GENERAL INFORMATION

Location

Bartin lies between the 41st and 53rd north latitudes and the 32nd and 33rd longitudes on the western part of the Black Sea Region. It has a sea coast of 59 km and is bordered by Kastamonu on the east, Zonguldak on the west and Karabuk on the south east. It has a surface area of 2143 square kilometers and an altitude of 25 meters.

Mountains

Bartin is surrounded from the east, the west and the north by several mountains height of which is below 2000 meters. Although the mountains' altitude is low, they are pretty steep and rocky.

The most significant mountains are: Aladag, Kocadag, Karadag, Kayaardi, Karasu and Arit Mountains. The city center is surrounded by Aladag on the west, Karasu Mountains on the north and Arit Mountains on the east. Halatciyamasi, Orduyeri, Kirtepe and Omertepesi are four significant hills which the city is situated on.

Plains and Plateaus

The land deeply splitted by the Bartin River and its branches is very rough and there are narrow and deep valleys among the steep slopes of the mountains and on areas broadened by the River. There are more plains towards the town centers.

The most significant plateaus of Bartin are: Uluyayla, Ardic, Gezen and Arit plateaus. Arit plateau is located within the National Park of Kure Mountains.

Uluyayla Plateau

It is 27 km away from the Ulus County. Its altitude varies from 300 meters (in Ovacuma) to 1416 meters (in Goktepe) and the average altitude of the plateau is about 1000 meters. Uluyayla is within an untouched forest of 86.000 hectares. The total area of the plateau is 18.255 hectares and the Kalkanli Mevkii forming the core of the plateau has an area of 60 hectares. Vegetation consists of pin leafed and broad leafed trees and hundreds of sub-flora.

Uluyayla, with its green forest and colorful flowers, natural springs, caves and wild animals, is a natural marvel.

Ardic Plateau

It is 33 kilometers away from the Kumluca District in Ulus. The general area of the plateau which has an average altitude of about 1500 meters is approximately 10 hectares and the plateau plains is about 4 hectares. The vegetation of the plateau consists of trees like juniper, fir, beech, oak, hornbeam, hazel, black pine, scotch pine, poplar, maple, holly, dog rose, nettle, raspberry, blackberry, strawberry and hundreds of sub-flora. The plateau well known for its Ardic birds has also a rich wild life.

Ardic plateau is covered by snow for 6 months from November to April each year.

Gezen Plateau

Gezen plateau which is one of the two plateaus in Ardic region is 8 kilometers away from the Ardic plateau. It has the same characteristics with Ardic plateau and has an area of about 2 hectares.

National Park of Kure Mountains

It is situated on the Kure mountains within the borders of the cities Bartin and Kastamonu in the western part of the Black Sea Region. The National Park has an area of 114.787 hectares including the Buffer Zone and 34.000 hectares of the total area which is untouched has not been allowed for settlement and any kind of use.

The park offers a rich and attractive diversity covering fascinating karst formations of international significance within the Western Black Sea Region Karst Zone like canyons, straits, caves, waterfalls and ponors. It is also a home for an old and untouched forest, flora and indemic vegetation of 1200 years, a rich fauna of 129 bird and 40 mammal species. The traditions in surrounding settlements cover a rich folk medicine and unique folkloric values.

Rivers

The most significant river of Bartin is the Bartin River which was in ancient times called Parthenius giving its name to the city. Formed by the Kocacay and Kocanaz brooks joining at Gazhane Cape in the city center, After flowing for 15 kilometers, the river reaches to the Black Sea in the Strait region.

As the Kocanaz Brook arises in the South and flows towards the North, the Koczagiz Brook is formed by the Goksu and Eldes Creeks (Ulus Creek) which come from the Kastamonu City and flow through Ulus. The creeks which feed Kocacay are Kisla, Akpinar and Karacay creeks joining to Kozlu Brook formed by Arit and Mevren Creeks.

The other significant creeks are Kapisuyu and Tekkeonu creeks arising in Kurucasile reaching to the Black Sea and, Ovacayi and Inonu creeks which water Uluyayla in Ulus.

Bartin River is the most regularly flowing river on which 500 tonned ships can transport from the Black sea to the city. With a flow rate of 720 meters per hour, it carries about 1 billion tons of water to the sea each year.

Flora

The total area of Bartin is 2143 square kilometers. It consists of forests (46%), agricultural lands (35%), lawns and pastures (7%), places for settlement and areas not suitable for living (12%).

In the Black Sea Region with quite a mixed vegetation, flora groups and species of both the Black Sea Region and European Siberian Region can be seen.

