Set in a deep gorge of the Yeşilırmak (Green River) in northern Anatolia, Amasya was the capital of the Kingdom of Pontus and an important Ottoman city where princes were sent to be trained as governors. That dual heritage left an extraordinary architectural legacy: cliff-cut royal tombs, a hilltop citadel, and some 400 surviving Ottoman mansions along the riverbank.
The city is compact enough to explore entirely on foot in a day or two, and its relative obscurity means you can experience it without the crowds that descend on more famous Turkish destinations.
- Region
- Black Sea Region / Northern Anatolia
- Ancient name
- Amaseia (Pontic capital)
- River
- Yeşilırmak (Green River)
- Known for
- Rock tombs, Ottoman mansions, apples
Pontus Rock Tombs
The Kaya Mezarları (rock tombs) are carved into the limestone cliff face directly above the town — 18 royal tombs of Pontic kings, dating from the 3rd–1st centuries BCE. They are illuminated spectacularly at night and best seen from the riverbank opposite. You can climb up to the tombs themselves for panoramic views over the city and valley.
Harşena Castle
Harşena Kalesi crowns the cliff above the rock tombs at 780 m — a citadel with origins in Pontic times, rebuilt by the Byzantines and Ottomans. The climb (about 40 minutes from the tombs) is rewarded with sweeping views of the entire valley. A secret tunnel inside leads down through the rock to a cistern.
Ottoman Yalıboyu Mansions
The Yalıboyu (waterfront) district preserves over 400 timber-framed Ottoman mansions, most from the 17th–19th centuries, their upper floors cantilevering out over the Yeşilırmak. Several have been converted into boutique hotels — staying in one, with the river and the illuminated tombs visible from your window, is the definitive Amasya experience.
Amasya Archaeological Museum
The Amasya Arkeoloji Müzesi holds the remarkable mummies of 12th-century Ilkhanid emirs and their families — discovered in the basement of a local mosque — as well as Pontic royal artefacts, Bronze Age finds and Ottoman manuscripts. One of the more unusual regional museums in Turkey.
Büyük Ağa Medresesi and Ottoman centre
The Büyük Ağa Medresesi (1488) is a circular Ottoman theological college and one of the finest examples of its type. The old town around it — the Hatuniye Camii(mosque of Bayezid II’s mother), the covered bazaar and the caravanserai — makes for an excellent half-day walk.
Amasya in pictures
Frequently asked questions
Amasya
3There are direct buses from Istanbul (Esenler otogar) to Amasya — roughly 7–8 hours. Alternatively fly to Samsun (1 hour), then bus to Amasya (1.5 hours). There is no direct train from Istanbul.
One to two days is ideal. The rock tombs, castle, riverside mansions and museum can all be done in a full day. A second day lets you explore the old bazaar and the surrounding hills at leisure.
Amasya is famous for its Pontus rock tombs, Ottoman riverfront mansions, and its apples — the Amasya elması is a legendary Turkish apple variety. The city is also the birthplace of the geographer Strabo.