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Medieval Sinop is a walled
city perched on a promontory
overlooking the dark, chill waters
of the Black
Sea.
Founded by colonists from the Aegean port
of Miletus in the 800s BC, Sinop (SEE-nohp,
pop. 30,000) became a major port because
of its fine natural harbor. Today it's
still a port, and a provincial capital.
Besides its medieval city walls,
Sinop offers the Alaettin Mosque (1267)
and its medrese (seminary);
the ruined Balatlar Kilisesi,
a Roman temple converted into a Byzantine
church; and the Cezayirli Ali Pasha
Mosque (1297). A few remains of
an ancient Temple of Serapis stand
beside the Sinop Museum. There
are also a few beaches, though
the Black Sea water
is chilly except on the hottest days.
Bus
service is mostly via Ankara or Samsun,
so you may have to change buses there.
Sinop has no trains.
The nearest airport is
at Samsun.
Diogenes (c. 412-323 BC), the
Cynic philosopher who carried around
a lantern "looking for a good
man" (and not finding one),
was born in Sinop. He later moved to
Athens, where he sought to live the
simplest life possible, even throwing
away his only possession--his drinking
cup--when he realized he could drink
from his cupped hands.
Alexander the Great met the
famous philosopher and wanted to reward
him:
"What can I do for you?" the
emperor asked.
"Stand aside. You're blocking
my sunlight," Diogenes replied.
Sinope, daughter of the river
god Asopus, outwitted Zeus.
He wanted to marry her, and promised
she could have "anything she wanted."
She requested eternal virginity,
and Zeus, outwitted, allowed
her to enjoy it here on this promontory--or
so the legend says--giving the town
its name.
Distances & Travel Times
Amasra: 312
km (194 miles) W, 7 hours by car (no
direct bus service)
Amasya: 263
km (163 miles) S, 5 hours
Ankara: 434
km (270 miles) SW, 8 hours
Bogazkale: 390
km (242 miles) S, 7 hours
Çorum: 307
km (191 miles) S, 6.25 hours
Giresun: 377
km (234 miles) E, 7 hours
Istanbul: 700
km (435 miles) W, 13 hours
Kastamonu: 192 km (119 miles)
SW, 4 hours
Safranbolu: 300
km (186 miles) NE, 5.5 hours
Samsun: 168
km (104 miles) NW, 3 hours
Trabzon: 514
km (319 miles) E, 9 hours
Black Sea
Coast
Central
Anatolia
Turkey
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