Gümüshaciköy
Encyclopedia
Gümüşhacıköy is located in the westernmost district of Amasya Province
of Turkey
, 20 km from the larger town of Merzifon
. It covers an area of 653 km², and the population (2010 census) is 24,806 of which 14,525 live in the town of Gümüşhacıköy, with the remainder spread throughout the surrounding mountainous countryside. The mayor is Mustafa Saatçı (AKP
).
The name Gümüşhacıköy is an amalgamation of two separate villages Gümüş (silver) and Hacıköy (the village of pilgrims).
and the Ilkhans
minted coins in the town, then known as Gümüşbazar .
The town grew and continued to thrive under Ottoman rule. The population shrank as the Ottoman Empire
collapsed, and many men of Gümüşhacıköy were lost in the Balkan Wars
and the First World War.
Today Gümüşhacıköy is a small town in attractive countryside. Successive generations migrate to larger cities in search of careers leaving an aging and shrinking population behind.
Amasya Province
Amasya Province is a province of Turkey, situated on the Yeşil River in the Black Sea Region to the north of the country. Area 5,520 km². Population 334,786....
of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, 20 km from the larger town of Merzifon
Merzifon
Merzifon is a town and district in Amasya Province in the central Black Sea region of Turkey. It covers an area of 970 km², and the population is 69,237 of which 52,947 live in the town of Merzifon, the remainder spread throughout the surrounding countryside...
. It covers an area of 653 km², and the population (2010 census) is 24,806 of which 14,525 live in the town of Gümüşhacıköy, with the remainder spread throughout the surrounding mountainous countryside. The mayor is Mustafa Saatçı (AKP
Justice and Development Party (Turkey)
The Justice and Development Party , abbreviated JDP in English and AK PARTİ or AKP in Turkish, is a centre-right political party in Turkey. The party is the largest in Turkey, with 327 members of parliament...
).
The name Gümüşhacıköy is an amalgamation of two separate villages Gümüş (silver) and Hacıköy (the village of pilgrims).
History
The town achieved some prosperity during the 13th and 14th centuries due to the nearby silver mines. Both the SeljuksSultanate of Rûm
The Sultanate of Rum , also known as the Anatolian Seljuk State , was a Turkic state centered in in Anatolia, with capitals first at İznik and then at Konya. Since the court of the sultanate was highly mobile, cities like Kayseri and Sivas also functioned at times as capitals...
and the Ilkhans
Ilkhanate
The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate , was a Mongol khanate established in Azerbaijan and Persia in the 13th century, considered a part of the Mongol Empire...
minted coins in the town, then known as Gümüşbazar .
The town grew and continued to thrive under Ottoman rule. The population shrank as the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
collapsed, and many men of Gümüşhacıköy were lost in the Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
and the First World War.
Today Gümüşhacıköy is a small town in attractive countryside. Successive generations migrate to larger cities in search of careers leaving an aging and shrinking population behind.
Places of interest
- The town has had a rich history and the many SeljukSultanate of RûmThe Sultanate of Rum , also known as the Anatolian Seljuk State , was a Turkic state centered in in Anatolia, with capitals first at İznik and then at Konya. Since the court of the sultanate was highly mobile, cities like Kayseri and Sivas also functioned at times as capitals...
and OttomanOttoman EmpireThe Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
buildings include urban architecture such as BedestanBedestanA Bedestan is covered market usually for haberdashery and craftsmanship. Bezistans were built in Ottoman Empire and their design is based on the design of the mosques....
(the covered bazaar), Büyük hamam (Turkish bath), and Kabak çeşmesi (fountain) and especially..... - Mosques such as Haliliye Medresesi, Yörgüç Paşa Camii, Darphane Camii, Maden Camii (a converted church).
- There is also an attractive picnic area with a waterfall in the forests near the district of Şarlayuk.