Our journey continued from Corum to the city of Amasya perched between the dramatic mountainside and the banks of the Yesilirmak River. This was scenery "to die for" with the brilliant white restored Ottoman houses on the riverbank and the 3rd century Pontic Tombs cut into the sheer cliffs. Our hotel was high above the city overlooking the river and the Harsena (Hittite) Hilltop Fortress. Both our cameras were overworked as no matter which way you turned there was always another potential picturesque postcard photo to be taken!
An interesting highlight of our tour of the city was to visit the Ilkhanid Birmarhane or so called "Mongal madhouse" and Medical Museum. This was the site of the first mental asylum in Turkey (1308) which used music and water therapy to calm the patients.
We were rather surprised while on our visit to the Gok Medrese Blue Seminary (13th C) that we were able to wander around taking photographs of the young Koranic students during their training sessions.
Amasya was one of the most beautiful Turkish cities we have visited in our 3 years in Turkey and we would certainly recommend a visit if you are ever in this "corner of the world"
(Remember to click on the photos to enlarge them) |
| Note the old water wheel. |
 |
| Mosque and Pontic Tombs |
 |
 |
| The Green River (Yesilirmak River) |
 |
| Our group at the "Mongal madhouse" |
 |
| One of the musical inventions for calming patients |
 |
| Enlarge to read about the Asylum |
 |
| One of Amasya's famous Doctors (1386-1470) |
 |
| Entrance to the Seminary |
 |
| Some of or group inside the seminary |
 |
| Koranic Students |
 |
| Fran at the Harsena Hilltop Fortress |
 |
| The breathtaking view from our hotel |
No comments:
Post a Comment