Samsun, Metropolitan municipality on the Black Sea coast, Turkey
Samsun is a city on the Turkish Black Sea coast in Samsun Province, lying along the shoreline between two river mouths. The architecture includes buildings from the 20th century lining wide boulevards, a port district with promenades, and several parks stretching from the center down to the water.
Greek settlers from Miletus founded a colony here in the 7th century BCE and called it Amisos. In 1919, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk landed here and began the Turkish independence movement, making the city central to modern Turkish history.
The name comes from the Greek word Amisos, referring to early settlers from Miletus. Along the streets today you can see a Turkish way of life shaped by the closeness to the Black Sea, with fishermen offering their catch at the harbor in the morning and tea houses busy throughout the day.
The airport sits about 23 kilometers outside the center and can be reached by shuttle buses or taxis. Within the city, trams run along the coast and buses serve the surrounding neighborhoods, making most points accessible without a car.
In the nearby delta of the Kizilirmak River, hundreds of thousands of migratory birds rest each year on their journey between Europe and Africa, including more than 300 different species. The area is one of the most important birdwatching sites in the region and is served by walking trails and observation points.
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