with the handle of the sword replaced by lion heads.
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Alacahöyük
At about 36 km from Hattusa-Boğazkale, Alacahöyük is another important Hittite site worth visiting. A höyük( tell[Arabic] or tepi[Persian]) is an artificial mound or hill created by human habitation. The hill at Alacahöyük was first described by the British diplomat and traveller W.J. Hamilton in his book Researches in Asia Minor, Pontus, and Armenia (1842). The first systematic excavations at the mound were started in 1935. Alacahöyük was an important centre as far back as the Chalcolithic Age (4000-3000 BC), that is from the 4th millennium on. From the Old Bronze age (3000-2000 BC) date the 13 Royal Tombs, which constitute the most important findings at Alacahöyük. The dead were buried in a fetal position facing south and were richly adorned with gold fibulae, diadems, etc. The Hittite era too, witnessed glorious times in Alacahöyük. The remains, the most impressive of which are the sphinxes guarding the gate, belong to the Hittite Empire period (1450-1180 BC). Either side of the gate is decorated with reliefs (the originals are kept in Ankara) depicting religious ceremonies. Many of the finds of Alacahöyük can be seen in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara.
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Travel Information & Travel Tips
The best base for visiting Hattusa is Boğazkale, a small farmer village at approximately 200 km from Ankara. In the village, Hotel Aşıkoğlu provides simple but clean sleeping facilities and has a good restaurant. The friendly manager is also of great help in organizing your visit to Hattusa and provides a pick-up service from Sungurlu bus station.
Coming from, or going to the Black Sea, Amasya always offers a pleasant stop. It is one of Turkey's most beautiful cities, stretching along the banks of the Yeşilırmak (Green River, in antiquity known as the Iris River) in a narrow ravine, with sheer rock cliffs rising above the town centre. The river is crossed by six bridges within the city, the oldest of them, dates back to 1122.
History of Amasya
Amasya has a history of 7,500 years, and it is proud of it. Amaseia or Amasia, as it was called in antiquity, has roots dating back to the Hittite Empire. From 323 BC until 183 BC it was the capital of the Pontic Kingdom. As a remnant of this golden age, the impressive rock tombs of the Pontic kings, the Kral Kaya Mezarları, still dominate the city. The tombs are illuminated at night, which contributes much to Amasya's attraction.
In 63 BC, Strabo, the ancient historian, and geographer and Amasya's most famous citizen, was born here. After about 1000 years of Byzantine rule, the Turkish Seljuks and Mongols conquered the town and left many fine buildings, of which many are still present today. Amasya was conquered by the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I in 1392 and became a major city in the Ottoman Empire. Many Ottoman crown princes (şehzade) were taught statecraft in Amasya and were tested for their skill by being governor of the province. Amasya was also important as a centre for Islamic theological studies with 18 medreses and one külliye. European travellers used to refer to Amasya as the Oxford of Anatolia.
Sights and Photos
We start our tour of the city at the south bank of the Yeşilırmak river and admire the beautiful Ottoman houses and the scenic rock tombs of the Pontic kings on the opposite shore. Busts of several Ottoman sultans and other famous citizens of Amasya, like Strabo who was born here, line the riverfront. Amasya played an important role in the education of the young sultans, the princes or şehzade were sent to Amasya to govern the Vilayet (province) and thereby gain experience. The most famous student prince was certainly Fatih Sultan Mehmet II, the conqueror of Constantinople. At the age of six, he was governor of Amasya for one year in 1438.
We now leave the area near the river and head more south where we first visit the Gök Medrese Camii or Mosque of the Blue Seminary, which was founded in 1266-1267 by Emir Seyfettin Torumtay, a slave of the Seljuk Sultan Keykubad II, who became governor of Amasya. As is pointed out by its name, the mosque served as a medrese. The dome of the mosque was once covered with blue (gök) tiles, a few of which are still present. Next, we visit the Kadılar Türbesi or tomb of the Muslim judges. This is one of the Eyvan type tombs which belonged to the former judges (Kadıs) of Amasya. It was built in the 15th Century. As is shown by Greek inscriptions on a stone nearby the tomb, recycling of antiques as building materials was common practice.
Our next stop is the archaeological museum where the famous statuette of Amasya, a bronze figure of the Hittite storm god Teshub is on display. The yard of the museum houses the tomb of the Seljuk Sultan Mesud I (1116–1156). Inside the tomb, in the Hall of Mummies, the remains of the Ilkhan rulers of Amasya are on display. The Ilkhans were the successors of Genghis Khan who had defeated the Seljuks. The mummies belong to the son of Anatolian Minister Sultan Cumudar, Amir of Amasya Işbuğa Nuyin, Izzettin Mehmet Pervane, his wife, sons, and daughters. The process of mummification in Turkey was completely different from that in Egypt. According to Mr Muzaffer Doğanbaş, a researcher at the Amasya Museum, nearly 40 chemicals and medicines were used in Turkish mummification.
Here are the photos of the first part of our tour through Amasya, click on the thumbnails to see greater pictures.
