Çorum () ( Medieval Greek: Ευχάνεια, romanized: Euchaneia) is a northern Anatolian city that is the capital of the Çorum Province of Turkey. Çorum is located inland in the central

Black Sea Region The Black Sea Region ( tr, Karadeniz Bölgesi) is a geographical region of Turkey. The largest city in the region is Samsun. Other big cities are Trabzon, Ordu, Tokat, Giresun, Rize, Amasya and Sinop. It is bordered by the Marmara Region to the ...

of Turkey, and is approximately from Ankara and from Istanbul. The city has an elevation of above sea level, a surface area of , and as of the 2016 census, a population of 237,000. Çorum is primarily known for its

Phrygia In classical antiquity, Phrygia ( ; grc, Φρυγία, ''Phrygía'' ) was a kingdom in the west central part of Anatolia, in what is now Asian Turkey, centered on the Sangarios River. After its conquest, it became a region of the great empires ...

n and Hittite archaeological sites, its thermal springs, and its native roasted chick-pea snacks known nationally as leblebi.

History

There is ample archaeological evidence for human presence in the area since the

Paleolithic The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic (), also called the Old Stone Age (from Greek: παλαιός ''palaios'', "old" and λίθος ''lithos'', "stone"), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone too ...

ages.History of Çorum
The area prospered during the Bronze Age, with the emergence of the Hittite Empire between 1650-1200 BC. Hattusa, the Hittite capital, was located in the region owing to its inherent geographic protection, and the well-established local economy as supported by the regional Karum system. There is a hypothesis that the Byzantine town of

Euchaneia Euchaneia (, also ) was a Byzantine city in the Armeniac Theme, in what is now the West Black Sea Region of Turkey. It was the site of the shrine of Saint Theodore Stratelates. Its precise location is unknown. It was either identical with, or nea ...

was at or near the site of the modern city, but others place Euchaneia further east, at Euchaita. Çorum museum Ceramic fragment 3237

The settlement of Çorum proper can be traced only to the 16th century. The name is of Armenian origin, and is first attested in Ottoman records, in reference to a Seljuk fortress ''Çorum Kalesi'' described by Evliya Çelebi. In the mid 16th century, the fortress was divided into four mahalle or quarters.

Çorum today

The town today is generally tidy and pleasant, with a locally popular countryside. As with most Central Anatolian and inland Black Sea towns, the population is largely conservative, leading to a generally more restricted nightlife that favors dry establishments, although there are some bars, pubs and cafés that offer a mix of contemporary and traditional Turkish folk music. Within the city, there is a good range of shops, cafés and restaurants, with a cuisine that includes a variety of pastries including the nationally-known Çorum Mantısı - a popular dish similar to

ravioli Ravioli (; singular: ''raviolo'', ) are a type of pasta comprising a filling enveloped in thin pasta dough. Usually served in broth or with a sauce, they originated as a traditional food in Italian cuisine. Ravioli are commonly square, though o ...

that is slowly baked in a brick oven or steamed in a beef broth. As well as the archeological and other historic sites, the countryside surrounding Çorum offers many places for picnics, particularly near the Çomar reservoir or in the mountains around the province. The old Ottoman houses, the 19th century clock tower, and the Çorum Museum that displays a range of artefacts from excavations in the region are popular tourist interests. An '' International Hittite Congress'' of archaeologists is held in Çorum every three years.

Economy

Although the economic output of the city has historically been relatively small with a focus on traditional crafts like coppersmithing, tanning, hand weaving, agriculture and

animal husbandry Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals that are raised for meat, fibre, milk, or other products. It includes day-to-day care, selective breeding, and the raising of livestock. Husbandry has a long history, starti ...

