The Black Sea provinces of Türkiye spotlight their key function within the historical Silk Highway, and consultants consider that making a cultural journey might increase consciousness of the area’s wealthy heritage and historic connections with China.
The area options a number of historical overland routes passing by town of Gumushane, resulting in close by Trabzon, a strategic port metropolis the place vacationers and items from China would proceed their journey by sea.
These routes, dotted with castles, caravanserais, and watchtowers, are wealthy in archaeological finds courting again to the Silk Highway period. Because of meticulous analysis, consultants now see potential for a cultural route that would showcase the area’s heritage to vacationers.
“Till 100 years in the past, this route was utilized by camel caravans. Though it misplaced a few of its significance with the appearance of roads and trains, it has by no means misplaced its strategic significance,” stated Coskun Eris, a school member at Karadeniz Teknik College and president of the Trabzon Pure and Historic Heritage Safety Affiliation.
After the Silk Highway reached Anatolia, it cut up into two routes to Europe: a northern sea route and a southern Mediterranean route. Trabzon, with its strategic Black Sea port, was the shortest maritime path to the Black Sea for these coming from China, making it a key hub for retailers and vacationers.
“Right now, that route is definitely nonetheless a cultural pathway between China and Türkiye,” Eris advised Xinhua, pointing to its significance as a key a part of the shared heritage. “It has the potential to be revived as a Silk Highway-themed cultural route,” he emphasised.
For Osman Emir, a historian at Karadeniz Technical College, the area, primarily masking Gumushane and Trabzon provinces, hosts a variety of archaeological belongings on its historical land routes resulting in Trabzon Port.
“These routes are often known as Roman navy roads in numerous sources from the Roman interval,” Emir advised Xinhua, additional highlighting the strategic significance of the area. “The traditional metropolis of Satala and Trabzon Port have been essential strategic strongholds of the Roman Empire, serving as key navy protection factors.”
Satala was some of the vital navy outposts within the east of the Roman Empire, Emir stated, noting that the empire equipped these garrisons with troopers and provisions by Trabzon Port. Excavation works within the historical metropolis are nonetheless ongoing.
Tamer Erdogan, director of tradition and tourism for Trabzon Province, advised Xinhua that Trabzon attracted 1.2 million overseas vacationers within the first 10 months of this yr.
He believes the area’s historic Silk Highway routes, particularly these close to Trabzon Port, might play an important function in fostering cultural trade and tourism after the launch of such a cultural route.
“Trabzon is a harmonious metropolis for vacationers, a spot the place they will benefit from the local weather, nature, and tradition,” Erdogan advised Xinhua, including that it’s a metropolis the place guests can create lasting reminiscences and reconnect with shared historic values.
