Trabzon / Turkey

Locaded to the northeast of the Anatolian Peninsula, Trabzon spreads over a coastal plain where mountains of the esatern Black sea extending parallel to the Black Sea approach the shore. The name of the city in the Scythian/Khalde language is "Atrapanda" meaning "marshy land of Atra on the mountain pass". Indeed, it is observet that city is today established at the end of the Zigana pass, on the shore, upon the mountain foothill of the valley of the creek Degirmendere. Atra is, according to the Anatolian myhology, the man of the mother goddess. The name of the city later became Trapezos. The area was originally established as a small port circa 3000 B.C. As a result of the assaults and sacks of the sea-faring tribes growing in the eastern Black Sea, the city subsequently continued to exist as an acropolis city on the slop of Boztepe where Trabzon today is situated. It functioned as an important harbour of the trade route connecting the eastern Anatolia and Transcaucasia to the Black Sea for Heldis, Hayases, Hattis/Hittites and Urartians. The city which became a colony of the Milesians for a while was later devastated by Cimmerians in the 7th century B.C. followed by Persians. In the 2 nd century A.d it was made the capital of the Kingdom of Pontus by Mithridates. After this,it stared thriving off. Subsequently, upon the defeat of Mithridates by Rome, it was brought under the Byzantine jurisdiction. The city was adorned with various churches during the Byzantine era. It was subject to the invasions of Goths. The State of Trabzon was founded by Alexicomnenon. Following the 11th century the population of the city increased upon the immigration of the Chepnis from the Khazar-Turkish Empire. It was annexed to the Ottoman Empire in 1461. The area was seized by Russians on April 18, 1916 and, upon the resistance of the national army established by Ataturk and the public, was retaken under the Turkish sovereignty on February 24, 1918. Today the remains of a citadel and a chateau surrounded by walls consisting of three inner castles are visible.

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