TekirdaÄŸ () is a city in northwestern
Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
. It is located on the north coast of the
Sea of Marmara
The Sea of Marmara, also known as the Sea of Marmora or the Marmara Sea, is a small inland sea entirely within the borders of Turkey. It links the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea via the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits, separating Turkey's E ...
, in the region of
East Thrace
East Thrace or Eastern Thrace, also known as Turkish Thrace or European Turkey, is the part of Turkey that is geographically in Southeast Europe. Turkish Thrace accounts for 3.03% of Turkey's land area and 15% of its population. The largest c ...
. The city forms the urban part of the
Süleymanpaşa district, with a population of 186,421 in 2022.
[
Tekirdağ is a commercial centre with a harbour for agricultural products (the harbour is being expanded to accommodate a new rail link to the main freight line through Thrace). It is also home to Martas and the BOTAŞ Terminal, both of them important for trade activities in the Marmara Region. The town's best known product remains Tekirdağ rakı although it is also known for its cherries, celebrated with a festival every June.
The proximity of the Greek and Bulgarian borders means that there are honorary consulates for both countries in TekirdaÄŸ.
Ferries from TekirdaÄŸ sail to the nearby Marmara Islands during the summer.
The nearest airport is Tekirdağ Çorlu Airport (TEQ) although there are many more flights to Istanbul Airport (IST).
]
Names and etymology
Tekirdağ was called Bisanthe or Bysanthe (), and also Rhaedestus (Ῥαιδεστός) in classical antiquity. The latter name was used until the Byzantine era, and transformed into ''Rodosçuk'' after it fell to the Ottomans in the 14th century (in western languages it is usually rendered as Rodosto). After the 18th century it was called Tekfurdağı, based on the Turkish word '' tekfur'', meaning "Byzantine lord". In time, the name mutated into the Turkish ''Tekirdağ'', and this became the official name under the Turkish Republic. The historical name "Rhaedestos" (transcribed also as Raidestos) is still used in the Greek Orthodox ecclesiastical context (e.g. the Bishop of Raidestos, the Metropolitanate of Heraclia and Raidestos).
History
The history of the city of TekirdaÄŸ dates back to around 4000 BC. In Xenophon
Xenophon of Athens (; ; 355/354 BC) was a Greek military leader, philosopher, and historian. At the age of 30, he was elected as one of the leaders of the retreating Ancient Greek mercenaries, Greek mercenaries, the Ten Thousand, who had been ...
's '' Anabasis'' it is mentioned as part of the kingdom of the Thracian
The Thracians (; ; ) were an Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Southeast Europe in ancient history.. "The Thracians were an Indo-European people who occupied the area that today is shared between north-eastern Greece, ...
king Seuthes. It is also mentioned as Bisanthe by Herodotus (VII, 137). The city was a Samian colony.
Procopius
Procopius of Caesarea (; ''Prokópios ho Kaisareús''; ; – 565) was a prominent Late antiquity, late antique Byzantine Greeks, Greek scholar and historian from Caesarea Maritima. Accompanying the Roman general Belisarius in Justinian I, Empe ...
chronicled the town's restoration by Justinian I
Justinian I (, ; 48214 November 565), also known as Justinian the Great, was Roman emperor from 527 to 565.
His reign was marked by the ambitious but only partly realized ''renovatio imperii'', or "restoration of the Empire". This ambition was ...
in the 6th century AD. In 813 and again in 1206, after the Battle of Rodosto, it was sacked by the Bulgarians
Bulgarians (, ) are a nation and South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Bulgaria and its neighbouring region, who share a common Bulgarian ancestry, culture, history and language. They form the majority of the population in Bulgaria, ...
, but it continued to appear as a place of considerable importance in later Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...
times. The 11th-century Byzantine historian Michael Attaleiates owned property in Raidestos which he described in his will. From 1204 to 1235 the town was ruled by the Venetians following the Latin occupation of Constantinople
Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
during the Fourth Crusade
The Fourth Crusade (1202–1204) was a Latin Christian armed expedition called by Pope Innocent III. The stated intent of the expedition was to recapture the Muslim-controlled city of Jerusalem, by first defeating the powerful Egyptian Ayyubid S ...
