A culturally rich settlement center in Anatolia, with traces of history all over the land, Tokat lies inland of the middle Black Sea region, 422 kilometers from Ankara. Wandering in the city is an opportunity to catch a glimpse of life at old times, with the many historical buildings at the numerous ancient sites.

The most important figure here, is the Ottoman Citadel of 28 towers, founded on a rocky hill overlooking the town. The Garipler Mosque dating to the 12th century and the Ali Pasa Mosque of 16th century constitute other sights worth visiting.

One of Tokat’s finest buildings is the Gök Medrese (Pervane Bey Darussifasi) which was constructed in 1270. It was founded as a school of theology, and is now converted into a museum, housing archaeological finds from the area.

Two other notable monuments in this region, are the Hatuniye Medrese of the 15th century, built by Sultan Beyazit, and a Seljuk bridge spanning the Yesilirmak River, belonging to the 12th century. The Latifoglu Mansion is still another, which is a traditional architecture of a Turkish house of the 19th century, restored recently to its original state.

69 kilometers northeast of Tokat, is Niksar, one of the most beautiful towns of the province, which carries important signs from the history of the country. It was once the capital of the Turkish Danismend Emirs, and among the interesting sights are the well-preserved citadel, the Ulu Mosque, and the 12th century Yagbasan Medrese. Niksar has also a crystal clear and delicious spring water.

Zile is another ancient town, 67 kilometers west of the province, with its fortress and the 13th century Ulu Mosque near it. This district has been the scene of many events of the earliest ages too, and it was here that the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar said his famous words “Veni, Vidi, Vici”; “I came, I saw, I conquered”.

Resadiye is well known for its vast pine forests, hot springs, clays and natural beauties. Ballica cave at Pazar is a natural wonder. The Dumanli meadows are the other famous places for resting and refreshing.

On March 29th, 2006, Total Solar Eclipse was seen in Tokat as well at 14:05pm local time.

Sebastopolis

Sulusaray (Sebastopolis) is about 68 kilometers from the center of Tokat, and about 30 km from Artova town. The site is situated on a plain surrounded by mountains and the river of Cekerek runs near it.

The foundation of this ancient city is still unknown. Some sources say that it was first established in the first century A.D. during the Roman emperor Trajan’s period, and that the city was separated from the Pontus Galaticus Polaminiacus districts and was included in the Cappadocia region. There is an epitaph (inscription rock with several rows of writings carved on it) about this. The epitaph was written as a monument for the Arrian, the Governor of the Cappadocia region.

The word Sebastopolis comes from Greek; Sebasto means huge, great or magnificent, and Polis means city. So Sebastopolis means Great City. In some resources the city was named as Heracleopolis. Heracleopolis means the city of Heracles, a pagan god symbolizing power and strength in the Greek and Roman mythology.

Architectural pieces recovered during the diggings organized by the Directorate of the Tokat Museum in 1987, showed that the city was an important settlement during the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods. The artifacts recovered at the Comana Pohtica (Old Tokat) are very similar to those recovered from the city of Sebastopolis, probably these two ancient cities had a close relationship in the past.

Sebastopolis is at the crossroads of east to west route and south and central to north route. This shows the importance of the city during the Roman and Byzantine periods.

The ancient city was surrounded by a city wall made of small, neatly cut stones put together without using mortar. A circular shape temple was discovered at the northeast side of the city, it was made of marble floor. The baths are situated at the eastern part of the Sebastopolis, where the water needed was recovered from the thermal spring located about 3 kilometers to the southwest. Many statues and statuettes, friezes, columns, grave steles and epitaphs have been found during excavations.

Sinop is one of the most beautiful natural harbors on the Black Sea coast. There are many legends about the foundation of the city but the most dependable is that the Miletion colonists founded it in the 7th century BC and the city is the birthplace of the cynic philosopher Diogenes. According to another legend the province is said to have received its name from the Amazon Queen “Sinova”. The town’s citadel dates from that early age and the foundations of the Temple of Serapis is to be found on the grounds of the Archaeological Museum where some beautiful golden icons are displayed. The 13th century Alaeddin Mosque, the Alaiye Medresse, and the Balatlar Church are of interest in the city.Traditional nautical wood carvings, good crystal and the original cotton clothes of the city are praiseworthy and unique, so you will want to have examples of these artifacts. The seaside hotels and small holiday villages will make you stay longer and you will have the opportunity to sit in a fish restaurant by the harbor and watch the perfect combination of green and light blue while sipping your wine and tasting some traditional Turkish food. Hamsilos Fjord, 11 kilometers from the city center is the only fjord in the country.

