Alaçam
Encyclopedia
Alaçam is a central town of Alaçam district of Samsun Province
of Turkey
. Scholars believe that Alaçam is the site of the ancient city of Zaliches
.
Miletian Greeks who moved there from Ionia, Western Anatolia, in the 5th century BC had named it Zelicus. Having been conquered later by Byzantians, the town was controlled subsequently by Danishmend, Selchuks and İlhanites and, during the Anatolian principalities era, by Candaroğlu and İsfendiyaroğlu principalities and finally by the Ottoman Empire.
Since 1st September 1944, Alaçam is the eighth sub-prefecture of Samsun
Province.
in the East, Vezirköprü
in the South and Yakakent
in the West. Located at a distance of 78 kilometres (48 mi) to Samsun
, it has a surface area of 632 square kilometres (244 mi²) and an average altitude of 15 metres (50 ft). The coastal strip of Alaçam makes a narrow plain extending in the east-west direction, divided into two by the Uluçay river, the largest stream of this sub-prefecture.
There is an advanced iron-mongery in the rural areas, producing objects for village needs (ploughs, scythes, hatchets, picks, horseshoe nails, etc.).
There is a tobacco processing plant employing around 500 persons.
There is a historical castle of unknown origin at the forested and mountainous region south of Alaçam. The Sadi Bey Mosque from 1515, Yenicami Mosque from 1887 and the Geyikkoşan Shrine of unknown date are among the cultural treasuries.
A golden beach for swimming and other sea sports with oak, poplar and laurel trees as a background is situated some two kilometres north of the town.
The Dörtmen plateau at an altitude of 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) is a beautiful picnic area, accessible by an asphalt-paved road.
The 6th of May celebrations held at Geyikkoşan are highlighted by wrestling bouts and other sports.
Chicken meat is the favourite ingredient particularly in villages inhabited by people of Circassian descent. Pita
s with spiced ground meat and filled tunny are recommended. Local feta
cheese varieties are quite famous.
Samsun Province
Samsun Province is a province of Turkey on the Black Sea coast with a population of 1,252,693 . Its adjacent provinces are Sinop on the northwest, Çorum on the west, Amasya on the south, Tokat on the southeast, and Ordu on the east...
of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. Scholars believe that Alaçam is the site of the ancient city of Zaliches
Zaliches
Zaliches or Zaliscus or Zalecus or Leontopolis, was an ancient town in the interior of Paphlagonia, or what, at a late period, was called Hellenopontus, probably near some mountain forest, as Hierocles calls it Zaliches (Greek: ') or Zaliscus or Zalecus or Leontopolis, was an ancient town in the...
.
History
The town has a very old history. The Phrygians, Kimmerians, Egyptians, Lydians and Persians have ruled in Alaçam before Christus.Miletian Greeks who moved there from Ionia, Western Anatolia, in the 5th century BC had named it Zelicus. Having been conquered later by Byzantians, the town was controlled subsequently by Danishmend, Selchuks and İlhanites and, during the Anatolian principalities era, by Candaroğlu and İsfendiyaroğlu principalities and finally by the Ottoman Empire.
Since 1st September 1944, Alaçam is the eighth sub-prefecture of Samsun
Samsun
Samsun is a city of about half a million people on the north coast of Turkey. It is the provincial capital of Samsun Province and a major Black Sea port.-Name:...
Province.
Geography
Alaçam is a pretty coastal town, bordered by the Black Sea in the North, BafraBafra
Bafra is a district in the Samsun Province of Turkey.-History:As a settlement, Bafra dates back to the fifth millennium BC. Remnants in the İkiztepe area revealed signs of habitation during the chalcolithic period . These habitations apparently continued uninterrupted until 1700 BC...
in the East, Vezirköprü
Vezirköprü
-History:Vezirköprü has been dated to the Hittites who had established the first town some 2,5 kilometres away from the present city....
in the South and Yakakent
Yakakent
Yakakent is a central town of Yakakent district of Samsun Province of Turkey. Older name was Gümenos.-History:Yakakent was founded in the second century BC. Its name was Cominus under byzantian rule. The city grew with the advent if migrants from Caucasia during the Russian - Ottoman war and from...
in the West. Located at a distance of 78 kilometres (48 mi) to Samsun
Samsun
Samsun is a city of about half a million people on the north coast of Turkey. It is the provincial capital of Samsun Province and a major Black Sea port.-Name:...
, it has a surface area of 632 square kilometres (244 mi²) and an average altitude of 15 metres (50 ft). The coastal strip of Alaçam makes a narrow plain extending in the east-west direction, divided into two by the Uluçay river, the largest stream of this sub-prefecture.
Climate
A typical Black Sea climate prevails in Alaçam where summers are cool and winters are tepid. Highest average temperature is in July with 35 °C (95 °F) and the lowest temperature is in January with an average of −5 °C (27 °F).Socioeconomic structure
Economy is predominantly agricultural, together with fisheries and animal-raising. Tobacco is the main agricultural for the product, followed by rice, maize, vegetables and fruits. Ovines and bovines are the main animal species raised.There is an advanced iron-mongery in the rural areas, producing objects for village needs (ploughs, scythes, hatchets, picks, horseshoe nails, etc.).
There is a tobacco processing plant employing around 500 persons.
Transport
Alaçam is on Samsun-Sinop interstate highway and, as such, has no transportation problems. Access becomes somewhat difficult, however, to the villages under adverse weather conditions.Sightseeing
Sivritepe, Elçitepe, Gökçeboğaztepe and Dedetepe are the known Hittite mounds in Alaçam, and Miletian pottery was found in Sivritepe.There is a historical castle of unknown origin at the forested and mountainous region south of Alaçam. The Sadi Bey Mosque from 1515, Yenicami Mosque from 1887 and the Geyikkoşan Shrine of unknown date are among the cultural treasuries.
A golden beach for swimming and other sea sports with oak, poplar and laurel trees as a background is situated some two kilometres north of the town.
The Dörtmen plateau at an altitude of 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) is a beautiful picnic area, accessible by an asphalt-paved road.
The 6th of May celebrations held at Geyikkoşan are highlighted by wrestling bouts and other sports.
Overnighting and meals
Ninety prefabricated municipality-owned quonset huts and a 25-bed hotel at Geyikkoşan, with an overall capacity of 800 persons, serve the summer holidaymakers. Şehir and Yeşilyurt hotels are downtown. There are several seaside restaurants specialised in seafood.Chicken meat is the favourite ingredient particularly in villages inhabited by people of Circassian descent. Pita
Pita
Pita or pitta is a round pocket bread widely consumed in many Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Balkan cuisines. It is prevalent in Greece, the Balkans the Levant, the Arabian Peninsula and Turkey. The "pocket" in pita bread is created by steam, which puffs up the dough...
s with spiced ground meat and filled tunny are recommended. Local feta
Feta
Feta is a brined curd cheese traditionally made in Greece. Feta is an aged crumbly cheese, commonly produced in blocks, and has a slightly grainy texture. It is used as a table cheese, as well as in salads Feta is a brined curd cheese traditionally made in Greece. Feta is an aged crumbly cheese,...
cheese varieties are quite famous.