.
In the Ottoman period the city was successively a part of the Rumelia Eyalet, then of the Province
A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
of the Kapudan Pasha
The Kapudan Pasha (, modern Turkish: ), also known as the (, modern: , "Captain of the Sea") was the grand admiral of the Ottoman Navy. Typically, he was based at Galata and Gallipoli during the winter and charged with annual sailings durin ...
, the Silistra Eyalet, and Edirne Vilayet. After 1849 it became the seat of the Sanjak of Tekfürtaği.
Twentieth century
Tekirdağ was occupied twice by the Russian army: firstly, on 22 August 1829 during Russo-Turkish War (1828–1829)
The Russo-Turkish War of 1828–1829 resulted from the Greek War of Independence of 1821–1829; war broke out after the Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II closed the Dardanelles to Russian Empire , Russian ships and in November 1827 revoked the 18 ...
and then on 1 February 1878 during the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878). After these wars, the city returned to Ottoman rule.
In 1905, the city had a population of about 35,000, of whom about half were Greeks
Greeks or Hellenes (; , ) are an ethnic group and nation native to Greece, Greek Cypriots, Cyprus, Greeks in Albania, southern Albania, Greeks in Turkey#History, Anatolia, parts of Greeks in Italy, Italy and Egyptian Greeks, Egypt, and to a l ...
.
TekirdaÄŸ was occupied by the Bulgarian army on 11 November 1912. The city was liberated on 13 July 1913.
Finally, Tekirdağ was occupied by the Greek army on 20 July 1920 during the Turkish War of Independence (1919–1922). After the signing of the Armistice of Mudanya, the city was given back to Turkey on 13 November 1922. Under the terms of the 1923 agreement for the Exchange of Greek Orthodox and Muslim Populations between the two countries, the Greek Christians of Tekirdağ were all forced to leave (founding the village of Nea Raidestos), their place taken by Muslim Turks from Greece.
In December 1934, a convoy of 1,583 Turkish speaking Muslims from Dobruja
Dobruja or Dobrudja (; or ''Dobrudža''; , or ; ; Dobrujan Tatar: ''Tomrîğa''; Ukrainian language, Ukrainian and ) is a Geography, geographical and historical region in Southeastern Europe that has been divided since the 19th century betw ...
and Ada Kaleh settled in TekirdaÄŸ.
For many years TekirdaÄŸ served as a depot for the produce of Edirne
Edirne (; ), historically known as Orestias, Adrianople, is a city in Turkey, in the northwestern part of the Edirne Province, province of Edirne in Eastern Thrace. Situated from the Greek and from the Bulgarian borders, Edirne was the second c ...
province. However, its trade suffered badly when Alexandroupolis became the terminus of the railway up the river Maritsa
Maritsa or Maritza ( ), also known as Evros ( ) and Meriç ( ), is a river that runs through the Balkans in Southeast Europe. With a length of , .
Bishopric
Rhaedestus remains a titular see
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbi ...
of the Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
. However, Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
activity has long ceased.
Catholic bishops
* Emmet Michael Walsh 8 September 1949 16 November 1952
* Manuel Alfonso de Carvalho 10 February 1953 17 June 1957
* Wilson Laus Schmidt 5 September 1957 18 May 1962
* Carlos Horacio Ponce de Léon 9 June 1962 28 April 1966
Location
TekirdaÄŸ is situated on the northern coast of the Sea of Marmara
The Sea of Marmara, also known as the Sea of Marmora or the Marmara Sea, is a small inland sea entirely within the borders of Turkey. It links the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea via the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits, separating Turkey's E ...
, west of Istanbul
Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
. Its picturesque bay is backed by the promontory of the mountain which gives its name to the city, Tekir Dağı (ancient Combos), a spur of about 2000 ft. that rises into the hilly plateau to the north. Between Tekirdağ and Şarköy is another mountain, Ganos Dağı.
Climate
TekirdaÄŸ has a Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...
(Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
: ''Csa'', Trewartha: ''Cs''). Summers are hot and humid whilst winters are cool and wet. Snowfall
Snow consists of individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the atmosphere—usually within clouds—and then fall, accumulating on the ground where they undergo further changes.
It consists of frozen crystalline water througho ...
is somewhat common, with a week or two of snow between the months of December and March.
Highest recorded temperature: on 27 June 2007
Lowest recorded temperature: on 3 January 1942
TekirdaÄŸ today
The TekirdaÄŸ area is the site of many holiday homes, as the city is only two hours drive from Istanbul
Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
via a new four-lane highway. The villages of Şarköy, Mürefte and Kumbağ are particularly popular with Turkish tourists. The Marmara Sea is polluted but there are still a number of public beaches near Tekirdağ, especially the Yeniçiftlik beaches.
Most Ottoman wooden buildings have been replaced by concrete apartment blocks although some are being restored or replaced with attractive replicas. Except for the , and the narrow streets that help one imagine life in the Ottoman period, the city lacks antique charm. One reason to visit is the local delicacy, the small spicy cylindrical grilled meatballs called '' Tekirdağ köftesi'', traditionally followed by courses of a sweet local cheese and semolina pudding.
The inland parts of TekirdaÄŸ province offer fertile farmland suitable for winter wheat, sunflowers, cherries and grapes for wine-making.
Both the east–west highway (the Via Egnatia of Roman times) and the highway north toward Muratlı and Lüleburgaz are four lanes. There is a prison next to the ''rakı'' distillery and another north of the city on the road to Muratlı.
On the eastern edge of the city is the Namık Kemal University, founded in 2006, which has three faculties.
Tekirdağ ''rakı''
This part of Turkey is well known for its high quality '' rakı''. State-owned until the 1990s, the distilleries are now in private hands and the wine and ''rakı'' industries are undergoing a renewal despite being hampered by high taxation on alcohol.
Attractions
In TekirdaÄŸ
* The Rüstem Paşa Mosque, built by the Ottoman architect, Mimar Sinan, in 1553
* The TekirdaÄŸ Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography contains archaeological artefacts found in and around the province, as well as ethnographical items used by the residents of the region.
* The Namık Kemal House Museum is devoted to the life and works of theTurkish nationalist poet Namık Kemal (1840–1888).
* The Rakoczi Museum is an 18th-century Turkish house, where the Hungarian national hero, Francis II Rákóczi lived during his exile from 1720 until his death in 1735. Today, it is the property of Hungary.
* Of all Turkey's many statues of Atatürk, the one in Teikrdağ town centre is the only one that was made exactly life-size.
Around TekirdaÄŸ province
* The Kutman Wine Museum is at Mürefte in Şarköy
Sport
The Tekirdağ Olympic Ice Skating Hall was opened at Süleymanpaşa district in 2018.
Notable people
* Phaedimus of Bisanthe (3rd or 2nd century BC), ancient Greek poet
* Francis II Rákóczi (1676–1735), Hungarian prince and national hero
* Bekri Mustafa Pasha (1688–1698), Ottoman grand vizier
* Kelemen Mikes (1690–1761), Hungarian political figure and essayist
* Khachadour Paul Garabedian (1836–1881) was an Armenian-American officer in the United States Navy, considered the only soldier of Armenian heritage to have served in combat during the American Civil War.
* Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Pasha (1713–90)
* Namık Kemal (1840–1888), nationalist poet
* Memduh Şevket Esendal (1883–1952), writer
*Tekirdağlı Hüseyin Pehlivan, wrestling champion (1908–82)
* Solomon Maimon (Rabbi) (1918–2019), American Sephardic
Sephardic Jews, also known as Sephardi Jews or Sephardim, and rarely as Iberian Peninsular Jews, are a Jewish diaspora population associated with the historic Jewish communities of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) and their descendant ...