Gerze, situated on a peninsula, 40 kilometers southeast of Sinop, will provide you with fine beaches, meadows, restaurants and parks, while Camgölü provides camping facilities in a large forest sloping to the sea. At Boyabat, the largest town of the province, there are many rock tombs and a citadel.

Samsun is situated between two river deltas jutting out into the Back Sea, north of Turkey. West of the town the Kizilirmark (the Red River), one of the longest rivers of Anatolia, produced its fertile delta, East of the town the Yesilirmak (the Green River), a river that passes some remarkable towns on its way to the sea, did the same.

People always were attracted by the combination of fertile ground and shallow waters for a harbor, due to this Samsun has a long history and its myths go back even longer. According to ancient myths the delta east of Samsun was the land of the Amazons. The geographer Strabo (64 BC-21 AD) describes the Amazons as a people of female warriors. In order to shoot easily with bow and arrow they had one of their breast removed. Amazon is derived from the old Greek and means ‘without breasts’. The Amazons used men from neighboring peoples to reproduce themselves and male children were sent to neighboring peoples. The myths situate the period of the Amazons about 1200 BC.

Fiction or non fiction, fact is that the Amazons’ myth spread again under the conquerors in South America. Along world’s biggest river a people of female warriors should live. The female warriors were never found but the river was named the Amazon.

What we know for sure is that Greek colonists settled in the 6th century BC and established a flourishing trade with the people of the interior of Asia Minor.

In the 3rd century BC Samsun came under the rule of the expanding Kingdom of Pontus. Initially the Kingdom of Pontus had been a part of the empire of Alexander the Great that broke up soon after his death in the 4th century BC. At its zenith the Kingdom of Pontus controlled the north as well as parts of central Anatolia and merchant towns on the northern Black Sea shores.

The Romans took over in 47 BC and were replaced by the Byzantines. The town was captured by the Seljuks (around 1200 AD), taken over by the Ilhanid Mongols and later became part of a Turkish principality. Samsun was incorporated in the network of Genoese trading posts and was taken by the Ottomans in the first part of the 15th century. Before leaving, the Genoese burnt the town to the ground.

Under Ottoman rule the land around the town later mainly produced tobacco. The town was connected to the railway system in the second half of the 19th century and the tobacco trade flourished. Its port had fallen prey to a slow decay and despite the tobacco Samsun became a rather dormant place.

Whatever their size, ports remain important gates for in or exporting new ideas and renovations. Here, on 19 May 1919, a man stepped ashore who would create a Turkish state, change a society and even alter a language; this great man was Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

As a result of choosing the losing side in the First World War the Ottoman Empire was in shambles. The victorious Entente powers virtually occupied Istanbul. The Entente didn’t only intended to divide the Empire but had a division of Anatolia in mind as well. The Greeks had visions of a new Hellenic Empire, the French had the Hatay and Syria and desired a part of South-Eastern Anatolia, to the Italians a southern part of Anatolia (Mediterranean region) was promised. The British already had Arabia, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq.

On 15 May 1919 Greeks forces occupied Smyrna (Izmir). The admiral of the British warships, at anchor offshore, had to order the Greek commander to restore order. A few days later the Italians landed in Antalya, taking a piece from their promised part of Anatolia.

The interior of Anatolia however was beyond any control (apart from some Entente, mostly British, detachments and officers) and was in the hands of the remnants of the Ottoman Forces and gangs of Greek or Turkish brigands.

To put an end to this situation the major Entente power involved (Britain) asked the weak Ottoman government to restore law and order in those parts. “If the Ottomans wouldn’t do it, they would” was the threat.

Since the southern rim of Anatolia was more or less under control by British warships and by competing Greek and Italian troops, the restoration of law and order had to be carried out from the north of Anatolia.

Here laid the chance for general Mustafa Kemal (the victor of Gallipoli). In 1934 when the Turks had to adopt a surname, his became Atatürk (father of the Turks).

Clever manipulating and the help of friends and sympathizers at the right places, gave him the chance to become Inspector General of virtually all of the Ottoman forces in Anatolia. He and his carefully selected staff left Istanbul aboard an old steamer for Samsun on the evening of 16 May 1919.

