Tokat: Living with tradition
by Assistant Professor Dr. Fatih MÜDERRİSOĞLU
Not many of Turkey’s 20m tourists will visit Tokat this summer. But for those who linger in the country a little longer – especially those based in nearby Ankara – the little-known provincial city has plenty to offer, summing up and preserving much of the history, natural beauty and high and low culture that make Anatolia what it is.
400 kilometres east of Ankara, where the green Black Sea region merges into the central Anatolian plateau, is the province of Tokat. Cradled by the Yeşilırmak basin, its geography and climate are ideal, and it has been a place of settlement continuously since ancient times. Over the past 5,000 years, the Hatti, Hittite, Roman, Byzantinine, Danishmend, Anatolian Seljuk and Ottoman civilisations have all left lasting traces here. The provincial centre is rich in artefacts of the Turkish-Islamic culture.
There are a few scattered legends, but no agreed consensus, as to how the province and the city received its name. It was known as “Dokera” during the Byzantine period and later as “Dar-ün Nusret” and “Dar-ün Nasr” before it became “Tokat”.
Tokat is the fruit and vegetable garden of its region, particularly well known for its asparagus, rosehip and grapes. The two latter fruits have made a great contribution to the city’s economy within the food sector. The vegetables cultivated in the region have also contributed to a diverse nutritional culture. The Bacaklı soup and a range of stuffed vegetables are central to the cuisine of Tokat. The Tokat Kebab, which is made especially during the summer months, makes the most of the beautiful harmony of fresh vegetables and meat.
Handkerchiefs and heroes
Another characteristic that identifies Tokat as a unique city is the art of hand-painted handkerchiefs (yazmacılık). The art is built on multiple motifs, each having a different meaning. It gave its name to the Yazmacılar Han or market, and at one time offered a way of making a living to a large group of craftsman. Today, in keeping up with the pace of changing technology, production continues in modern facilities.
One of the most significant sons of Tokat is Gazi Osman Paşa, the hero of the defence of Plevne during the Ottoman-Russian war of 1877-78. The commander’s name was given to the university founded in Tokat in 1992. He is also commemorated in the name of one of Ankara’s most desirable neighbourhoods.
The cultural assets that can be seen in the province include Sulusaray (Sebastopolis), Zile (Zela), Maşathöyük, Niksar and Pazar –all rich ruins or settlement areas and historical ruins. Among these places Zile is known for its castle, which gained its reputation from the words “Veni-vidi-vici” (I came-I saw-I conquered) of the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar. The Mahperi Hatun Caravanserai and Bridge in the Pazar district and many constructions in the Niksar area are counted among the most splendid works of the Anatolian Seljuk period.
Museum in a museum
The city centre of Tokat is equally rich in history. Any tour of the city should start at the museum, housed in a building constructed by the Anatolian Seljuks in the 13th century and given the name of “Gökmedrese” – the Sky Medresah - because of its tile-makers. Besides its 735 year-old construction, the former religious school now contains an extensive collection of findings tracing the history of the region from the Hatti period to Republican times. The variety and the intensity of the number of the findings would make it easier for us to conceive Tokat culturally.
Viewing the city from a height makes it easier to understand its fabric. If possible, every visitor should therefore climb to the ridge where the castle is located. Both the old street pattern of the city centre and the newly-developing areas can be observed from the castle. Similarly, a hill named “Gıj Gıj” provides views of the river, the new city centre and the old vineyard houses. The hill provides its visitors with refreshments and a comfortable place to rest.
Evidence of the pre-Ottoman Danishmend and Anatolian Seljuks can be seen at the Yeşilırmak Bridge. There are many tombs, bath-houses, dervish lodges and madrasahs.
Mosques and mansions
Tokat was at one time a silk centre and later became one of Anatolia’s focal points. The road connecting Istanbul to Iran and Iraq during the Ottoman period helped the city to enjoy the brightest period of its history. Thanks to this road, which was mainly used for trade, Tokat was decorated with covered bazaars, baths, almshouses, mosques, lodges and large mansion houses. The liveliness and cultural fabric of city life is apparent in the writings of the famous Ottoman traveller Evliya Celebi about 17th century Tokat.
At the same time, however, Tokat is a prime earthquake zone, and not all its monuments have survived. Among those still standing, the Hatuniye Mosque is believed to have been built by Sultan Bayezid II in the name of his mother. The construction is still the most important architectural structure of the city. The biggest architectural work in the city is the Taş (Stone) (orVoyvoda) Han. Also worthy of mention are the Ali Pasha Mosque and Bath, the abandoned Yazmacılar Han, the Bedesten (market-place) and some of the old houses of Kalealtı and Sulu Street. The Along the Sivas road are the Latifoğlu Mansion, Clock Tower, Behzat Mosque, Mevlevihane Bey Street and Atatürk House. The Latifoğlu Mansion, which was built in 1874, has a distinguished place in Turkish architecture thanks to its architectural embellishments and ornamentation. The Mevlevihane, which aims to introduce the traditions of the Mevlevi order to the public, will be restored very shortly.
The great outdoors
As for natural beauty, the leading attraction is Ballıca Cave. The cave has a special place both nationally and universally because of its characteristics, I recommend you to see it on site and engrave it onto your minds, since it is difficult to depict. But there are many other beauty spots, such as the Almus Dam Lake, the Niksar Plateau, the banks of the Yeşilırmak, the Kelkit Valley and the village of Nebi.
In short, Tokat is set to attract more and more attention with its rich history and protected areas of natural beauty, its fine cuisine and its well-established university. Above all, it continues to hold its old and new identities together. Don’t forget to bring back some distinguished Diren wine, rosehip marmalade or Zile pectin to share with your friends. And to keep memories alive for longer, those hand-painted handkerchiefs make excellent gifts for all those who could not travel with you.
( DIPLOMAT - June 2006 - Ankara )