Бафра - Tourism
Geographical Position
Bafra is a district that is 20 km to the Black Sea and founded on the alluvial plain piled by Kızılırmak and the height of which is 20 m from the sea.
The district is surrounded by the Black Sea in the east and north, by Alaçam in the west and Kavak district in the south. Its surface area is 175.000 hectare. Its distance from Samsun is 51 km.
Bafra plain that covers Kızılırmak delta is surrounded by the mountains in the south. The highest of these is Nebyan Mountain as 1224 m. These mountains are the extensions of Canik Mountains. Kızılırmak, the largest stream of Bafra and the longest stream of Turkey, reaches the plain by passing through these mountains by a deep valley. Bafra plain is completely formed by Kızılırmak. There are lots of lakes on the area of the river near the sea. The foot of Nebyan Mountain is a plateau.
The length of Kızılırmak is 1151 km. It rises from Kızıl Mountain in Sivas and disembogues from Bafra by arching largely in the Central Anatolian. It carries water in April and July mostly.
Historical Places
The mouth and surroundings of Kızılırmak the known past of which dates back to 5000-4000 BC and which has been continuously used as a settlement until today have a rich heritage in terms of historical and cultural works of art.
In the surface researches made in İkiz Tepe ruins and the surroundings on the borders of İkiztepe village beginning from 1971, 57 mound type plain settlements, 25 ruins belonging to the ancient age and the afterwards, 48 tumulus, 5 sepulchers, 3 cemeteries, 1 castle, 1 Turkish bath and 1 bridge were found. The discoveries made in İkiztepe evidences that there was an important city belonging to the Early Hittite period there.
The highest hill in İkiztepe ruins was used as cemetery in the first Bronze Age 3rd Period (2300-2100 BC). In this cemetery, which is the biggest of the cemeteries found in the Ancient Anatolian, 623 cemeteries have been found.
The highest hill in İkiztepe ruins was also used as a Tumulus (Masonry Cemetery) in the Hellenistic Age (330-30 BC).
About 6000 pieces of earthenware, bones, horns, rocks and metal monuments discovered in İkiztepe are exhibited in Samsun Archeological Museum.
İkiztepe ruins are nationalized and registered as archeological area by the Ministry of Culture.
Castles:
In Bafra, there are two castle remains as Martı Castle and Asar Castle. Martı Castle is a ruin and belongs to the Hellenistic age.
Asar Castle is also a ruin. The castle found in Ağsar village in Kızılırmak valley dates back to 1000 BC.
Paflagonya Sepulchers: The historical buildings that attract attention in Kızılırmak valley in the area of Asar Castle in 700 BC.
Mosques:
Büyük (Big) Mosque (1670), Tayyar Paşa Mosque (1869), Çarşı Mosque (1865), Nuri İbrahim Mosque (1887), Şeyhören Mausoleum.
Turkish Baths:
Yeni Şifa Bath (17th century); Uzun (Long) Bath Covered Bazaar is supposed to have been built in 17th century.
Fountains:
Fountain, Alibey Fountain (1751), Hüseyin Bey Fountain, Kadı Fountain (1778), Mescit Fountain (1840), Taşlı Fountain, Mosques, Mausoleums, Turkish Baths, Fountains and Covered Bazaar are the historical buildings belonging to the Ottoman period.
Kızılırmak Delta:
It has a coastline of 60 km from the east to the west of Bafra. In this delta, there are fish lakes, coastal dunes, barren islands, dry and flooded meadows, reeds, mud plains and agricultural lands. Kızılırmak Delta is known as a very significant place in terms of bird wealth for long years. The shores of the delta are ideal for those who want to swim and sunbathe.
Fish Lakes:
They exist on both banks of Kızılırmak in 20 km northwest of the district. These lakes consist of 33 large and small parts. Some of the lakes are Karaboğaz Lake, Fish Lake, Liman (Harbor) Lake, Dut Dibi Lake, Uzun (Long) Lake, Hayırlı Lake, İnce (Thin) Lake, Çernek Lake and Tombul (Fat) Lake. The area, the surroundings of which are reedy and marshy, has a very significant potential in terms of bird watching in four seasons. This region is one of the most important wetland ecosystems of our country.
Dam Lakes:
The lakes of Altınkaya and Derbent Dams and the surrounding woodlands are the sights of Bafra. Besides being a picnic area and a resting area, they are also suitable for fishing with nets or angling.
