Kastamonu

Template: Infobox city in Turkey / Maintenance / County

Kastamonu is the capital of the eponymous province in northern Turkey. The town lies in the valley of Gökırmak, a tributary of the Kizilirmak. In August 1925 Ataturk traveled to the then in force as particularly conservative Islamic province of Kastamonu, where he joined in several speeches, among others for wearing a hat as part of a secular state reform, which was binding as Hat Act little later.

Location

Kastamonu is situated at 800 meters above sea level in a wide valley between partially wooded hills that form a transition between the steep mountain ranges ( Küre Dağları ) on the Black Sea coast in the north and the ridge of the Ilgaz Dağları in the south. Both are part of the Pontic Mountains. On the hills surrounding the city in the south grow tall pine forests.

The Highway 765 through the town in a north-south direction from just under 100 kilometers away İnebolu on the Black Sea and continues to Ankara. The industrial city is located 115 km west Karabük.

The area is known for the processing of tobacco, the production of cigarette paper and wood furniture.

History

The region is inhabited by findings that can be dated to the 13th century BC at the latest since Hittite times. In the 11th century the site was occupied by the Rum - Seljuks and then by their opponent, the Danishmends from Sivas. The town's name probably derives ago by Castra Comneni ( " fortress of the Comnenus "). So called in the 12th century a fortified residence of the Komnenos, a ruling noble dynasty of the Byzantine Empire. The city was at this time Kastamon ( Κασταμών ).

In the 14th and 15th centuries, the city is mentioned in connection with the trading of the Genoese colonies on the Black Sea. For the first time in 1393 and then finally from 1459 belonged to the Ottoman Empire Kastamonu. In the meantime, regional leaders appointed by the Mongols, Timur Lenk had ruled. In the Ottoman Empire Kastamonu was first a sanjak, from the Kastamonu vilayet was formed in the 19th century.

Kastamonu is the birthplace of the famous biographer Latifi.

In the 19th century should have a cook named Hamdi from Kastamonu first made a Turkish doner kebab.

On August 30, 1925, the Turkish Republic founder Ataturk held from the terrace of today's Archaeological Museum a fiery speech against the wearing of oriental headgear Fez and demanded all Turkish men, instead, set up a modern hat.

Cityscape

The center of the town is the square, Nasrallah Meydanı called in front of the town hall, built in 1910 in historic style. From a vantage hill with a clock tower at its peak in the southeast of the square is the city center can be located a few hundred meters to the west with which overlooks a 112 meter high castle hill. From under the Komnenos in 11-12. Century castle founded are still large parts of the outer walls of buildings and get inside or have been restored.

The main mosque in the center ( Nasrallah Camii ) from the year 1506 goes back to a foundation of Nasrallah Bey, a municipal judge. Nine domes cover a square prayer hall. The cleansing fountain is worth seeing. The name of this man also carries a certificate from the Ottoman era bridge near about the Gökırmak with two different wide arches. The Atabeygazi Camii is a large, built in 1273 mosque with a shallow hipped roof on a rectangular plan at the foot of the castle hill.

Most other Ottoman buildings are located on the west side of the river the Nasrallah Meydanı opposite. This includes the Çifte Hamamı, hammam with two roof domes, one of them on a tight octagonal drum. Also preserved are two Hane, the Aşirefendi Hanı and İsmail Bey Hanı. The latter part of the vorosmanischen mosque complex of Ismail Bey Külliyesi from the 15th century and is located south of the city. A Phrygian tomb near is called "Rock House ". On its gable the relief of both sides accompanied by mounts man is seen.

Also in the simple traditional residential area south of the castle is the revered especially by women Türbe of the 1568/69 deceased Pir Şeyh Şaban -i Veli. The men go to the mosque next to it, which belongs together with the Türbe and carefully restored residential buildings to plant a Tekke of Halveti - Sufi order.

Today, rapidly progressive expansion of the city with large housing blocks takes place over a length of about three kilometers in the plane along the river to the north. The bus station is located five kilometers from the center in this direction outside in the open field. The Kastamonu Uzunyazı Havalimanı 1990 south of the city furnished the airport was not used after its opening until the reopening in June 2013. After the re- opening of a regular connection to the Istanbul Ataturk Airport is provided.

Attractions in the surroundings

• Kasaba village 17 km north-west with a post- Seljuk wooden pillars Mosque of 1366
• Ilgaz Mountain ( Ilgaz Dagi ) 2587 meters, hiking and winter sports area, about 40 kilometers south
• Ancient city Pompeipolis at Taşköprü
• Ilgarini Cave, one of the longest caves in Turkey

Newspapers

• Kastamonu Postası
• Kastamonu Nasrullah Gazetesi