The Inspector General who stepped ashore on 19 May 1919 set up his quarters in the Mintika Palace Hotel. He made the people of Samsun aware of the Greek and Italian landings, staged mass meetings (however he stayed in the background) and made, thanks to the excellent telegraph network, fast connections with the army units in Anatolia. He started to form links between various nationalists groups. He sent telegrams of protest to foreign embassies and the War Ministry about British reinforcements in the area and about British aid to Greek brigand gangs.

In Istanbul the British became alarmed when they learned that the victor of Gallipoli had been send as Inspector General and his behavior didn’t make it any better. They urged a recall of the Inspector General. Thanks to friends and sympathizers in government circles a ‘compromise’ was worked out; the power of the Inspector General was curbed, on paper.

However, British and French control officers and the sea with British warships were uncomfortable and close by to keep on acting freely. After a week in Samsun Mustafa Kemal and his staff moved to Havza, about 85 kilometers inland. He did this with the pretext that he was ill and needed the hot springs of Havza to recover.

Today many visitors will find themselves in Samsun mostly for reasons of business or for Atatürk starting there the War of Independence. The dormant town of the times of Atatürk became an important trade centre and has a large modern port. The only thing that didn’t change is the hospitality of Samsun’s inhabitants and the growing of the aromatic Turkish tobacco in the deltas. Few things remind the visitor of the rich past of this town.

The town is pleasant and its centre, Cumhuriyet Meydani (Square of the Republic), is near the port. North of Cumhuriyet Meydani (at Atatürk Bulvari) is the Tourist Information Office. A bit west from the tourist information office you’ll find the Statue of Atatürk’s Landing. Further West along Atatürk Bulvari, you’ll pass the Buyuk Samsun Hotel and thereafter you’ll see the Kultur Sarayi (Palace of Culture), a building shaped as a ski jump. Events as concerts and other performances take place here.

East of the tourist office you’ll find the Archaeological and Atatürk Museum. The archaeological part of the museum displays fine ancient artifacts found in the Samsun area. The Atatürk section comprises photographs of his life and some personal belongings (Open from 8:30 till 12:00 and from 14:00 till 17:00).

Following from Cumhuriyet Meydani the road north to the port and turning right brings you to The Russian Market (Rus Pazari). All kinds of goods are sold here at a friendly price.

East of Cumhuriyet Meydani you might have a glass of tea, coffee or something cold in the pleasant Park. In the evening it won’t take long before you have a fine conversation with the friendly locals.

In the eastern side of the park stands an equestrian Statue of Atatürk, it’s big and a bit overdone. The Austrian sculptor Heinz Kriphel worked three years on it (1928-1931).

It’s also possible to have a ride in a two horse drawn carriage (Fayton), mostly there will be some of those waiting at Cumhuriyet Meydani or in the shade opposite Atatürk Bulvari. The Black Sea people love their horses and take a pride in and depend on them. The horses are well groomed and tenderly cared for, farmer’s carriages are often painted with local motives.

South from Cumhuriyet Meydani you can follow the 19 Mayis Bulvari. It will take you right away to the Atatürk (Gazi) Museum. It houses Atatürk’s bedroom, his study and conference room as well some personal belongings.

Nearby is the Pazar Mosque, Samsun’s oldest building, a mosque built by the Ilhanid Mongols in the 13th century.

On the way to Amasya the road climbs slowly but steadily and passes over the Karadag Gecidi (Karadag Pass) at an altitude of 940 meters. The landscape is green and little streams flow beneath the road.

Havza is a little charming town and is still well known for its hot springs (56 degrees centigrade). In Havza Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, just before he started The War of Independence, learned that the area was harassed by Greek gangs of Pontus state. A mass meeting was staged and the citizens adopted a policy of resistance. The Sultan’s government in Istanbul sent, under heavy pressure of the Entente powers, to the Inspector General Mustafa Kemal in Havza, an order to return to the capital (Istanbul). Mustafa Kemal disobeyed this and all succeeding orders. Since British troops were not far off and had heard what was going on in Havza, Mustafa Kemal decided to move about 50 kilometers further to Amasya. In Havza the goal of putting up resistance was reached.

Climate in Samsun in August/September is about 28 centigrade in the day, around 24 at night, rather humid.

