Samsun, a modern industrial city, serves as a major port for the whole area – a position it has held for centuries. Products from all over the region are exported from this city, which annually hosts the Samsun Trade and Industrial Fair. Samsun found itself at the center of the Turkish War of Independence on May 19, 1919, when Ataturk landed here to organize the defense of Anatolia.

The Ataturk Museum houses many objects and documents relating to the war, and an equestrian statue honoring the founder of the Republic stands prominently in the city park. The 14th century Pazar Mosque and the 19th century Buyuk Mosque reflect two different Turkish architectural styles and make an interesting comparison. The Archaeological Museum, in addition to the finds from Ikiztepe, displays artifacts from Amisos, as Samsun was known in ancient times.