Sivas, Turkey: Guide, Hotels, Map & Photos
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EUR 95 - 300 Sivas Büyük Hotel
 In the centre of Sivas, this 4-star hotel offers a spa with hammam and fitness room. Dining options include 2 restaurants and a patisserie on the lobb… MoreEUR 87 - 87 Pasabey Hotel
 Featuring an elegant restaurant with an open-air terrace, this Sivas hotel offers rooms equipped with LCD TVs and free, uninterrupted Wi-Fi. There is … More | ||||||||||||
Sivas, Turkey: Guide
Sivas (provincial capital of Sivas Province in Turkey. According to the 2000 Turkish census, its population was 251,776.
Origin of the Name "Sivas"
There are different opinions about the origin of the city's name but there is not a clear and accepted source for these claims. According to one view, the name Subasa which was firstly mentioned in the Hittite empire|Hittite records for the eastern city, where the river Marashantiya (Halys) had its origin, is the source of the name Sivas. Another view argues that the name comes from a Western origin. According to this claim, after the conquest of Anatolia by the Roman Empire, Sivas appeared in records as Sebaste (the name derives from Greek Σεβαστή, a translation of Latin Augusta in honor of the emperor Augustus).
History
Ancient and medieval
It was an ancient town of Lesser Armenia important in the early history of the Christian Church. It was the home of Blaise|St. Blaise and Peter of Sebaste|St. Peter of Sebaste, who were bishops of the town, and of Eustathius, one of the early founders of monasticism in Asia Minor — all in the 4th century; the place of martyrdom of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste, also 4th century; the birthplace (1676) of Mekhitar, the founder of the Mekhitarist Order. Several patriarchs were born in Sebaste, among them Atticus, 5th‑century Patriarch of Constantinople, and Michael, a 16th‑century Patriarch of Echmiadzin. Part of Historic Armenia. At one time this was home to the headquarters of the Armenian Apostolic Church|Armenian church. Senekerim, king of Van transferred here and became vassal to Byzantines in 1021 A.D.
Modern
The Sivas Congress, which laid the foundations of the modern Turkish Republic, was held in this city on 4 September, 1919.
On 2 July, 1993, a hotel with mostly left-wing Alevi intellectuals and artists attending an Alevi cultural conference was burnt down by Sunni locals. The crowd was enraged by the presence of Aziz Nesin, a well-known Turkish writer, who had a personal meeting with Salman Rushdie (the writer of Satanic Verses). 36 Alevis and a Dutch anthropologist were killed in the fire. Nesin managed to escape the burning building. The event has been protested by many Kurdish/Turkish singers e.g. Grup Yorum, Arif Sag, Musa Eroglu, Selda Bagcan, Ilkay Akkaya and more, who sang Asik Veysel's song "Sivas Ellerinde Sazim Calinir".
Sights
The city contains some of the finest examples of the Anatolian Turkish architectural style. Kurşunlu Hamamı (Bath) which was completed in 1576, is the largerst bath in the city and it contains many details from the classical Ottoman bath building. Behrampaşa Hanı (Caravansaray), was completed in 1573 and it is famous for its lion motives around its windows. Ulu Camii (Mosque) completed in 1196, is famous for its simplicity and it is a showcase for the Seljuk Turks' architectural success. Gök Medresesi (the Celestial Medrese) which was built in 1271, carries on the traditional Seljuk Medrese plan. Atatürk Kongre ve Etnografya Müzesi (Atatürk Congress and Ethnography Museum) is a museum that is dedicated to the Sivas Congress and the ethnographic pieces special to the region. Sivas is also famous for its thermal springs which have a respectable percentage in the city's income. People believe that the water of these thermal springs can cure many illnesses. The most famous thermal areas are, Sıcak Çermik, Soğuk Çermik and Kangal Balıklı Kaplıca.
See also
Sivas Congress
Chronology of the Turkish War of Independence
External link
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