Aksehir
Encyclopedia
Akşehir is a town and district
of Konya Province
in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey
. According to 2000 census, population of the district is 114,918 of which 63,000 live in the town of Akşehir. The town was known in the Roman
and Byzantine
empires as Philomelium or Philomelion respectively.
The town is situated at the edge of a fertile plain, on the north side of the Sultan Dagh.
to the east, and to its townsmen the Smyrniotes
wrote the letter that describes the martyrdom of Polycarp
. Cicero
, on his way to Cilicia
, dated some of his extant correspondence there; and the place played a considerable part in the frontier wars between the Byzantine
emperors and the Sultanate of Rum
. It became an important Seljuk town, and late in the 14th century passed into Ottoman
hands. There Bayexit I of the Ottoman Empire is said by Ali of Yezd to have died after his defeat at the Battle of Ankara
.
, the tomb of Seydi Mahmut
, the house used as headquarters by the Turkish Army
during the last phase of the Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922)
, other monuments and old Turkish houses.
Between 5 July - 10 July each year, commemorations with concerts and other social activities are held to the memory of Akşehir's famous resident, Nasreddin Hodja.
With its rich architectural heritage, Akşehir is a member of the Norwich
-based European Association of Historic Towns and Regions
.
. It is a compound of two Turkish words, namely ak, "white", and şehir, "town". The word şehir comes from Persian
شهر shahr, "town".
In English usage other spellings of the name include Ak-Shehr, Ak-Shahr, Akshehr, Akshahr, Akshehir, and Aqshahr.
Districts of Turkey
The 81 provinces of Turkey are divided into 957 districts . In the early Turkish Republic and in the Ottoman Empire, the corresponding unit was the kaza....
of Konya Province
Konya Province
Konya Province is a province of Turkey located in central Anatolia. The provincial capital is the city of Konya. It is the largest province by area of Turkey.-Districts:...
in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. According to 2000 census, population of the district is 114,918 of which 63,000 live in the town of Akşehir. The town was known in the Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
and Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
empires as Philomelium or Philomelion respectively.
The town is situated at the edge of a fertile plain, on the north side of the Sultan Dagh.
History
Philomelion was probably a Pergamenian foundation on the great Graeco-Roman Highway from EphesusEphesus
Ephesus was an ancient Greek city, and later a major Roman city, on the west coast of Asia Minor, near present-day Selçuk, Izmir Province, Turkey. It was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League during the Classical Greek era...
to the east, and to its townsmen the Smyrniotes
Smyrna
Smyrna was an ancient city located at a central and strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Thanks to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to prominence. The ancient city is located at two sites within modern İzmir, Turkey...
wrote the letter that describes the martyrdom of Polycarp
Polycarp
Saint Polycarp was a 2nd century Christian bishop of Smyrna. According to the Martyrdom of Polycarp, he died a martyr, bound and burned at the stake, then stabbed when the fire failed to touch him...
. Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
, on his way to Cilicia
Cilicia
In antiquity, Cilicia was the south coastal region of Asia Minor, south of the central Anatolian plateau. It existed as a political entity from Hittite times into the Byzantine empire...
, dated some of his extant correspondence there; and the place played a considerable part in the frontier wars between the Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
emperors and the Sultanate of Rum
Sultanate of Rûm
The Sultanate of Rum , also known as the Anatolian Seljuk State , was a Turkic state centered in in Anatolia, with capitals first at İznik and then at Konya. Since the court of the sultanate was highly mobile, cities like Kayseri and Sivas also functioned at times as capitals...
. It became an important Seljuk town, and late in the 14th century passed into Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
hands. There Bayexit I of the Ottoman Empire is said by Ali of Yezd to have died after his defeat at the Battle of Ankara
Battle of Ankara
The Battle of Ankara or Battle of Angora, fought on July 20, 1402, took place at the field of Çubuk between the forces of the Ottoman sultan Bayezid I and the Turko-Mongol forces of Timur, ruler of the Timurid Empire. The battle was a major victory for Timur, and it led to a period of crisis for...
.
Modern times
The town's landmarks include the alleged tomb of Nasreddin HocaNasreddin
Nasreddin was a Seljuq satirical Sufi figure, sometimes believed to have lived during the Middle Ages and considered a populist philosopher and wise man, remembered for his funny stories and anecdotes. He appears in thousands of stories, sometimes witty, sometimes wise, but often, too, a fool or...
, the tomb of Seydi Mahmut
Tomb of Seydi Mahmut
- Seydi Mahmut Hayrani :Seydi Mahmut was a Sufi mystic and a follower of Mevlana . He was born in Harran, what is now a village of Şanlıurfa Province, Turkey. He travelled to Konya and met with Mevlana. Then he travelled to Akşehir about northwest of Konya where he died in 1268...
, the house used as headquarters by the Turkish Army
Turkish Army
The Turkish Army or Turkish Land Forces is the main branch of the Turkish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The modern history of the army began with its formation after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire...
during the last phase of the Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922)
Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922)
The Greco–Turkish War of 1919–1922, known as the Western Front of the Turkish War of Independence in Turkey and the Asia Minor Campaign or the Asia Minor Catastrophe in Greece, was a series of military events occurring during the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire after World War I between May...
, other monuments and old Turkish houses.
Between 5 July - 10 July each year, commemorations with concerts and other social activities are held to the memory of Akşehir's famous resident, Nasreddin Hodja.
With its rich architectural heritage, Akşehir is a member of the Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
-based European Association of Historic Towns and Regions
European Association of Historic Towns and Regions
The European Association of Historic Towns and Regions , founded by the Congress of the Council of Europe in October 1999, is a self-governing organisation which groups together twelve associations, such as the Historic Towns Forum of Great Britain, from eleven states, namely the Czech Republic,...
.
Name
The name Akşehir literally means "white city" in TurkishTurkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
. It is a compound of two Turkish words, namely ak, "white", and şehir, "town". The word şehir comes from Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
شهر shahr, "town".
In English usage other spellings of the name include Ak-Shehr, Ak-Shahr, Akshehr, Akshahr, Akshehir, and Aqshahr.