Afyonkarahisar

{{Infobox Settlement 

|settlement_type =
|subdivision_type = [[Countries of the world|Country]]
|subdivision_name = {{TUR}}
|timezone=[[Eastern European Time|EET]]
|utc_offset=+2
|map_caption =Location of {{PAGENAME}} within Turkey.
|timezone_DST=[[Eastern European Summer Time|EEST]]
|utc_offset_DST=+3

|official_name = Afyonkarahisar
|image_skyline =
|image_caption =
|image_blank_emblem =
|blank_emblem_type =
| subdivision_type1=[[Regions of Turkey|Region]]|
subdivision_name1 = Aegean
|subdivision_type2=[[Provinces of Turkey|Province]]|
subdivision_name2 = Afyonkarahisar
| population_total = 128516
|population_urban =
|population_as_of = 2000
|population_footnotes =
|population_density_km2 =
|area_total_km2 =
|elevation_m = 1034
|pushpin_map =Turkey
|pushpin_label_position = 
|pushpin_map_caption =Location of Afyonkarahisar
|pushpin_mapsize =
|latd = 38
|latm = 45.48
|longd = 30
|longm = 32.32
|latNS=N|longEW=E
|postal_code_type=[[Postal code]]|
postal_code = 03xxx
|blank_info = 03
|blank_name=[[Turkish car number plates|Licence plate]]
| area_code =
|leader_title=[[Mayor]]|
leader_name = Abdullah KAPTAN
|website = [http://www.afyon-bld.gov.tr www.afyon-bld.gov.tr]
|leader_title1=[[Governor]]|
leader_name1 = Haluk İMGA
}}

'''Afyonkarahisar''' is a city in western [[Turkey]], the capital of [[Afyonkarahisar Province|Afyon Province]]. Afyon is in mountainous countryside inland from the [[Aegean Sea|Aegean]] coast, {{convert|250|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} south-west of [[Ankara]] along the [[Akar River]]. Elevation 1,034 meters. Population (2000 census) 128,516.

Being high up the weather in winter is cold and the roads are icy.

==Etymology==
The name is [[Turkish language|Turkish]] for the ''black castle opium'', since [[opium]] was widely grown here and there is a castle on a black rock. Also known simply as '''Afyon'''. Older spellings include '''Karahisar-i Sahip''' '''Afium-Kara-hissar''' and '''Afyon Karahisar'''.City was known as Afyon (opium), until the name was changed to Afyonkarahisar by [[Turkish Parliament]] in 2004.

==History==
[[Image:15th century map of Turkey region.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Photo of a 15th Century map showing [[Nicopolis]].]]
The top of the rock in Afyon has been fortified for a long, long time. It was known to the [[Hittites]] as ''Hapanuwa'', and was later occupied by [[Phrygians]], [[Lydians]] and [[Persians]] until it was conquered by [[Alexander the Great]]. After the death of Alexander the city (now known as [[Akroinon]]), was ruled by the [[Seleucids]] and the kings of [[Pergamon]], then [[Rome]] and [[Byzantium]]. The [[List of Byzantine Emperors|Byzantine emperor]] [[Leo III the Isaurian|Leo III]] after his [[Battle of Akroinon|victory]] over [[Arab]] besiegers in [[740]] renamed the city [[Nicopolis]] (Greek for the ''Victory City''). The [[Seljuk Turks]] then arrived in 1071 and changed its name to Kara Hissar (the ''black castle'') after the ancient fortress situated upon a volcanic rock 201 meters above the town. Following the dispersal of the Seljuks the town was occupied by the [[Sâhib Ata|Sahipoğulları]] and then the [[Germiyan]].

The castle was much fought over during the [[Crusades]] and was finally conquered by the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] Sultan [[Beyazid I]] in [[1392]] but was lost after the invasion of [[Timur Lenk]] in [[1402]]. It was recaptured in [[1428]] or [[1429]].

The area thrived during the Ottoman Empire, as the centre of opium production and Afyon became a wealthy city with the typical Ottoman urban mixture of Jews, Armenians, Greeks and Turks. This ended when during the [[Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922)]] campaign (part of the [[Turkish War of Independence]]) Afyon and the surrounding hills were occupied by French, Italian and then Greek forces. However, it was recovered in August 27, 1922, a key moment in the great Turkish counter-attack in the Aegean region. After [[1923]] Afyon became a part of the Republic of Turkey.

The region was a major producer of opium (hence the name ''Afyon'') until the late 1960s when under international pressure, from the USA in particular, the fields were burnt and production ceased.