, over the past two decades, the city has shown a significant growth in

industrial Industrial may refer to: Industry * Industrial archaeology, the study of the history of the industry * Industrial engineering, engineering dealing with the optimization of complex industrial processes or systems * Industrial city, a city dominate ...

production and light engineering that has made it among the most industrially advanced cities compared to its population size. Originally home to about 20 tile and brick manufactories and 10 flour and feed mills, the city today produces a wide variety of products ranging from cement to

automobile parts This is a list of auto parts, mostly for vehicles using internal combustion engines which are manufactured components of automobiles: Car body and main parts Body components, including trim Doors Windows Low voltage/auxiliary ele ...

, refined sugar to dairy products,

textiles Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...

to computer parts, and more recently, poultry through chicken farming.Economy of Çorum

Population

Geography

Çorum is on the northern edge of the Central Anatolian Plateau. There is an attractive mountainous countryside around the city. The North Anatolian Fault line passes south of Çorum.

Climate

Çorum has a

warm summer continental climate A humid continental climate is a climate, climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and ...

( Köppen climate classification: ''Dsb'' or Trewartha climate classification: ''Dcb'') with dry summers and cold, snowy winters, and mild to cool wet springs and autumns with light rain. Leblebi

Twin towns – sister cities

Gimhae Gimhae () is a city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It is the seat of the large Gimhae Kim clan, one of the largest Kim clans in Korea. The Gimhae Kims claim descent from the ancient royal house of Geumgwan Gaya, which was based in Gim ...

South Gyeongsang South Gyeongsang Province ( ko, 경상남도, translit=Gyeongsangnam-do, ) is a province in the southeast of South Korea. The provincial capital is at Changwon. It is adjacent to the major metropolitan center and port of Busan. The UNESCO World ...

, South Korea

Notable natives

* Mahmut Atalay - World champion and Olympic medalist wrestler *

Tevfik Kış Tevfik Kış (10 August 1934 – 4 September 2019 ) was a Turkish European, World and Olympic champion sports wrestler in the Light heavyweight class (87 kg) and a trainer. He won the gold medal in men's Greco-Roman wrestli ...

- World champion and Olympic medalist wrestler *

Cevdet Cerit Cevdet is a Turkish form of the Arabic name Jawdat and may refer to: Given name * Cevdet Bey (1878–1955), (also D'jedvet Bey) governor of the Van vilayet of the Ottoman Empire, convicted war criminal, responsible for massacre of over 55 000 Assy ...

- professor of mathematics at Istanbul Technical University * Komet or Gürkan Coşkun - Famous Turkish artist * Soner Yalçın - Famous Turkish journalist, arrested for

Ergenekon trials The Ergenekon trials were a series of high-profile trials which took place on 2008–2016 in Turkey in which 275 people, including military officers, journalists and opposition lawmakers, all alleged members of Ergenekon, a suspected secularist ...

* İbrahim Kaypakkaya - Founder of Türkiye Komünist Partisi/Marksist-Leninist *

İsmail Beşikçi İsmail Beşikçi (born 1939 in İskilip, Turkey) is a Turkish sociologist, philosopher, revolutionary, and writer. He is a PEN Honorary Member. He has served 17 years in prison on propaganda charges stemming from his writings about the Kurdish popu ...

- Writer *

Aşık Gülabi Aşık is Turkish for Ashik, a traditional musician and troubadour Aşık is a Turkish name. Notable people with the name include: Given name * Aşık Çelebi (1520–1572), Ottoman biographer, poet, and translator * Âşık İbretî (1920–1976 ...

(Gülabi Gültekin) - Minstrel * Gen.

Ahmet Çörekçi Ahmad ( ar, أحمد, ʾAḥmad) is an Arabic male given name common in most parts of the Muslim world. Other spellings of the name include Ahmed and Ahmet. Etymology The word derives from the root (ḥ-m-d), from the Arabic (), from the ve ...

- Former Head Commander of the Turkish Air Force * Savaş Yurderi

Kool Savas Savaş Yurderi (born 10 February 1975), known by his stage name Kool Savas, is a German rapper. Along with Taktlo$$, he formed the highly influential German rap duo Westberlin Maskulin (1997–2000). He was also a founding member of the German r ...