Rabbi
* Henri Verneuil (1920–2002), playwright and filmmaker
* Nefise Akçelik (1955–2003), civil engineer specializing in tunnel building
* Erhan Tabakoglu (born 1967), professor and rector of the Trakya University
* Rifat Karlova (born 1980), comedian and actor residing in Taiwan
* Emre Tetikel (born 1985), actor and novelist
*
Twin towns – sister cities
TekirdaÄŸ is twinned with:
* Bayreuth
Bayreuth ( or ; High Franconian German, Upper Franconian: Bareid, ) is a Town#Germany, town in northern Bavaria, Germany, on the Red Main river in a valley between the Franconian Jura and the Fichtel Mountains. The town's roots date back to 11 ...
, Germany
* Kardzhali
Kardzhali ( , ''Kărdžali''; ), sometimes spelt Kardžali or Kurdzhali, is List of cities and towns in Bulgaria, a town in the Eastern Rhodopes in Bulgaria, centre of Kardzhali Municipality and Kardzhali Province. The noted Kardzhali Reservoir is ...
, Bulgaria
* Kecskemét
Kecskemét ( ) is a city with county rights in central Hungary. It is the List of cities and towns of Hungary, eighth-largest city in the country, and the county seat of Bács-Kiskun County, Bács-Kiskun.
Kecskemét lies halfway between the ca ...
, Hungary
* Sárospatak
Sárospatak (; ; Serbian language, Serbian: Муд Стреам; Slovak language, Slovakian: ''Šarišský Potok, Blatný Potok)''
History
The area has been inhabited since ancient times. Sárospatak was granted town status in 1201 by Emeric ...
, Hungary
* Sliven, Bulgaria
* Techirghiol, Romania
Namesakes
* TekirdaÄŸ Province, which contains ''TekirdaÄŸ''
* TC-JGE, a Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines (Turkish language, Turkish: ''Türk Hava Yolları''), or legally Türk Hava Yolları Anonim Ortaklığı, is the flag carrier of Turkey. , it operates scheduled services to 352 destinations (including cargo) in Europe, Asia, Oce ...
Boeing 737-800 which crashed as Flight 1951 on 25 February 2009[
]
* TC-JMJ, a Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines (Turkish language, Turkish: ''Türk Hava Yolları''), or legally Türk Hava Yolları Anonim Ortaklığı, is the flag carrier of Turkey. , it operates scheduled services to 352 destinations (including cargo) in Europe, Asia, Oce ...
Airbus A321
The Airbus A321 is a member of the Airbus A320 family of short to medium range, Narrow-body aircraft, narrow-body, commercial passenger Twinjet, twin engine jet airliners; it carries 185 to 236 passengers. It has a stretched fuselage which was ...
Gallery
File:TekirdaÄŸ Museum-12.JPG, Mother goddess shaped pot (TekirdaÄŸ Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography)
File:Tekirdağ Müzesi-4.JPG, Thracia
Thracia or Thrace () is the ancient name given to the southeastern Balkans, Balkan region, the land inhabited by the Thracians. Thrace was ruled by the Odrysian kingdom during the Classical Greece, Classical and Hellenistic period, Hellenis ...
n King Cersobleptes (TekirdaÄŸ Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography)
File:Tekirdağ Müzesi-3.JPG, Amphoras (Tekirdağ Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography)
File:Orta Cami.JPG, Orta Mosque (1855)
File:Bedesten TekirdaÄŸ.JPG, Bedesten (Ottoman Bazaar)
File:TekirdaÄŸ Valilik.JPG, Provincial Government House
File:TekirdağKofte.JPG, Tekirdağ Köfte, a local type of meatball
File:Ebédlőház - Rodostó, 2014.10.25 (5).JPG, Street near the Rákóczi Museum
Tekirra.JPG, Tekira shopping mall
See also
* Tsar Kaloyan of Bulgaria, destroyer of Rodosto in 1206.
* Turkish Airlines Flight 1951, A Boeing 737-800 that crashed. Named after this city.
References
;Notes
External links
*
*
TekirdaÄŸ photo gallery
TekirdaÄŸ Hava Durumu
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tekirdag
Port cities of the Sea of Marmara
Fishing communities in Turkey
Populated coastal places in Turkey