In modern history, Sinop is best known as the site of the Battle of Sinop.
On 30th November 1853, an Imperial Russian fleet attacked some Ottoman patrol frigates and corvettes stationed in the harbour of Sinop without provocation, annihilated them all except for one steam frigate which eluded the Russians and escape to Istanbul. Although the Battle of Sinop took barely an hour from the start to the end, the event did have momentous consequences on the European politics, as the conflict provided the British and the France with the opportunity to delcare war on Imperial Russia and trigger what came to be known as the Crimean War (1854-1856).
Prior to the Battle of Sinop, both the Imperial Russian and the Ottoman Empire had been at odds over Russia's expansionist ambitions vis-a-vis Ottoman territories in the Caucasus, the Black Sea coast and Asia Minor. The unprovoked attack on Ottoman fleets in Sinop harbor and the ensuing Crimean War accelerated the decline of the Ottoman Empire, allowing major European powers to actively interfere with Ottoman Empire's political affairs.
So much for history.... unfortunately, nowadays visitors to Sinop see little of the historical remains from the previous milleniums, as the present townscape of Sinop is a fairly modern one. Only parts of the medieval city walls, which once encircled the whole town, still stand, while the once mighty fortress garrison is now a deserted prison-compound waiting to be renovated into a maritime museum.
This side of the Sinop harbour is the place where the Battle of Sinop took place. This stretch of the city wall and defensive fortifications remain standing.
On the other side of the town, close to Sinop's modern fishing port and harbour, visitors could climb up the relatively well preserved fortress observation tower and walk along the ramparts for some picturesque shots of the Sinop harbour. There is also a music club inside the tower, where locals could listen to live music and attend theatre performance in the evenings.
By all means, Sinop is a pleasant seaside town worthy of a visit despite the lack of centuries-old monuments. It is not a very crowded big city like Samsun or Trabzon, it is a safe place for travellers, it has all the facilities needed, and it has one of the most lively and colourful fishing ports along the entire Black Sea coast.
Sinop is certainly very much different from the run-of-the-mill bustling seaside resort such as Kusadasi or Alanya, but the presence of the beautiful Black Sea at all three sides of the town, coupled with the authentic jovious atmosphere, makes Sinop a truly relaxing place to spend a few days with the family.
Copyrights@2010. All text and photos by YC Cheng. All Rights Reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment