Erdek (formerly known as ''Artàke'', el, ΑρτάκηDictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, Artace
/ref>) is a town and district of

Balıkesir Province Balıkesir Province ( tr, ) is a province in northwestern Turkey with coastlines on both the Sea of Marmara and the Aegean. Its adjacent provinces are Çanakkale to the west, İzmir to the southwest, Manisa to the south, Kütahya to the southea ...

in the Marmara region of

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...

. The population was 34,000 in 2010. Located on the Kapıdağ Peninsula, on the north coast of the Gulf of Erdek at the south of the

Sea of Marmara The Sea of Marmara,; grc, Προποντίς, Προποντίδα, Propontís, Propontída also known as the Marmara Sea, is an inland sea located entirely within the borders of Turkey. It connects the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea via the ...

, Erdek is a popular domestic holiday destination with several hotels dating back to the 1960s. The surrounding area has a rugged geology and topography with evergreen wooded areas and large olive groves. It is dominated by Mt Dindymus (782m). In the summer ferries travel from Erdek to Avşa Adası, one of the Marmara Islands in the Sea of Marmara. The harbour overlooks tiny Zeytinlik island where there is a research station devoted to olives.

History

During the Hittite era it was known as ''Artukka''. Later it became a colony of Miletus. Together with other Greek cities, it took part in the

Ionian Revolt The Ionian Revolt, and associated revolts in Aeolis, Doris, Cyprus and Caria, were military rebellions by several Greek regions of Asia Minor against Persian rule, lasting from 499 BC to 493 BC. At the heart of the rebellion was the dissatisfa ...

against the Persian Empire, but was burnt by the Persians; it seems unlikely that it was rebuilt in ancient times since Strabo does not mention it. In the Roman period it was known as Artace. After the abandonment of nearby

Cyzicus Cyzicus (; grc, Κύζικος ''Kúzikos''; ota, آیدینجق, ''Aydıncıḳ'') was an ancient Greek town in Mysia in Anatolia in the current Balıkesir Province of Turkey. It was located on the shoreward side of the present Kapıdağ Peni ...

, the town was re-inhabited in the early

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

. In the late 7th century, it briefly hosted a

Cypriot Cypriot (in older sources often "Cypriote") refers to someone or something of, from, or related to the country of Cyprus. * Cypriot people, or of Cypriot descent; this includes: ** Armenian Cypriots ** Greek Cypriots ** Maronite Cypriots ** Tur ...

refugee population including the island's archbishop, and was known as Nova Justiniana. During the Ottoman period, Erdek was the centre of the

Sanjak of Karasi Karasi Sanjak, (Turkish: ''Karesi Sancağı'' ; c. 1341–1922) was one of the first sanjaks of the Ottoman Empire established around 1341 and disestablished after signing the Treaty of Lausanne. Despite being established in 1341, the Sanja ...

. According to the Ottoman General Census of 1881/82–1893, the

kaza A kaza (, , , plural: , , ; ota, قضا, script=Arab, (; meaning 'borough') * bg, околия (; meaning 'district'); also Кааза * el, υποδιοίκησις () or (, which means 'borough' or 'municipality'); also () * lad, kaza , ...

of Erdek had a total population of 33,007, consisting of 29,165

Greeks The Greeks or Hellenes (; el, Έλληνες, ''Éllines'' ) are an ethnic group and nation indigenous to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea regions, namely Greece, Greek Cypriots, Cyprus, Greeks in Albania, Albania, Greeks in Italy, ...

, 3,070 Muslims, 300

Jews Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""T ...

, 18

Armenians Armenians ( hy, հայեր, '' hayer'' ) are an ethnic group native to the Armenian highlands of Western Asia. Armenians constitute the main population of Armenia and the ''de facto'' independent Artsakh. There is a wide-ranging diaspora ...

and 454 foreign citizens. In the 1960s, before

Bodrum Bodrum () is a port city in Muğla Province, southwestern Turkey, at the entrance to the Gulf of Gökova. Its population was 35,795 at the 2012 census, with a total of 136,317 inhabitants residing within the district's borders. Known in ancient ...

and

Marmaris Marmaris () is a port city and tourist resort on the Mediterranean coast, located in Muğla Province, southwest Turkey, along the shoreline of the Turkish Riviera. Although Marmaris is known for its honey, its main source of income is interna ...

became the places to go, Erdek was a fashionable holiday resort for Istanbul residents. The Pinar Oteli was the most popular place to stay then and is still in business today.

Twin towns — sister cities

Erdek is

twinned Twinning (making a twin of) may refer to: * In biology and agriculture, producing two offspring (i.e., twins) at a time, or having a tendency to do so; * Twin towns and sister cities, towns and cities involved in town twinning * Twinning inst ...

with: *

Otranto Otranto (, , ; scn, label=Salentino, Oṭṛàntu; el, label=Griko, Δερεντό, Derentò; grc, Ὑδροῦς, translit=Hudroûs; la, Hydruntum) is a coastal town, port and ''comune'' in the province of Lecce ( Apulia, Italy), in a fertil ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

since 2001Sister/Twin Cities of Balıkesir Province
/ref>

References

External links

Erdek OtelleriAbout Erdek
Erdek, restaurant,otel,maps,motel,information content.
Erdek Tourism
Tourism page with interactive map and panorama videos.
Erdek Oteller PansiyonlarErdek Hotel
Towns in Turkey Seaside resorts in Turkey Populated places in Balıkesir Province Port cities of the Sea of Marmara Fishing communities in Turkey Populated coastal places in Turkey Districts of Balıkesir Province Members of the Delian League Former Greek towns in Turkey Milesian colonies Greek colonies in Mysia {{Balıkesir-geo-stub

History

Twin towns — sister cities

See also

References

External links