Rize is one of the smallest provinces of Turkey on the Black Sea coast but also one of the most important since it is the tea-industry center with processing and packing factories.

The city is built in an area where the bright green tea bushes cover entire mountainsides. From Ziraat Park in the city you will have a panoramic view of the area and be able to capture that unique beauty.

You may have the opportunity, to have the best blend of tea, at the Summer Tea Festival, and taste the very famous, rarely found Anzer honey which comes from the mountains around. Do not forget to purchase high quality, lightweight summer clothes, known by the name of the city “Rize Bezi”. In the city the 16th century Islam Pasha Mosque and the remains of a Genoese castle can also to be seen.

In the south of Rize there is an excellent camping spot, at a lovely alpine lake, surrounded by mountains and meadows. This is Uzungol. The beautiful little town of Camlihemsin is a perfect starting point for a trekking tour in the Kackar Mountains.

There, you will pass by Firtina Vadisi, the Storm Valley, with its beautiful castle, Zirkale and bridges of Byzantine origin. Ayder comes next, which has many hot springs and it provides good opportunities for a peaceful time surrounded by nature. Cayeli, Pazar and Ardesen are the other towns close to Rize with their typical settings of Black Sea Region.

At the foot of a verdant hill, is the province of Ordu, one of the calmest and greenest sites along the Black Sea coast of Turkey. Due to its rainy climate, the land is fertile, with vegetable and fruit gardens, and wide forests covering the whole area.

On the road to Samsun, there is the town of Unye, 77 kilometers west of Ordu, which is an attractive fishing village. There are clean, beautiful beaches to enjoy the restful atmosphere, and extensive hazelnut plantations, typical of the region. At this site with purple rock formations are historical tombs carved into the rock which remain from the early Romans. Also an 18th century town hall building stands there as an outstanding sight.

Fatsa is another little town famed for its hazelnut gardens, and nearby are the ruins of a fortress named Bolaman Castle and the Byzantine Jason Church now converted to an archaeological museum.

Previously named “Cotoyora”, the ancient city of Ordu carries more recent signs; the Pasaoglu Mansion which belonged to a wealthy and influential Ottoman family of the 19th century, and holds signs of the life style once maintained; and a remarkable church dating back to the 18th century.

A distinct characteristic of Ordu is its being the center of hazelnut production. The Golden Hazelnut Festival held in September is hosted by this city, and the local chocolate-nut confection is a tasty specialty.

On March 29, 2006, Total Solar Eclipse was seen in Ordu as well at 14:08pm local time.

Ethnography Museum

Ordu museum, housed in the old Pasaoglu Mansion, is located in Selimiye neighborhood of the city. The building which was built by Pasaoglu Huseyin Efendi in 1896, is a very good example of Ottoman local architecture in the Black Sea region. The stones were brought from Unye, its wood and tiles from Romania, and craftsmen from Istanbul worked in its construction.

The mansion was opened to the public as a museum in 1987 after the restoration and display arrangements were completed. It’s a two floor building over the ground floor. The ground floor is arranged for administration offices, the 1st floor as ethnographic materials section, and the 2nd floor to reflect the typical Ottoman Konak life.

Kastamonu is a lovely city hidden in the midst of forests in Anatolia. The beauty of the 12th century Byzantine castle at the foot of the hill welcomes you. The 13th century Atabey Mosque and the Ibni Neccar Mosque are worth visiting. In the village of Kasaba you will have the opportunity to see one of the most elegant wood carvings of Turkey, on the Mahmut Bey Mosque.

The Ilgaz National Park is 63 kms south of Kastamonu. It is a perfect destination for mountaineering and especially for winter sports since there is a ski-center with good accommodation facilities. The landscape from the Ilgaz Mountain (2587 m) is breathtaking; you will want to take some photographs. The Kizilirmak River contributes to that marvelous picture of the city. The Ilgarini cave at Cide, the Alinca underground cave at Kure, and the International Equestrian Tourism Center of Daday are amongst other attractions.

Inebolu, 100 kms north of Kastamonu, is a typical Black Sea town, exhibiting fine examples of traditional Turkish architecture in the midst of greenery. To the east of lnebolu is the Abana holiday center. To the west is Cide with good hotels and sandy beaches, as well as the dreamlike Gideros Bay.

