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Once ancient Adrianople, now the main city of the province, Edirne lies in Turkish Thrace at the mouth of two rivers, the Tunca and the Arda of Maritza (Meriç), and its population is approximately 95,000. The city still has an oriental aspect, with its narrow streets, bazaars and bridges.
The city was established by the Roman emperor Hadrian in 125 A.D., who called it Hadrianopolis or Adrianople. It is situated on the military routes of the Danube and the Bosphorus. Because of its strategical importance, Edirne became an objective for various powers. In the 12th century during the Third Crusade, Emperor Frederick Barbarossa (Red Beard) set up his winter quarters here. During the reign of Sultan Murat I Edirne became the capital of the young Ottoman Empire in 1365, and it stayed like that until the conquest of Istanbul.
Between the years 1829-1878 the city fell into the hands of the Russians. In 1912 the Bulgars conquered the city, but in the following years it was re-captured. From 1922 Edirne has been Turkish.
Izmir has a population of 3 million. It is the third biggest city in Turkey. In Turkey’s export trade, Izmir is second only to Istanbul. The city is situated on the Gulf of Izmir which is 25km in length. Its climate is pleasant. The very hot weather of summer is bearable because of a cool breeze from the west; the winter hardly continues longer than three months.
History
Originally Izmir (Smyrna) was established in the 3rd century B.C. 8km north of the present city centre in the quarter of Bayraklı. In approximately 800 B.C. Ionians conquered Smyrna. Homer would have lived here at this time. The city was re-established during the reign of Alexander the Great, on Pagos hill (Kadifekale). In the 3rd and 2nd century B.C., it reached its peak and became one of the most beautiful of the Ionic cities. It became prosperous for a second time in the 2nd century A.D. during the Roman period. In 178 A.D. Izmir was damaged by an earthquake, and was rebuilt by the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. When the Roman Empire collapsed, Byzantine rule began in Izmir. After the introduction of Christianity under the leadership of Constantine the Great, the city was besieged by Arabs. At the end of the 11th century it fell into the hands of Selçuk Turks. During the First Crusade of 1097, Izmir was reconquered by the Byzantines. In 1415 it was taken by the Ottomans after a short siege. After World War I in 1919, the Greeks occupied Izmir, and from here, pushed their way far into Asia Minor. In 1922 the city was reconquered by the Turks and built anew.
This town is situated 95km south of Konya at an altitude of 1,120m near the lake of the same name. It is said to be on the site of the old Byzantine city of Karallia.
*Beyşehir image
Sightseeing
The old Seljuk Eşrefoglu Mosque (1298) and beside it the tomb of the founder of the mosque.
Eflatun Pınarı: An important Hittite sanctuary, this is situated 20km north of Beyşehir. Here, a spring emerges from the ground and forms a pool 35m in diameter. On the north side of the pool there is a marble monument, each square stone of it showing a relief: a god on a throne, a goddess, two winged suns and others.