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The Black Sea city of Sinop is probably most famous for being the birthplace of ancient Greek philosopher Diogenes the Cynic. A statue of him holding his lantern and standing next to his dog is located at the entrance of the peninsula.
Palace of Justice
In the middle of the peninsula is the city center, where there are some nice buildings and museums. The Palace of Justice (Adalet Sarayı) sits on a roundabout a few minutes walk north of the ancient city walls. The Sinop Clock Tower (Sinop Saat Kulesi), built in 1901, stands nearby.
Ethnography Museum
A couple blocks east of the roundabout is the Sinop Ethnography Museum (Sinop Etnoğrafya Müzesi), located in an 18th century Ottoman mansion. Admission is free (as of May 2024) and it’s open weekdays. I didn’t visit.
Archaeology Museum
North of the roundabout is the Sinop Archaeology Museum (Sinop Arkeoloji Müzesi). Inside is an impressive collection of local ancient and modern artifacts, including mosaics, coins, amphorae, and icons. It’s open daily and admission for foreigners is €3 (as of May 2024).
The garden outside the museum is a small park with columns, tombstones, and sarcophagi scattered around. The Temple of Serapis from the 4th century BC is the highlight of the park.
There’s also a monument to Ottoman soldiers killed in a surprise attack on the Ottoman fleet by the Russians in 1853, prompting the Crimean War.
Alâeddin Mosque
A couple of Seljuk sites are located in Sinop. The biggest is the Alâeddin Mosque (Alâeddin Camii). It was originally built in the 1220s after Sinop was captured by the Seljuks from the Trebizond Empire in 1214.
The mosque was commissioned by Seljuk Sultan Alâeddin Keykûbad I, and was mostly destroyed after Manuel I of Trebizond recaptured Sinop in 1254. Seljuk vizier Pervâne recaptured Sinop for the Seljuks again in 1262, and rebuilt the mosque in 1267. The exterior walls are made of stone but in the mosque’s pleasant courtyard, the walls are made of wood.
Pervane Madrasa
The Pervane Madrasa (Pervane Medresesi), a religious school built in 1265 by Pervâne, sits just north of the Alâeddin Mosque. It was in use as a school until the foundation of the Turkish Republic in 1923, converted into a museum from 1940 to 1970, and now serves as a craft market. The intricate stone carving above the entrance is stunning.
Green Tomb
The Green Tomb (Yeşil Türbe), a small 15th century tomb, sits near both buildings.