==Afyon today==
Afyon is the centre of an agricultural area and the city has a country town feel to it. There is little in the way of bars, cafes, live music or other cultural amenities, and the standards of education are low for a city in the west of Turkey. However [[Afyon Kocatepe University]] opened in the 1990s and this must surely lead to improvements eventually.
Nowadays Afyon is known for its [[marble]] (in 2005 there were 355 marble quarries in the province of Afyon producing high quality white stone), its ''[[sucuk]]'' (peculiar sausages), its ''[[kaymak]]'' (meaning either ''cream'' or a white [[Turkish Delight]]) and various handmade weavings. There is also a large cement factory.

This is a natural crossroads, the routes from [[Ankara]] to [[İzmir]] and from [[Istanbul]] to [[Antalya]] intersect here and Afyon is a popular stopping-place on these journeys. There are a number of well-established roadside restaurants for travellers to breakfast on the local cuisine. Some of these places are modern well-equipped hotels and spas; the mineral waters of Afyon are renowned for their healing qualities. There is also a long string of roadside kiosks selling the local Turkish delight. Afyon is also an important railroad junction between [[İzmir]], [[Konya]], Ankara and [[Istanbul]].

===The cuisine of Afyon===
Main courses....
*''sucuk'' - the famed local speciality, a spicy beef sauasage, eaten fried or grilled. The best known brands include ''Cumhuriyet''.
* ''etli [[pide]]'' - a kind of minced beef pizza.
* [[ağzı açık]] or [[bükme]] - filo-style pastry stuffed with cheese or lentils.
* [[keşkek]] - boiled wheat and chick peas stewed with meat.

and sweets....
*local cream [[kaymak]] eaten with honey, with a bread pudding [[ekmek]] [[kadayif]], or with pumpkin simmered in syrup. Best eaten at the famous [[Ikbal]] restaurants (either the old one in the town centre or the big place on the main road).
*[[Turkish delight]].
*[[helva]] - sweetened ground sesame

==Places of interest==
*The partly ruined fortress which has given the city its name
*Ulu Camii (the Great Mosque)
*Altigöz Bridge, like the Ulu Camii built by the Seljuks in the [[13th century]].
*the White Elephant - Afyon is twinned with the town of [[Hamm]] in Germany, and now has a large statue of Hamm's symbolic white elephant.

With its rich architectural heritage, the city is a member of the [[European Association of Historic Towns and Regions]] [http://www.historic-towns.org/documents/members/turkey.doc].

{|class="wikitable"
|+ '''Table of population increase'''
|-
| '''Year''' || [[1911]] || [[1990]] || [[1995]] || [[2000]]
|-
| '''Population''' || 18,000 || 95,643 || 103,000 || 128,516
|}

==Twin towns==

*[[Image:Counts of Mark Arms.svg|12px]] [[Hamm]] (GER)[[Image:Flag of Germany.svg|25px]] , since 2006

==Famous residents==
* The former President of the Republic of Turkey [[Ahmet Necdet Sezer]].
* General [[İlker Başbuğ]] -very high-ranking military officer. Commander of the Turkish Army since August 30, 2006.
* General [[Arif Işık]] Army chief-of-staff in 2006.

==See also==
* [[Anatolian Tigers]]

== External links ==
* [http://www.afyon.bel.tr/ City council website] (in Turkish)
* [http://www.afyon.gov.tr/ Governor's office]
* [http://www.afyon.cc/ Afyonkarahisar community and information]
* [http://www.anatolia.luwo.be/Afyon.htm Afyon Guide and Photo Album] (in English)
* [http://www.frigvadisi.org/index.php?l=en Afyon and the Phrygians] (in English)
* [http://www.aku.edu.tr/indexen.php Afyon Kocatepe University] (in English)
* [http://afyonbolvadin.blogspot.com Afyon information] (in Turkish)
* [http://afyon.yerelnet.org.tr/ Local information] (in Turkish)
* [http://www.afyon-cevreorman.gov.tr/ Department of forestry and the environment] (in Turkish)
* [http://www.afyonfenlisesi.com/ Afyon Science High School] (in Turkish)

{{Districts of Turkey|provname=Afyonkarahisar|sortkey=Afyonkarahisar}}

[[Category:Ancient Greek cities]]

[[de:Afyonkarahisar]]
[[eu:Afyonkarahisar]]
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[[gl:Afion - Afyon]]
[[it:Afyonkarahisar (città)]]
[[ku:Afyon]]
[[la:Acroenus]]
[[hu:Afyonkarahisar]]
[[nl:Afyonkarahisar (stad)]]
[[ru:Афьон-Карахисар]]
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[[diq:Afyonqerehisar (suke)]]