- published: 10 Dec 2009
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Kastamonu is the capital district of the Kastamonu Province, Turkey. According to the 2000 census, population of the district is 102,059 of which 64,606 live in the urban center of Kastamonu. (Population of the urban center in 2010 is 91,012)The district covers an area of 1,834 km2 (708 sq mi), and the town lies at an elevation of 904 m (2,966 ft). It is located to the south of the province.
Near the city (approximately 10 miles) is the village of Kasaba with an important mosque, the Mahmut Bey mosque, from 1366, built in the Seljuk tradition. It is considered to be one of the finest wooden mosques in Turkey. The door has excellent woodcarving.
The city is believed to have been founded in the 18th century BC. The town was known as Timonion during the Roman period. Within the region, Romans founded a city of Paphlagonia at the town Taşköprü which is nowadays famous for its garlic production.
Isaac I Komnenos, who was son of an humble Thracian soldier, received from Basil II the fief and built here a fortress named Kastra Komneni that would become the seat of the imperial house.[citation needed]
Kastamonu Province (Turkish: Kastamonu ili) is one of the provinces of Turkey, in the Black Sea region, to the north of the country. It is surrounded by Sinop to the east, Bartın and Karabük to the west, Çankırı to the south, Çorum to the south east and the Black Sea to the north.
The province has an area of 13,108 km², and a population of 322,759 people (2006 est). The population was 361,222 people in 2010. The population density is 24.62 inhabitants per km². The province center has a population of 64,606.
Kastamonu province is divided into 20 districts (capital district in bold):
It is not definitely known when Kastamonu was first founded. However, some sources dating back to the Early Middle Ages refer to the province. There are also some archeological findings dating back to about 100,000[citation needed] years that suggest the region was inhabited then.
There are theories that the word Kastamonu derives from Castra Comnenus, the Latin name of the Byzantine castle built by the Comnenus dynasty.