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Our tour continues with a visit to the Sultan Beyazit II Külliye constructed in 1485-1486. A külliye is a kind of religious centre and is composed of a mosque, a theology school, charitable establishment, monument and şadırvan (i.e. water tank with a fountain).
Further, on the south bank of the Yeşilırmak, there is the Burmalı Minare Camii or Spiral Minaret Mosque, which is also of Seljuk origin and was built between 1237 and 1247 by Necmettin Ferruh Bey, one of the Seljuk Emirs to Sultan Keyhusrev. During the Ottoman period, it was restored in 1590 after an earthquake and following a fire in 1602 when the original wooden minaret was replaced by the current stone structure with its elegant spiral carving.
Next, we visit the Taş Han, a 17th century Ottoman Caravanserai. When we visited Amasya in 2003, the Taş Han was badly ruined. In the meantime, it has been restored (2011-2012) and turned into a luxury hotel (Tashan Hotel). According to some sources the hanVakıf Bedesten Kapalı Çarşı. A bedesten is a vaulted fireproof market enclosure where valuable goods are kept. The Amasya Bedesten was built in 1483 by the Janissary guard of Sultan Bayezid II. The term Vakıf means that it is a donation from individuals to the community.
Here are the photos of the second part of our tour, click on the thumbnails to see greater pictures.
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On June 22, 1919, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk issued the Amasya Declaration regarding the need for national resistance against the invasion of foreign powers, which was the actual starting point of the Turkish War of Independence. This pivotal event is commemorated by the impressive monument at Atatürk Meydanı.
The Bimarhane Medresesi was built by Amber Bin Abdullah for Iduş Hatun, the wife of the Mongolian Ilkhanid Sultan Oljaytu in 1309 as an asylum for the mentally ill. It is the first known mental hospital and is a typical example of how the Mongols adopted the architectural styles of their subjects, as the hospital was built like a Seljuk medrese. The building was also called Timarhane (House of Correct Treatment) or Darüşşifa (House of Healing). In the Bimarhane, the sound of water and music was used as a therapy for mental patients. It is interesting to know that the Bimarhane housed the town's conservatory between 1999 and 2011. Now it has been restored as a medicine museum, named after Şerefeddin Sabuncuoğlu (1385-1468), a famous Ottoman surgeon and physician from Amasya who worked for 14 years in the Bimarhane. He was the author of the first illustrated surgical atlas, the Cerrahiyyetu'l-Haniyye (Imperial Surgery). The portal of the Bimarhane reflects the classical Seljukian architecture and is a beautiful example of Seljukian craftsmanship.
The Mehmet Paşa Camii dates from 1486 and was commissioned by Mehmet Paşa, the tutor of Prince Ahmet, son of Sultan Bayezid II. Inside there is a finely decorated marble pulpit.
The Gümüşlü Cami or Silvery Mosque is Amasya's earliest Ottoman mosque. Originally built in 1326, it was rebuilt after an earthquake in 1491, originally built in 1326, again in 1612 and once more in 1688. The final restoration was in 1988.
From 323 BC until 183 BC, Amasya was the capital of the Pontic Kingdom. As a remnant of this golden age, the impressive rock tombs of the Pontic kings still dominate the city. The tombs are illuminated at night, which contributes much to Amasya's attraction. The Palace of the Maidens was the seat of the Palace of the Pontic Kings, of which the most famous was undoubtedly Mithridates the Great. In later times the Seljuks used it as an arsenal. From the tombs, the panoramic view on Amasya and its dramatic setting makes the climb more than worthwhile.
Back in town, we visit the Beyazit Paşa Camii, with its coloured marble arches of the porch, was finished in 1419 and is an example of early Ottoman architecture. The main bridge Hükümet Köprüsü is opposite the main square. Next to the clock tower is the Amasya Şehir Derneği, a quasi-private club. Nevertheless, foreign tourists are more than welcome here to join Amasya's prominent citizens in drinking and eating.
Here are the photos of the final part of our tour, click on the thumbnails to see greater pictures.
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Travel Information & Travel Tips
Coming from Samsun, we spent two nights in Hotel Maden (Dere Mah. Mustafa Kemal Paşa Cad. 5, Tel. 03582129559), a clean and comfortable place.
Trabzon, the ancient Trebizond, the pearl of the Black Sea as it is called, has a long and rich history and has a lot to offer to the cultural tourist.
History
Trabzon was founded as Trapezus (meaning table) in the 8th century BCE by Greek colonists coming from Sinope, itself a Milesian colony. In 1204, the armies of the Fourth Crusade, consisting of the Venetian navy and European knights, captured and sacked Constantinople. They murdered the Byzantine Emperor and crowned one of their own, Baldwin of Flanders, Emperor of the East.
A few days later Alexis Comnenos, a descendant of his namesake of the 11th century, landed at Trebizond and declared himself the lawful Emperor of Byzantium. Under the rule of the Comneni, Trabzon flourished and reached its greatest splendour. Alexius III (1349-90) made the city one of the world's leading trade centres, renowned for its great wealth and artistic accomplishment. The Empire of Trebizond endured until 1461 when it was overrun by Mehmed the Conqueror. Under the Ottomans, Trabzon became the starting point of caravans to Persia.
