Merzifon

Merzifon (Old Persian: Merzban; Ancient Greek: Μυρσυφων Mersyphòn) is a town and district in Amasya Province in the central Black Sea region of Turkey. It covers an area of 970 square kilometres (370 sq mi), and the population (2010) is 69,237 of which 52,947 live in the town of Merzifon, the remainder spread throughout the surrounding countryside. The mayor is Alp Kargı (CHP).

Etymology

Former variants of its name include Marzifūn, Mersivan, Marsovan, Marsiwān, Mersuvan, Merzpond and Merzban. The name apparently comes from Marzban, the Persian title for a "march lord" or a district governor, although the exact connection is not clear. Scholar Özhan Öztürk claims that original terms Marsıvan (Mers "border" in Persian + van "town" in Armenian) and it means "Border town"

Geography

Standing on a plain, watered by a river, Merzifon is on the road between the capital city of Ankara and Samsun on the Black Sea coast, 109km from Samsun, 325km from Ankara and 40km west of the city of Amasya. The weather is moderately cold in winter, warm in summer.