Karabük is one of the newest provinces of Turkey in the Northern part of Anatolia located about 200 kilometers north of Ankara. Until few years ago it was a district of Zonguldak than in 1995 it became a city of its own. It was built in the 1930s as the seat of the iron and steel industry of Turkey. Its area is 1.376 square kilometers with a population of 230.000 approximately. Karabük lies in a location near Filyos river formed by the merge of Arac and Soganli rivers. Districts of the city are: Safranbolu, Yenice, Eflani, Eskipazar, and Ovacik.

In the old times Karabük was an important route between Amasra on the coast and central Anatolia. The history of the city goes back to the early years of the Republic, it was a small sub-village formed by 13 houses in the Oglebeli village of Safranbolu. There was also a small train station on the route of Ankara - Zonguldak. It started to develop with the industrialization of the country. One of the first steal factories of the Republic was built here in 1939 after which it grew rapidly.

There are no proven facts about the origin of its name; in Turkish Kara means Black or Land and Bük means corner. But some local people believe that Bük is the name of the vegetation in the area, so maybe Karabük means “Land of Bük vegetation”.

Karabük has its own resources of dolomite and limestone, while coal and manganese is brought from Zonguldak and iron ore from Divrigi. This allows a varied, yet basic industry in Karabük, including a coking plant, blast furnaces, a foundry and tube works. There are also chemical plants that produce sulfuric acid and phosphates. Nearby are the Zonguldak coal fields.

Gumushane has been one of the most important cities in the Eastern Black Sea region due to its foundation on the main route from Trabzon to Iran. The city neighbors to Bayburt, Giresun, Erzincan, and Trabzon. It is a small city of approximately 200.000 people, with 6575 square kilometers of land area at an altitude of 1210 meters above sea level. The city has a moderate climate at a high plateau shaped by deep valleys and high mountains. The highest hill of the city is Abdal Musa hill touching 3331 meters.

Gumushane has a rich flora and fauna; it’s surrounded by fruit groves, especially apples, and gardens of wild roses. Gumushane is a natural stop between Trabzon and Erzurum which is a restful place. The city has many interesting natural caves such as Karaca cave in Cebeli village of Torul district, or Akcakale and Arili caves. Tomara waterfalls in Siran district, Artebel and Limni lakes in Torul district, and Orumcek forests in Kurtun district are other natural beauties. Zigana mountains have also skiing facilities at an altitude of 2032 meters and it offers good opportunity for winter sports fans.

During the Roman and Byzantine periods the city was known as Argyropolis; in Greek Argyros means Silver and Polis means city. Later on it was ruled by Emevis, Abbasids, Seljuks, and Ottomans. In the 17th century Evliya Celebi reports that Gumushane was rich of silver mines. During the Ottoman Empire Gumushane was a satellite of Erzurum and than Trabzon, but after the Republic it became a province of Turkey.

The old Gumushane city still retains examples of old-style architecture, you should especially visit Saricicek village to admire 19th century typical Ottoman houses. The oldest mosque in the city is Suleymaniye which was built by the order of the Sultan in the 16th century. There are also many fountains, tombs and mausoleums from Ottoman period.

Being founded on the ancient Silk Road, Gumushane province has many fortresses such as Canca, Akcakale, Edire, Kov, Kodil and Gumustug.

Imera Monastery built in the 14th century is 38 kilometers from the city center, at Olucak village. Other ancient Christian churches are; Metropolitic, Balcilar, Hegios Georgios, Ayana, Mandiri, Emirler, Cakalli and Dilek.

Apart from the city center, Kurtun, Torul, Kose, Kelkit, and Siran are other provincial districts of Gumushane.

In the 2nd century BC, the Roman general Lucullus, who came to the ancient Cerasos, saw a delicious fruit here, and carried its trees back to his country. It was there then that the cherry (Kerasus) giving Giresun its name, spread all over the world.

52 km east of Ordu, this city is founded near the ruins of a Byzantine fortress. Situated on a cliff overlooking the Black Sea, this old castle possesses a panoramic view. Inside the city, there exists a church dating to the 18th century.

Just outside the harbor, is Giresun Island which also carries remains from the earliest times. The ruins of a temple, built by the Amazons to whom the island is said to have belonged, can be seen here in addition to a Byzantine Monastery.