- a German rapper and hip hop artist

Neighbourhoods

*Abdalata *Acıpınar *Ahiilyas *Ahmediye *Ahmetoğlan *Aksungur *Akyazı *Akçakaya *Altınbaş *Arpalık *Arpaöz *Arslanköy *Atçalı *Ayaz *Ayvalı *Aşağısaraylı *Babaoğlu *Balumsultan *Balıyakup *Bayatköy *Bektaşoğlu *Beydili *Bozboğa *Boğabağı *Boğacık *Boğazönü *Budakören *Burunköy *Büyükdivan *Büyükgülücek *Büğdüz *Büğet *Büğrüoğlu *Celilkırı *Cerit *Dağkarapınar *Delibekiroğlu *Deliler *Denizköy *Dereköy *Değirmendere *Dutköy *Dutçakallı *Düdüklük *Düvenci *Elicek *Elköy *Elmalı *Erdek *Ertuğrul *Eskice *Eskiekin *Eskikaradona *Eskiköy *Eskiören *Evcikuzkışla *Evciortakışla *Evciyenikışla *Eymir *Eğerci *Eşençay *Feruz *Gemet *Göcenovacığı *Gökdere *Gökköy *Gökçepınar *Güney *Güvenli *Güveçli *Güzelyurt *Hacıahmetderesi *Hacıbey *Hacımusa *Hacıpaşa *Hamamlıçay *Hamdiköy *Hankozlusu *Harmancık *Hımıroğlu *Hızırdede *Kadıderesi *Kadıkırı *Kalehisar *Karaağaç *Karabayır *Karabürçek *Karaca *Karacaören *Karadona *Karagöz *Karahisar *Karakeçili *Karapınar *Kavacık *Kayı *Kazıklıkaya *Kertme *Kiranlık *Kirazlıpınar *Kireçocağı *Konaklı *Kozluca *Kultak *Kumçeltiği *Kuruçay *Kutluca *Kuşsaray *Köprüalan *Küçükdüvenci *Küçükgülücek *Küçükpalabıyık *Kılıçören *Kınık *Kınıkdeliler *Kırkdilim *Kızılpınar *Laloğlu *Mecidiyekavak *Mislerovacığı *Mollahasan *Morsümbül *Mustafaçelebi *Mühürler *Narlık *Osmaniye *Ovasaray *Oymaağaç *Palabıyık *Pancarlık *Paşaköy *Pembecik *Pınarcık *Pınarçay *Salur *Sapa *Saraylı *Sarmaşa *Sarıkaya *Sarılık *Sarımbey *Sarışeyh *Sazak *Sazdeğirmeni *Serban *Serpin *Sevindikalanı *Seydim *Seydimçakallı *Seyfe *Soğuksu *Sırıklı *Tarhan *Tarhankozlusu *Tatar *Taşpınar *Teslim *Tolamehmet *Tozluburun *Turgut *Türkayşe *Türkler *Uğrak *Yakuparpa *Yaydiğin *Yenice *Yenihayat *Yenikaradona *Yeşildere *Yeşilyayla *Çakır *Çalkışla *Çaltıcak *Çalyayla *Çalıca *Çanakçı *Çatak *Çayhatap *Çağşak *Çeşmeören *Çobandivan *Çomarbaşı *Çorak *Çukurören *Çıkrık *Öksüzler *Ömerbey *Örencik *Ülkenpınarı *Üyük *Üçköy *İnalözü *İsmailköy *İğdeli *Şahinkaya *Şanlıosman *Şekerbey *Şendere *Şeyhhamza *Şeyhmustafa

References

All About Çorum

External links

Provincial governor's web sitePictures of the city with links to surrounding Hittite sites
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Corum Cities in Turkey Districts of Çorum Province Populated places in Çorum Province