Amasra
Amasra is the focal point of tourism in Bartın. The Sormagir Castle and the Dungeon Castle on Boztepe Island are connected by a bridge called the Boztepe Arch and together form Amasra Castle. Genoese coats of arms and figures such as eagles and ox heads can be seen on the walls. Amasra Castle is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List within the nomination file covering the castles of the Genoese trade network. The Fatih Mosque inside the castle was a Byzantine church built in the 9th century and was converted into a mosque in 1460.
The Amasra Museum, housed in a historic building whose construction began in 1884 as a maritime school, displays works ranging from the Hellenistic period to the Ottoman era, as well as an armoured statue torso belonging to Emperor Hadrian. The Kuşkayası Road Monument on the Amasra-Bartın road dates from the Roman period. According to a legend recounted by the Amasra Municipality, Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror first looked at Amasra from Bakacak Hill and said, "Is this the eye of the world?" ("Çeşm-i Cihan bu mudur?"); this viewpoint is today also called Çeşm-i Cihan Hill.
Kurucaşile and Boat Building
Wooden boat building continues in the shipyards at Kapısuyu and Tekkeönü, which belong to Kurucaşile. According to the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, boats such as lighters, sailing boats, gulets and çekme boats are built in the area, and important parts are still shaped by hand. Tekkeönü, where the ancient city of Kromna is located, and Kapısuyu are also known for their clean beaches and natural coastlines. Çakraz, at kilometre 18 of the Amasra-Kurucaşile road, also stands out with its beach and accommodation facilities.
The Küre Mountains and Ulus
Küre Mountains National Park, on the border of Bartın and Kastamonu, offers a wide area to those who wish to go hiking, with its canyons, forests and wildlife. In the Ulus district, the Ulukaya Waterfall on the Ulus-Pınarbaşı road is formed by water emerging from a rock cavity and cascading within a canyon; it is promoted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism as the starting point of the national park.
Nature and Coasts
- Güzelcehisar Lava Columns: On the Güzelcehisar shore, 17 km from the provincial centre, these are column-shaped lava cliffs rising from the sea like a wall; they were declared a natural monument in 2017.
- İnkumu: With its beach and accommodation facilities, it is one of the well-known holiday destinations on the Bartın coast.
- Gürcüoluk Cave: It is located in Karakaçak village of Amasra, about 32 km from Bartın. It has many chambers decorated with stalactites and stalagmites; since the carbon dioxide level inside can be high, information should be obtained before visiting.
Historic Bartın Houses
The historic houses in the city are examples of Ottoman-period civil architecture. These houses, generally two storeys, have a stone ground floor and a timber-frame upper floor; their gardens surrounded by wooden fences, slate-paved paths and sash windows stand out. The Bartın City Museum and the Kemal Samancıoğlu Ethnography Museum, established in the house where former mayor Kemal Samancıoğlu was born and lived, can also be visited to learn about the culture of the province.
Sources
Bartın Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism; Culture Portal (Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye); UNESCO World Heritage Centre; Amasra Municipality.