Traveling along the road to Trabzon, the towns of Kesap, Espiye, Tirebolu, Akcaabat, Görele and Dereli stand, each having a charming atmosphere with their natural and historical beauties. A special event is the “Aksu Art and Culture Festival” for the interested ones, which is a yearly organization held every May. Plateaus have a special role in the tourist activities of the city, as they are suitable for outdoor sports such as camping, picnicking and mountaineering. Most famous plateaus which are also suitable for winter sports are; Kümbet, Kulakkaya, Sisdagi, Karaovacik, Bektas and Egribel.

Duzce is just situated between Ankara and Istanbul; Ankara is 240 km away to the East and Istanbul is 228 km away to the West.

Duzce is placed into the plateau of The West Blacksea coast. The city is surrounded to the West by Sakarya, to the Northeast by Zonguldak and to the East by Bolu. The distance from East to West is 23 km and from North to South is 20 km. It opens to the Black sea with the valley of Buyuk Melen on the Northwest. Nearby are also some tourist centers and popular attractions such as Abant, Kartalkaya, Yedigoller, Golcuk and Akcakoca.

As the climate, although the summers are hot and winters are cold, it changes between the West Black Sea and Central Anatolian climates. Main agricultural products in Duzce are: tobacco, maize wheat, nut and many kinds of wheat and vegetables.

The geographical location of Duzce is very attractive for nature lovers and adventure seekers. It has vast forestry area, plateaus, waterfalls, long seashore, beaches, natural caves, rafting on Big Melen river, sailing, water sports and fishing in the Lake of Hasanlar Dam, Efteni Lake with 150 kinds of birds, and the Karduz Plateau which is covered with snow all year round.

Historical Konuralp is 8 kms away north of Duzce, first settlements there are going back to 3rd century BC. Until 74 BC it was one of the most important cities belonged to the Bytinia State, which included Bilecik, Bolu, Sakarya, Kocaeli and it was conquered by Pontus and then by The Roman Empire. During The Roman period the city was influenced by the Latin Culture and it changed its name as Prussias and Hypium. Later on Christianity effected the city and after the separation of The Roman Empire in 395 it was controlled by The Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire).

Konuralp Bey, one of Osman Gazi’s commanders, was ordered to conquer Duzce and its surroundings to the Ottoman Lands. In the 14th century he captured Duzbazaar (Duzce) and Roman Prusias after a battle against the Byzantines. The first Ottoman administrators in Duzce were Konuralp Bey, Sungur Bey, Semsi Bey and Gunduz Alp. During the late 16th century villagers choose this location as a market place and that’s why it was called Duzce Bazaar in the centre of the Plain.

During the Ottoman Empire Duzce provided the timber of the Navy and it became an important centre of transportation between Istanbul and the Eastern cities such as Sivas and Erzurum. At the 18th and 19th centuries the tradesmen took the control of Duzce and commerce flourished.

At the period of Abdulaziz and Abdulmecit sultans, immigrants from Caucasus, East Black Sea, East of Anatolia and The Balkans increased the population of Duzce. The government provided them free land. Those who came from other places called the names where they inhabited from: Caucasus, Abhaz, Laz, Georgian, Hemsin, Batum, Hopa, Tatar, Bosnak, Albanian, Bulgarian etc. Especially thanks to the Armenians and the Greek who settled down in Duzce and started to trade, the town had a lively life; it had 137 villages and 66618 homes with the population of 36088 at the times of Abdulmecit II.

After the Republic the city had a great development on Industry and Trade. Because it is near to the big cities, ports and natural resources, easy transportation, natural beauties and social structure makes it too attractive for the investment. Duzce is one of the most developed cities on industry in Turkey. Especially it is famous for timber and sports and hunting guns to the World. Today main economic sectors are; forestry production, automotive parts, textile, hunting and sports guns, cement, pharmaceutical products, nuts and tobacco. There are about 100 factories working in this sectors such as timber plants, milk product plants, animal food plants, flour plants, food and packing plants etc. Not to disregard agriculture as well.

It was hit by the 1944 Duzce Earthquake, 1957 Abant Earthquake, 1967 Adapazari Earthquake, and in 1999 it was destroyed by the 17th August Izmit Earthquake. In the end it was demolished too badly by another earthquake on 12th of November 99 at 18:57. The magnitude of the earthquake was 7.2 (Richter Scale), lasted for 30 seconds, killing 845 people and injuring over 5.000. After this it’s recognized as the 81st city of Turkey with the agreement of the Council Of Ministers so that Duzce could get over its damages with the Governmental aid.