Sinop: small pearl of Black Sea Turkey

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Sinop is a small city situated on the most northern edge of the Turkish part of Black Sea coast. It’s located far from main tourist routes but don’t think that there is nothing interesting here. This inert little town is worth it to spend here two or three days or even a week.

Below you can see a list of main local sights to visit:

Sinop castle (Sinop Kalesi)

At the present time Sinop is a small city located far from big roads but in antiquity there was an important center of Black Sea maritime trade. A convenient quiet harbor was a good place to accommodate a lot of ships. The first city walls were built by Greek colonists around the 7th century BC.

Sinop Kalesi

By the time of the Roman conquest Sinop was one of the biggest and well fortified cities in the Black Sea region. In the first century BC it was taken and plundered by the Roman army. But being a part of the Roman Empire this city was restored and expanded.

Sinop castle plan
Fortress plan image taken from http://www.turizmhaberleri.com/koseyazisi.asp?ID=2307

In the Middle Ages Sinop repeatedly passed from hand to hand. Every new ruler of it restored and strengthened the city walls. The Seljuks added an inner castle to the fortress to control the harbor and strengthened the fortress and towers.

Sinop Kalesi

During the construction fragments of antique buildings were often used. Looking at the walls and towers you can find parts of columns, pieces of marble slabs, plinthite bricks etc. The thickness of the walls reaches 3 meters.

Sinop Kalesi

The major part of the castle is in a good state but the northern wall and towers are partially destroyed by the Black Sea. A special breakwater was built to protect them. Most of the fortress is available for free visiting.

Clock tower

Clocktower

A tall clock tower in the center of Sinop is a part of the fortress. From top of it you can see the panorama of the city. During my visit the entrance was not guarded by anyone and I quietly went upstairs.

The Statue of Diogenes

The Statue of Diogenes (Diyojen Heykeli) erected in 2006 is a monument to the famous Ancient Greek philosopher Diogenes of Sinope. He was born there in about 412 BC. The Statue located at the center of the narrowest point of Sinop Peninsula.

The Statue of Diogenes

Archeology Museum

This is a small but very interesting museum because it contains a lot of local artefacts which belongs to Ancient Greece and Rome. The exhibits are well-marked in English and kept up marvelously. The museum has indoors and outdoors parts.

Archeology Museum

There is a monument to the Battle of Sinop within the territory of the outdoors part of the Archeology Museum. This battle took place on 30 November 1853 at the Sinop bay. It was the last big battle between fleets of sailing ships and marked the end of the Age of Sail.

Battle of Sinop monument

The result of the battle was decisive Russian victory over the Ottoman Empire. But it caused a wave of anti-Russian sentiment in Western Europe. After that France and Great Britain joined the conflict on the Ottomans side.

Address: Kaleyazısı Mahallesi, Cumhuriyet Cad., 57000

Phone: +90 368 261 19 75

Open hours: 09:00 – 17:00

Entrance ticket: 5 TL

Fortress Prison Museum

Sinop Fortress Prison (Sinop Kale Cezaevi) is a former state prison established in 1887 on the territory of the centuries-old city fortress. It was closed down in 1997 and turned into museum in 1999. Now Fortress Prison Museum is opened to the public for sightseeing purposes.

Fortress Prison Museum

This prison hosted a lot of intellectuals charged for political reasons. Because of that it figure prominently in the Turkish popular culture. But it is not so well known outside of Turkey.

Fortress Prison Museum

Address: Kaleyazısı Mahallesi, Cumhuriyet Cad., 57000

Phone: +90 368 261 30 23

Open hours: 08:00 – 19:00

Entrance ticket: 5 TL

Ethnography Museum (Arslan Torun Mansion)

Sinop Ethnography Museum is situated in old building put up in the time of the late Ottoman Empire. It gives a good overview of how the rich Turkish family of that period could live. Mostly ethnographic museums in Turkey are free but there you should pay for an entrance ticket.

Ethnography Museum

Address: Yeni Mahallesi, Kemalettin Sami Cd. No:7, 57000

Phone: +90 368 260 23 07

Open hours: 09:00 – 17:00

Entrance ticket: 5 TL

Aladdin Mosque

Aladdin Mosque in Sinop was built by sultan Alâeddin Keykubad from Seljuq dynasty in the beginning of the XIII century. The mosque was the first Muslim religious building in the city cunstucted after its capture.

Aladdin Mosque

It has a rectangular plan and surrounded by high walls. There is a fountain in the middle of the courtyard. The dimensions of the mosque are 66 x 22 meters. There is a large dome
in the middle of the roof with two small flanking domes.

The mosque was restored by prince Ismail (1322-1461) of the Candar dynasty the marble pulpit and the single domed tomb at the northeast end are of unioue examples of their type. The sarcobhag of the Candar dynasty are decorated with the finest selcuk caligraphy and art.

The pulpit of the mosoue was destroyed in 1850 by the couarse of the main dome later fragments of the pulpit were sent to the cinili kosk in istanbul the pulpit was repaired by the gowernor omer tufan pasha in the same year.

Pervane Madrasa

Pervane Madrasa

Old houses

In the center of Sinop you can find quite a number of historical buildings. But many of them are in the bad state and need a restoration.

Old houses

Sinop Marina (Yat limanı)

More than two thousand years Sinop was and important port in the southern of Black Sea. But in XX century it receded into the background. Now you can see mostly small ships and fishing boat in it’s harbor.

Sinop Marina

Sinop Marina

Peninsula

Sinop is situated in the narrowest part of the similarly-named peninsula. This peninsula is mountainy and has abrupt coast. You can rend a bicycle in the city (about 5 TRY per 30 min) and walk around it. From the top of the peninsula you can see a beautiful city and sea landscape.

Peninsula

Sinop beaches

Black Sea beaches are not well known in Turkey. But near Sinop you can find a lot of beautiful wild beaches with yellow sand. The best water temperature for swimming is from July to September.

Sinop beaches

What to eat

Cevizli Mantı (Sinop Mantısı)

Manti are dumplings popular dish in most Turkic cuisines. But Cevizli Mantı (or Sinop Mantısı) are cooked according to special local recipe. When serving them are sprinkled with hazelnut or walnut powder.

Cevizli Mantı (Sinop Mantısı)

Where to eat: “Teyze’nin Yeri Mantı Salonu”, Yeni mahalle, Gazi Cd., 57000

Fish dishes

Sinop is surrounded by Black Sea so there you can find a lot of different tradistional Turkish fish dishes like “hamsi” (european anchovy), “barbunu” (goatfish) and other.

Fish dishes

Where to eat: “Okyanus Balikevi”, Camikebir Mahallesi, Kurtuluş Cd., 57000

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