Vezirköprü

Vezirköprü
Vezirköprü
Town
Country	Turkey
Region	Black Sea
Province	Samsun
Government
• Mayor	Osman Özer
Population
• Total	105,704
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code	55900
Area code	(0090)+ 362
Licence plate	55

Vezirköprü is a district of Samsun Province of Turkey.

History

Vezirköprü has been dated to hittites (2000 to 700 BC) who had established the first town some 2,5 kilometres away from the present city.

It has been proven that the road from Ninova (assyrian capital city) to Black Sea passed through Vezirköprü which thus may be said that it was situated on an important caravan road. Phrygians took over the region in 1200 BC and Alexander the Great later extended his rule to this part of Anatolia. The city was destroyed under the raids of phrygians and byzantines reconstructed it under the name of Theacliodiopolis. Remnants of manors from that period suggest that the town was indeed a rich one.

Vezirköprü was again destroyed during the wars between selchuks byzantines and Sultan Mesut reconstructed it in 1160 as Gadegara. Since the town was frequently pillaged in the local revolts against the Ottoman Empire, the inhabitants felt the need to construct two castles to protect themselves. Taşkale and Toprakkale castles built for this purpose.

Vezirköprü was first attached to Sivas, then to Amasya and finally to Samsun in 1925.

Geography

Vezirköprü is bordered by Alaçam and Bafra in the north, Havza in the east, Gümüşhacıköy and Merzifon in the south and Boyabat and Osmancık in the west. Its altitude is 339 metres and is situated in a bowl encircled by mountains of 400 metres and higher. The highest rises re Kunduztepe (1738 m) and Kalatepe (1450 m). The most important river is Kızılırmak, running some 15 kilometres away.

Climate

Vezirköprü is at the transition zone between the marine and continental climates with cold winters, warm and dry summers and rainy springs and autumns. Prevailing winds are from the west in winter and from south in summer.

Socio-Economic Structure

The economy is essentially agricultural, zoocultural and sylvicultural. There is a considerable grain, fruit and vegetable production together with sugar beets, tobacco, hemp, sunflower, sesame and flax.

Transports

Buses ply daily between Vezirköprü, Samsun, Ankara, İstanbul and Bursa. The distance to Samsun is 116 kilometres.

Sightseeing

The lack sufficient archaeological studies makes it rather difficult to ascribe discovered ruins to any particular civilisation. There are seventeen known mounds and tumuli waiting to be excavated. There is a large number mosques, chapels, shrines, bathhouses, bazaars, hostels, caravanserais, towers, fountains and religious complexes worth seeing in the region.

A ten - day Mehmet Pasha Culture, Art and Sports Festival is held every year in september.

Overnighting And Meals

Vezir Hotel located downtown is a high - quality overnighting place and restaurant for the visitors. There is also a 60 - bed questhouse at Kunduz foreast of the Forestry Authority.

Meals with drained yoghurt, oven roasted veal, charcoal roasted lamb and pastas are renowned.