Trabzon or Trebizond was known as the Constantinople of the East and has always spoken to the imagination of people. Don Quixote liked to think of himself as the Emperor of Trebizond (ya coronado por el valor de su brazo, por los menos, del imperio de Trapisonda).
Until the late 19th century Muslims and Christians lived side by side and the call to prayer mingled with the sound of church bells. After World War I, Trabzon was included (1920) in the short-lived independent state of Armenia and also the Greeks had the intention to make it part of a Greek Pontic Republic. After the Turkish War of Independence and the creation of the Turkish republic, the city's large Greek population was deported in 1922-23.
Presently, after the fall of the Soviet Union, Trabzon is booming as a commercial centre for the Eastern Black Sea area and the Caucasian republics.
Sights & Photos of Trabzon
Trabzon is mostly situated on a table like a promontory above the harbour and has many historic monuments. The citadel Orta Hisar is one of the oldest remains in Trabzon. According to some sources, Trabzon's city walls go back as far as the 5th century BC. They were enlarged and restored in the Ottoman period. The walls were built as three separate sections. Yukarıhisar (upper fortress), Ortahisar (middle fortress) and Aşağıhisar (lower fortress). Yukarıhisar (upper fortress) was the centre in Byzantine time. Ortahisar (middle fortress) was the centre of administration of Ottoman time. Aşağıhisar (lower fortress) was the city's trade centre.
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The best-preserved historic monument of Trabzon is the Church of Aya Sofya (Greek meaning Holy Wisdom) a 13th century Byzantine Church, an excellent example of Byzantine architecture. It is now restored as the Ayasofya Museum. The walls of the Aya Sofya are decorated with frescoes which are the finest examples of Byzantine craftsmanship.
Among Trabzon's oldest remains is the Church of St. Anne (Küçük Ayvasıl Kilisesi). It was constructed during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Basil I in 884-885 CE. Unfortunately, it is closed to visitors. Another important church was the Church of St. Eugenius, the patron saint of Trabzon. The church dates from the 13th century. Since the capture of the city by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1461, it serves as a mosque. It is most of the time closed to visitors.
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Travel Information & Travel Tips
Trabzon is also the starting point for a visit to Sumela monastery. Mavi Dünya EYCE Tur, Gazipaşa Mahallesi, Mektep Sokak, Otopark İçi, Canbakkal İş hanı;, No. 11 (Tel. +90 (462) 326 63 37) offers a good half-day tour to Sumela in mini-bus.
We had (2003) a very nice stay in Trabzon at Hotel Nur, İskenderpaşa Mahallesi, Meydan Camii Sokak 15 (Tel. 90 (462) 323 04 45, +90 (462) 323 04 46), close to Atatürk Alanı. It has pleasant airy rooms.
Located at 46 km south of Trabzon, the Greek Orthodox Monastery of the Virgin Mary, better known as Sumela Monastery (Sümela Manastırı), is certainly one of the highlights of a visit to the Black Sea region.
History of Sumela
The monastery was founded in AD 386 and was famous for the possession of an icon of the Virgin Mary, said to have been painted by the Apostle Luke. The name Sumela derives from the Greek Panagia tou Mela, meaning Virgin of the Black Rock, which was shortened and in the Pontic dialect was pronounced sou Mela (at the Black Rock). After the conquest of the Black Sea region by Sultan Mehmed II in 1461, the monastery came under the protection of the sultan himself and was given rights and privileges that were renewed by the following sultans.
After the creation of the Turkish Republic in 1923 and the forced exchange of populations between Greece and Turkey, Sumela was abandoned. Before fleeing their monastery, the monks buried the holy icon and other sacred objects at the nearby the Church of St. Barbara. In 1930, a fire destroyed the wooden buildings of the monastery. Afterwards, weather conditions, looters, and vandals severely damaged the remains.
With the official permission of the Turkish government and the help of Turkish soldiers (and not in secret as is claimed by some guidebooks and other sources), the sacred icon and other objects were retrieved and brought to Greece in 1931. The famous icon of the Virgin Mary is now kept at a monastery near Mount Vermio in Greece (source: Orthodox Wiki).
Since 1992 reservation works have been carried out and Sumela monastery is now a major tourist attraction, a well as a place of pilgrimage to Greek and Russian Orthodox Christians. In 2010, with the approval of the Turkish Government, a ceremony was organized for the feast of the ascension of the Virgin Mary, officiated by the Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarch.
Sights & Photos of Sümela
Sumela is a mysterious place, with the monastery that clings to a sheer rock wall and mists swirling through the tree-lined Altındere valley. A visit to the monastery takes a 30-minute climb along an often slippery woodland trail, but there is an alternative path that is more convenient.
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Travel Information & Travel Tips
If you don't have your own car, there are plenty of agencies in Trabzon that offer half-day trips to Sumela sometimes combined with a city tour of Trabzon. Mavi Dünya EYCE Tur, Gazipaşa Mahallesi, Mektep Sokak, Otopark İçi, Canbakkal İş hanı; No. 11 (Tel. +90 (462) 326 63 37) offers a good half-day tour to Sumela in mini-bus.
