Gümüşhacıköy is a district located west of Amasya. Agriculture and small-scale industrial activities are carried out in the district. A portion of the population lives in rural areas. The district is home to a number of historical buildings.

^{Gümüşhacıköy (Gümüşhacıköy Municipality)}

History

Gümüşhacıköy was formed by the merger of two separate settlements—Gümüş and Hacıköy—that took their name from the silver mines in the region since the Early Bronze Age. Intense mining activity continued in Gümüş at the Karlık Tepe, Kale Tepe, and Çadır Düzü sites from the 3rd millennium BC onward. The silver extracted from the region's mines provides evidence of early examples of Anatolian mining and metallurgy. Arab geographers and travelers referred to the town by various names, including Kumus, Kumis, or Fodda; Ibn Battuta recorded it as " Medinetü Gümüş " in 1332.

Islam reached the region in the 4th century through the Havarzin Turks and other Turkic communities; in 1075, Danishmend Malik Ahmet Gazi captured Silver after the conquest of Amasya, adding it to the borders of the Anatolian Seljuk State. During the Seljuk period, minting activities were carried out in the rich mineral deposits of the region, and Kılıçarslan IV minted a " silver coin" at the Silver Mint in 1263. The Seljuks exploited these strategically valuable mineral resources for use in both the local textile industry and regional trade.

Included in the Ottoman administrative structure, Gümüş remained under the administration of the imperial mint of Sivas province in the 16th century; it was recorded with 16 neighborhoods in the 1520 census, and 19 neighborhoods in the 1576 census, and its population increased from 3,589 to 6,602. The supervision of mining enterprises and the implementation of production-increasing measures were regulated by the sultan's decree of 1775. In 1809, sim-i mahlut production exceeded 41,000 dirhams; the appointment of Edhem Bey to the directorate of Maden-i Hümayun in 1842 is an example of reforms in the technical field. While the kaza center was included in the administrative unit with the name of "Gümüş ma'a Kabakoz" in 1831 and until 1856, in 1882–1883, it was moved to Hacıköy with the status of "Maden-i Sîm" district, and began to be known as "Gümüşhacıköy" in 1883. In 1909, the Silver Maden Town was converted into a township; its legal entity as a municipality ended in 2009.

Systematic surface surveys have revealed that Hacıköy was the site of uninterrupted settlement from antiquity to Late Antiquity. During the Roman period, the region functioned as a town with a rich agricultural hinterland known as " Diakopene ." In the 14th century, following Murad I's conquests against the Candaroğulları and Karamanoğulları, the region came under Ottoman rule and became a district of the Rum Eyalet. With the founding of the Republic, Gümüşhacıköy was reorganized as a district consisting of three sub-district centers and 56 villages. Although the name " Gümüşeli " was proposed in 1930, it was rejected.

Geography and Climate

The Gümüşhacıköy district is located in the inland part of the Central Black Sea Region, between the 35–36° East latitude and the 40–41° North latitude. The district center, at an elevation of 810 m above sea level, covers an area of 696.07 km². It is bordered by Vezirköprü to the north, Merzifon to the east, Hamamözü to the south, and Osmancık to the west. It is 70 km from Amasya, 18 km from Merzifon, 23 km from Hamamözü, and 35 km from Osmancık.

Topographically, the district is situated in the middle of a wide plain between the Taşan Mountains (a branch of the Canik Mountains) and the İnegöl Mountains. The highest point, İnegöl Hill, reaches 1,864 m. The river system consists of Gümüş Suyu, originating in the İnegöl Mountains, and smaller streams, forming the Tersakan Stream. The Karaköy and Pusacık streams, originating in the foothills of the Taşan Mountains, join the Yeşilırmak and Kızılırmak basins to form the Hacıpınar Stream.

The climate is typical of a transitional zone: summers are hot and dry, winters are mild and rainy in the district center, and cold and snowy at higher elevations. The average annual temperature is 11.0°C, and annual precipitation is 435 mm. July is the hottest month of the year, at 20.4°C, while January is the coldest, at 0.5°C. The vegetation consists of forests of beech, oak, elm, and various pine species, as well as natural meadows.

