Rome in the Footsteps of an XVIIIth Century Traveller

Historical and Geographical Background Information

At the end of WWI, when the Ottoman Empire collapsed, the Turkish economy was underdeveloped, especially in the Anatolian tableland: its agriculture depended on outmoded techniques and poor-quality livestock, and the few factories producing basic products such as sugar and flour were under foreign control. In addition the emigration of Greeks, Armenians and Jews deprived the country of skilled labourers and entrepreneurs.
The economic policies followed by the Republic of Turkey after 1922 were mainly directed at achieving self-sufficiency in agriculture and at developing a basic manufacturing structure. Economic reforms were introduced in the early 1980s: they were designed at encouraging exports that could finance imports. From the beginning of this millennium the country has experienced high average GDP growth rates.

Clickable map of the towns covered in this section (red dots). Blue dots indicate towns covered in other sections

The recent development of the country was accompanied by massive internal migrations from the poor eastern provinces to Istanbul and to the regions along the shores of the Aegean and Mediterranean seas. The increase in population in these areas has in many cases strongly modified the urban landscape. This has occurred to a much lesser extent in the towns covered in this section, which are located between the central tableland and the Black Sea.
The three main rivers of this region are named after colours: gok (blue), kizil (red) and yesil (green).

The 2008 Culture and Garlic Festival at Taskopru = stone bridge (across the Gok Irmak, the Blue River)

November 6th (1836). This day we continued our journey, proceeding along the valley of the Gok Irmak, five miles and a half, to where it makes a bend to the eastward, and flows along a pleasant valley, full of villages, plantations, and gardens.
William Francis Ainsworth - Travels and Researches in Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, Chaldea, and Armenia - 1842
The Turkish government has promoted the development of agricultural-industrial districts: it is not unusual to find monuments to cherries, tomatoes, pistachios, hazelnuts in towns located in districts which specialize in their production. Taskopru, a town named after its stone bridge on the Blue River, is the Gilroy of Turkey (Gilroy is the Californian town which claims to be the Garlic Capital of the World).

Kizilirmak, the Red River, in the tableland near Ankara

November 17th. The Kizil Irmak is in every respect a fine river here, and preserves its character as such above the pass, even as far south as the district of Sivas; but it does not equal what would a priori be expected from a river of such a long course. An exaggerated idea of its magnitude has obtained credit in Europe, from the vague reports of travellers, who have not adopted the test of actual measurement. It is certainly hardly navigable, except by steam vessels, and that only at intervals. Ainsworth
This is the longest river which entirely flows within the border of the Republic of Turkey. It rises in the mountains of eastern Anatolia near Sivas and it crosses Cappadocia at Avanos. It then heads towards the Tuz Golu, the large salted lake at the centre of the tableland. A few miles away from the lake it turns north and it finds a difficult passage through the coastal range; it receives the water of the Gok Irmak before reaching the Black Sea to the east of Sinop.

Yesilirmak, the Green River, at Amasya

July 11th (1837) We turned this day down the beautiful valley of the Yeshil Irmak (Green River), which, near Tokat, is full of gardens, and crowded with villages and country houses. The Yeshil Irmak, the ancient Iris, has its sources in the union of the Chamlu Bel and the Akloh Tagh, at the head of the valley of Tokat. Flowing hence it enters a wide and marshy plain, from which it turns northward, by narrow ravines, past Turkhal and its rocky castle (Sebastopolis), till it again enters a fertile open valley, near Amasiyeh, where it is joined by a tributary from the west, corresponding to the ancient Scylax. The united rivers flow through the centre of the town of Amasiyeh, below which they receive the waters of the Karmili Su (Schonak of some writers), the ancient Lycus. Ainsworth
To bear the name of a colour is a challenging task for a river: An der schönen, blauen Donau (On the Beautiful Blue Danube) is a famous waltz by Johann Strauss, but the waters of the Danube rarely stand up to their fame. In Amasya appropriate lighting ensures the Yesilirmak has the colour of its name.

View of the countryside near Niksar

August 5th (1835) We crossed the plain in a direction E. by S. towards Niksar, which appeared a-head of us at the foot of Mount Paryadres, the river flowing close to the road or trending away towards the centre of the plain on our right. The hills on our left were from one to two miles distant, the limit of cutivation on their sloping sides distinctly marking the extent of the lacustrine deposit. (..) Indian corn is grown in the plain towards the Lycus, wherever it has been possible to apply irrigation.
William Hamilton - Researches in Asia Minor, Pontus and Armenia - 1842
From a historical point of view the region is divided into Pontus, to the east of the Kizilirmak River, and Paphlagonia to its west. Unlike the arid central tableland this part of Anatolia receives enough rain to allow very varied farming in the valleys and the growth of dense forests in the mountains.

(left) Turkish delights at Safranbolu; (right) shoeshine equipment at the bazaar of Kastamonu

The following are images showing the unhurried lifestyle one can still find in this part of the world.

Children and a young fisherman at Tokat

A Zile farmer proudly shows his aubergines

Scenes of placid life at Turhal

Children and an unusual biker at Hattusa

This section includes some pages on the archaeological sites of Hattusa and Yasilikaya which are located on the tableland.

The image used as background for this page shows a detail of the tile decoration of Gok Medrese in Tokat.

Move to:
Safranbolu
Kastamonu
Taskopru
Amasya
Turhal and Zile
Tokat
Niksar
Hattusa and Yazilikaya