Forests which take place on a wide area in the vegetation of Bartin consists of pin leafed and broad leafed trees. The trees in the areas up to 600 meters high along with the sea coast are oak, beech and hornbeam. In areas above 1500 meters, away from the coast, the trees like beech, fir, pine and chestnut trees can be seen, and near the sea coasts walnut, chestnut and hazel plantations widely take place.

Other tree and plant species consist of cornelian cherry, medlar, blackberry, lime trees, rose hip, fig, sage, asparagus, laurel, ivy, oleander, jasmine, hawthorn, bellflower, daisy, clover, cowslip, poplar, terebinth, sumac, mastic, ladanum, cypress, arbutus, heath, thyme and hundreds of sub flora.

The region of which the soil characteristics and climate are suitable for garden agriculture has a wide product variety including almost every arable field products and all kind of vegetables. Besides, high quality strawberry cultivation for which a festival has been held in recent years is also attracting attention.

In Bartin there is no plant species under conservation according to the Bern Agreement.

Fauna

The fauna of Bartin consists of amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds. Some amphibians like frogs and stripped salamanders, some reptiles like lizards, snakes and turtles and some mammals like wolves, jackals, weasels, badgers, foxes, squirrels, hedgehogs, moles, mice, brown bears, wild boars, rabbits, deers and bats can all be seen in Bartin.

You can also see birds like stork, sparrow hawk, falcon, owl, hawk, gray jay, magpie, stock dove, cuckoo, owlet, eagle owl, finch, sparrow, woodpecker, quail, partridge, tragopan, woodcock, ousel and fieldfare.

Climate

As the climate in Bartin is Temperate Climate (Black Sea Climate), in summer it is hot and in winter it is cool.

As Bartin is close to the sea and the mountains lying parallel to the sea coast are with low altitude, the temperature difference in the coast line decreases, the humidity increases and the region is affected by the air masses coming from the Balkan Peninsula.

July is the hottest month with an average temperature of 23°, and the coldest is December with an average temperature of 4.2°. The average number of sunny days, rainy days and snowy days are 225, 125 and 15 respectively.

The most suitable time for tourism is in July, June and August. However, in April, May and September and October, suitable days can also be seen.

HISTORY OF BARTIN

It is thought that Achaeans, before building the Mycenaean Civilization in Eagen Region, invaded the Western Anatolian Coasts (including Samsun, Sinop and Amasra) and introduced the Copper Age Civilization to the local people. Meanwhile, Kaskians and Hittites were the dominant force in the inner regions and they were also living the Copper Age Civilization.

Bartin and its surrounding as accepted to have been possessed by the Kaskians in the 14th century B.C. and by the Hittites in the 13th Century B.C. was dominated by Bithynians and Paphlagonians in the end of the 13th Century B.C. Then Phyrigians (12th Century B.C.), Cimmerians (7th Century B.C.), Lydians (6th Century B.C), Persians (in 547 B.C.), Macedonians (334 B.C.) and Pontians (279 B.C.) settled respectively to Bartin.

In 70 B.C. Romans ended the domination of Pontus Kingdom and invaded the region after entering Anatolia. The Bithynian and Pontian part in Paphlagonia began to be governed by Bithynian Pontian State through satrapial system. Amasra became the capital of the Pontian part of the State.

Bartin was in control of Roman Empire until 395 A.D. and after the Roman Empire was divided into two as Roman and Byzantine Empires, it remained within the borders of Byzantine Empire.

Bartin and its surrounding was attacked by Caspians, Pechenegs and Cumans in 390 B.C., by muslim Arabs in 798 A.D. by Seljuqs in 800 and by Russians in 865.

In 1084 Emir Karatigin, one of the commanders of Kutalmisoglu Suleyman Bey invaded Sinop, Cankiri, Kastamonu and Zonguldak and built a Turkish Emirate covering Bartin, Ulus, Eflani, Safranbolu and Devrek in the region. In 1326, Candaroglu Principality dominated the region after the Seljuq sovereignty of 200 years and the region became dominated by Ottoman Empire in 1392.

When Bartin history is examined together with the histories of Kastamonu, Sinop and Bolu, it can be seen that Bartin and Ulus, during the years between the 4th crusade and 1460, were in the period of empires and emirates which were frequently changed because of the great power conflicts in Anatolia. Amasra was under the sovereignty of Roman and Byzantine Empires from 70 B.C to 1261 A.D, and then remained as a Genoese Colony under the domination of Byzantines.

In 1460, although Bartın and its surrounding was within the borders of Ottoman Empire, Amasra was still a Genoese Colony. Mehmed II aimed to conquer Amasra, Kastamonu and Sinop in order to keep the Turkish unity, create a single political entity in Anatolia and take the control of the Black Sea Region commercial roads. In 1460 he came to Bartin and had the encampment built on where today's Orduyeri takes place. When he was informed that the navy had been seen, the Conquerer advanced towards Amasra with his army and conquered it without killing any people and ended the Genoese domination.