Population and Demography

The total population of the Gümüşhacıköy district was 25,632 in 2007 and decreased to 22,663 in 2024. During this period, increases of 191, 922, and 567 people were observed in 2007–2008, 2017–2018, and 2021–2022, respectively, while decreases at varying rates were observed in the other years. According to 2024 data, the male population was 11,593 (51.15%) and the female population was 11,070 (48.85%), with the difference between the sexes generally remaining at a few hundred people. Annual population changes have followed a fluctuating course, which can be explained by various factors such as local registry updates and internal or external migration movements.

Economy

The district's economy is largely based on agriculture and animal husbandry. Of the total area, 33.11% is agricultural land, 23.38% is meadows and pastures, and 40.72% is forest and shrubland. Inland settlements account for 1.13%. Of the agricultural land, 83.8% is used for arable farming, 2.1% for fruit, 0.5% for vegetables, 6% for fallow, and 7.5% for arable but unused land. 46.1% of the land is irrigable, while 53.9% is allocated to dry farming.

Livestock activities include chicken, cattle, sheep farming, and beekeeping. A total of 317,195 chickens, 2,191 beehives, 19,612 cattle, 468 water buffalo, 14,081 sheep, and 2,937 goat holdings are operating at both the rural and commercial levels. This distribution directly engages a significant portion of the district's population in agriculture and animal husbandry. Beekeeping stands out as an activity encouraged within the district's borders for both agricultural production and ecological balance. Furthermore, the mint in the district center has historically been a part of the economic legacy of mining; however, there are no active mining operations today. Investments in educational infrastructure (vocational schools and vocational training centers) are part of economic diversification efforts.

Tourism, Culture, and Cuisine

The tourist and cultural heritage includes numerous structures, primarily from the Ottoman period. Main attractions include the Köprülü Mehmet Pasha Mosque (1660), the Darphane Mosque (the building of the Seljuk and Ottoman mints), the Köprülü Caravanserai and Bedesten (1669), the Yörgüç Rüstem Pasha Mosque (1429), the Haliliye Madrasa (1413), the Maden Bath (1820), and the Greek Monastery (1840). The Clock Tower, first erected in 1900 and rebuilt four times, achieved its present-day, original form in 2009. The International Traditional Archery Festival, the National Motor Sports Super Enduro Races, the Rahvan Horse Races, and the Karakucak Wrestling Competitions held in the district contribute to the region's economic vitality and cultural dynamism.

In terms of natural beauty, the Etonia ruins from the Roman period, the landscape formed by the Taşan and İnegöl Mountains, the plateau areas, and meadow-pasture zones carry recreational potential.

Its culinary culture, driven by its multilayered history and geography, offers a variety of dishes, not just soups, but also meats, vegetables, pastries, rice pilafs, and desserts. The main product groups are:

• Soups: Squeezed Tarhana, Toyka, Çatal Aşı, Kesme Dough (İbik), Helle, Bıdıklı, Topal Black-Eyed Peas, Sakala Çarpan, Bütün Cracked Wheat (Ayran)
• Meat Dishes: Keskek, Mumbar, Tripe, Pastrami Gagelleme, Roasted Lungs with Yogurt, Dough Stew, Şıngır Kebab, Kipe
• Vegetable Dishes: Stuffed Broad Beans, Madımak, Beetroot, Eggplant varieties (Pehli, Silkme, Oturtma, Kurusu), Fritters, Okra with Meat, Roasted Green Beans, Pirpirim
• Pastries: Puaça, Kaypak, Sini Böreği, Köy Böreği, Yakasal, Tripe, Amasya Çöreği, Kete, Gömbe, Döndürme, Hengel, Pişi
• Pilafs: Noodles, Zucchini Shells, Lentils, Stuffed Rice, Eggplant, Strained Bulgur
• Desserts: Paluze, Caterpillar Baklava, Kalbura Bastı, Şeker Böreği, Höşmerim, Kuymak

Keşkek, an integral part of the holiday ritual, is baked in earthenware pots called çömlek (a type of pot) in dark ovens. This practice, which reinforces family solidarity, is baked on the eve of the feast. On the morning of the holiday, the keşkek is brought to a chewy consistency using the " çölma " process and served with a tomato paste and butter sauce. This tradition continues today as a tangible reflection of Gümüşhacıköy culture.