Merzifon (Ancient Persian: Merzban and Ancient Greek: Μυρσυφων, Mersyphòn) 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 (2010) is 69,237 of which 52,947 live in the town of Merzifon, the remainder spread throughout the surrounding countryside. The mayor is Mehmet Kadri Aydınlı (AKP).
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Former variants of its name include Marzifūn, Mersivan, Marsovan, Marsiwān, Mersuvan, Merzpond and Merzban. The name apparently comes from Marzban, the Persian title for a "march lord" or a district governor, although the exact connection is not clear.
Standing on a plain, watered by a river, Merzifon is on the road between the capital city of Ankara and Samsun on the Black Sea coast, 109km from Samsun, 325km from Ankara and 40km west of the city of Amasya. The weather is cold in winter, hot in summer.
Archaeological evidence (hundreds of burial mounds höyük) indicate settlement of this well-watered farmland since the stone age at least 5500 BC. The first fortifications were built by the Hittites, who were pushed out around 1200BC by invaders coming in from the nearby Black Sea. From 700BC the fortifications were rebuilt by the Phrygians, who left a number of burial mounds and other architecture. From 600BC the Phrygians were pushed out by more invasions from the east, this time Cimmerians from over the Caucasus mountains; graves from this period have been excavated and their contents displayed in the museum in Amasya. Merzifon then became a trading post of the kings of Pontus, whose ruled the Black Sea coast from their capital in Amasya.
The district of Amasya was destroyed during civil wars of the Romans and, including Merzifon, was restored by command of the emperor Hadrian. Remains of Roman temples from Merzifon are also on display in Amasya today. The city grew in importance under Roman rule as walls and fortifications were strengthened, and remained strong under Byzantine rule (following the division of the Roman empire in 395), although it was held briefly by Arab armies during the 8th century expansion of Islam. Following which the castle of Bulak was built as a defence.
Islam was finally established by the Danishmend lords in the 11th century and the Byzantines never regained control. The Danishmend were followed by Seljuk Turks, Ilkhan, and from 1393 onwards the Ottomans. Merzifon remained an important city for the Ottomans, being so close to Amasya where the Ottoman princes were raised and schooled for the throne. Evliya Çelebi records a well-fortified trading city
Following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire at the end of the First World War, British troops were deployed in the Ottoman lands to ensure the terms of surrender. The Black Sea arm of this operation penetrated inland as far as Merzifon in 1919. By this time a Turkish army was being rebuilt under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who was based in nearby Amasya. The British troops withdrew in the autumn of 1919, when they saw the local people were arming for resistance. There was no fighting.
Merzifon is now a typical large but quiet Anatolian town providing schools, hospitals, courts and other important infrastructure in dull concrete buildings, but offering few cultural amenities. Few travellers stop here, preferring to press on to reach the Black Sea coast. The best-known dish is the boiled wheat, chick-pea and meat stew called keşkek; there are also a number of well-known kebab houses and a famous köfte restaurant called Ciloşoğlu. And at weekends there is plenty of attractive countryside around for a picnic or other escapes.
There is a large airbase nearby. Merzifon is twinned with the city of Pleasant Hill, California.
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