Sinop GoTürkiye

Sinop, which inherited a rich cultural treasure, is one of the oldest cities in Anatolia and the port city of the Western Black Sea region. Many tribes, who desired to dominate the Black Sea, inhabited and left the remains of their civilization in Sinop, which has been a sea and trade city since ancient times due to its geographical location. 

Sinop's oldest known name is Sinope. In the sources, it is stated that the city got its name from an amazon named Sinope, who is rumored to be among the founders of the city, or Sinope, who is described as the nymph girl of Asopos, the River God in mythology. According to the myth, Zeus, seeing the beautiful Sinope, suddenly falls in love with her and tries everything to win the heart of Sinope who he fell in love with, but he is unsuccessful. Finally, Zeus tells her that in return for her love, he will fulfill every desire of her heart. The frightened young girl tells Zeus not to touch her. Zeus promises that he will not touch her, and by staying true to his word, he takes Sinope, leaving her to the paradise-like green shores of the Black Sea, which is present day Sinop and was her favorite place. There are beliefs that this fairy gave her name to the city. 

Diogenes, the famous philosopher of ancient ages, whose magnificent statue welcomes visitors at the entrance of Sinop, was born in Sinop in 412 BC. Therefore, he is renowned as Diogenes of Sinop even in ancient sources. Diogenes argued that happiness can be achieved even by living in the simplest way and spent his life in a barrel. The most famous story about Diogenes is his dialogue with Alexander the Great. Alexander the Great, who visited this philosopher, who was famous in many parts of the world despite his miserable life as perceived by others. Diogenes kept his calm despite although other people fled from Alexander the Great in fear. Alexander approached him and asked, "Do you know who I am?" Diogenes replied with the following, "You are the slave of my slave because the world is my slave, so you are the slave of the world." Alexander, who liked this answer of Diogenes very much, tells him to ask whatever he wants. Diogenes' answer is in line with the philosophy of his life: "Don't make a shadow, that is all I want ".

Türkiye's most northern point extending into the sea situated on a promontory and being endowed by breathtaking natural beauties, Sinop, throughout history, has carried features of a military base due to its unique geography consisting of mountains and its castle. The city, which was subjected to the rules of Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman states, has always been a central location for trade and culture. The fact that Mustafa Kemal Atatürk stopped at the port of Sinop on his way to Samsun and gave the first alphabet lecture here after the letter reform, brings the city to a symbolic point in the history of the Turkish republic. 

Sinop, a trade and cultural center, the city with an invaluable cultural heritage with its archaeological remains, natural beauties, coasts, food, and folklore, is still alive today and awaits its visitors for a different experience.