Between 1460 and 1692, Bartin was within the borders of Bolu Sanjak of Anatolian Beylerbeylik. After the Bolu Sanjak had been abolished, it was governed by voivodeships between 1692 and 1811. In 1811 it was adhered to the Bolu Sanjak which was established again under the control of Kastamonu Province.

Having a great commercial potential, Bartin became a county in 1867 and in 1876 its municipal organization was formed.

Where does the name "Bartin" come from?

It can be understood from the writings that the city built near the Parthenios, the name for the Bartin River in ancient times, was Parthenia which was then named Bartin. In Greek Mythology, Parthenios is the "God of Waters", one of the children of Okenaus, the Father of Gods. It also means the "gloriously flowing water". Another meaning is "young virgin or chorus songs for young girls". "Young Virgin" is an epithet used for the Goddess Athena.

Famous poet Homer tells in Iliada that some bravemen coming from the country where the river Parthenios flowed through joined to the heroes from Anatolia to defend the city, Troy.

HISTORY OF AMASRA

It takes its name from the Queen Amastris. It is located on a peninsula and two islands on the north of Bartin. Its surface area is about 120 square kilometers.

In the end of the 12th century B.C. Phyrigians settled in Bartin in the Bythinia Region and Phoenicians settled in Amasra in Paphlagonia Region. The Phoenicians formed their first Sidon colonies in Amasra (Sesomos), Eregli (Heraklia), Sinop (Sinope) and Tekkeonu (Kromna). In the 9th century B.C. as the balance of power failed, the Phoenicians and Carians left Amasra and Kromna.

After a century, Megaran immigrants having the same roots with the ionians settled in the region in the beginning of the 7th century. Amasra and Kromna with other Black Sea Region cities joined to the Ionian (miletus) colony.

Although the region was dominated by Cimmerians in the end of the 7th century B.C., by the Lydians in the 6th century B.C. and by the Persians in 547 B.C., the black sea region colonies kept their status for a long time.

Having ended the Persian domination in the region, the Macedonian King, Alexander the Great, granted Bartin and Ulus to the General Eumenes and Amasra and Tekkeonu to Phyrigian Satrap (Governor). The city which had been callled Sesamos since the 12th century B.C. was governed by the Queen Amastris between 302 and 286 B.C. and then was named after her.

Queen Amastris who was the niece of the persian King Dareios III and the sister in law of the Macedonian King Alexander the Great, married one of the commanders of Alexander and moved to Macedonia. She then married the Heraklia Tyrant, Dionysios in 322 B.C. and Thrazien King, Lysimachos in 302 B.C.

After those short marriages she then moved to Amasra and governed it on behalf of her sons. One day the ship she got on was sunk and she was killed by her sons in 286 B.C.

Queen Amastris, during her 16 year rule between 302 and 286 B.C., formed a city state (Symoikismos Union of Cites) in Amasra consisting of Tium (Filyos - Hisaronu), Kromna (Tekkeonu - Hisar), and Kytoros (Gideros). In 295 B.C. she declared independence, had coins minted in her name and adorned the city with artistic buildings.

In 279 B.C. the Pontus Kingdom became the dominant force in Amasra and its surrounding. In 70 B.C. Romans ended the domination of Pontus Kingdom and governed the city until 395 A.D. After the Roman Empire had been divided into two, Amasra remained under the control of Byzantines. The Bithynian and Pontian part in Paphlagonia Region began to be governed by Bithynian Pontian State through satrapial system and Amasra became the capital of the Pontian part of the State.

The Turkish Emirates established in 1084 under the domination of Seljuqs had serious troubles after the death of Suleyman Bey in 1086 and the First Crusade which was started in 1096. With the agreement made between the Crusade allies and the Byzantines, the Black Sea Coast line from Istanbul to Samsun including Amasra, Sinop and Eregli was again controlled by Byzantines.

In 1261, the Byzantine Empirer M. Paleologos called for help from Genoans to overcome the difficulties he was suffering from. Then Genoans were in return permitted to establish an installation and they took the control of Amasra and several harbours in the Black Sea Region by the Nymphaion Agreement in 1261. This changed the destiny of Amasra and it became an advanced Genoese colony. Genoans were the dominant force in Amasra until 1460 for 200 years.

Amasra has been an important place for military installation and a significant harbour city for trade.

Amasra for which the Great Sultan Mehmed II said "This must be the pupil of the earth" is likened to a "sleeping beauty".

Amasra is also known as the first tourism spot in the country as it was the first place with lodging and tent camping facilities in 1940s.