tourism triggers to other sectors but still the city of Amasya is not where it wants. Cuisine Having served for many civilizations as the capital city, and for the future sultans of the Ottomans as an academy, Amasya, also known as the City of the Şehzade, has developed a regal cuisine with characteristic taste, looks and quality. An example of the local food is keşkek, which has always been one of the most popular dishes of the region. Bakla dolması (dolma with a filling of meat and broad beans) is another characteristic local specialty. Cream cakes were another indispensable item in the former palace menu. Local varieties of bread include cherry bread, and slices of stale bread are used to make a dessert called Unutma Beni (which means "Forget me not"). Notable natives Sabuncuoglu Serafeddin, 15th century, Turkish Physician and Surgean Amirdovlat of Amasia, 15th century Armenian physician and writer Hamdi Apaydın, MP of the first parliament of Turkey Uğur Dağdelen, footballer Mahmut Demir, world, Olympic and European champion sports wrestler Serkan Erdoğan, basketball player Hamit Kaplan, world and Olympic champion sports wrestler Adem Ören, basketball player İlkay Özdemir, female performer of stage magic Okan Öztürk, footballer Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Paşa, an Ottoman military leader and grand vizier Amasyalı Bayezid Pasha, Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire Tahsin Şahinkaya, Turkish Soldier-General Yavuz Sultan Selim (I.Selim), Ottoman Sultan Strabo, ancient geographer and historian (died in 23 AD) St. Theodore Teron, Christian Saint (martyred in 306 AD) Erdem Türetken, basketball player Léon Arthur Tutundjian, Armenian painter Ahmet Yıldırım, footballer Eulalius (Εὐλάλιος), bishop of Amasia Population In 2012, the permanent population of the city was 91,874. The birth rate of Amasya is low, so its population has been increasing slowly. The population varies seasonally, most people are here during the summer tourist season. Geography Situated between the Black Sea and inner Anatolia in a region of fertile plains irrigated by the Tersakan, Çekerek and Yeşilırmak rivers, Amasya lies in a beautiful narrow river valley, bounded by almost vertical cliffs and the high peaks of the Canik and Pontus mountains. Despite the mountainous location, it is not far above sea level. This makes its climate more temperate. Five bridges cross the river, and most of the town lies on the southern bank, spread along the river. The climb up to the higher ground is very steep, making the valley walls virtually uninhabitable. The town