Ayvalık

Template: Infobox city in Turkey / Maintenance / County

Ayvalik (Greek Κυδωνίες Kydonies or Αϊβαλί Aivali ) is a town in Turkey's Balıkesir Province on the Aegean coast opposite the Greek island of Lesbos.

History

The foundation of the city dates back to the settlement of aeolian tribes who migrated here. Occupy historians that the name can be traced back to Aeolia / Aiolia. The city had a remarkable history and a special position within the Ottoman Empire. Due to military successes of the then Greek population was allowed exclusively to settle in the city, that is, except a few Ottoman officials it was Turkish compatriots not allowed to settle here. In 1891 lived 21 666 Greeks and 180 Turks in Ayvalik.

During May, 1919, the Greeks occupied the Greek-Turkish war parts of the Aegean coast. After the defeat of the Greeks in the fall of 1922 against the Turkish army and the subsequent population exchange Greeks (mostly from Crete and Lesvos ) exchanged from Ayvalik, with those portions of the Turkish minority from the Aegean Islands and Northern Greece. Today in Ayvalik, mostly on the Cunda Peninsula ( Alibey Adası ), which belongs to Ayvalik, partly spoken Greek. In many restaurants you will find the Cretan, Greek and Bosnian cuisine again. In a small village called Küçükköy (8 km from Ayvalik ) were from 1908 and then settled refugees from Bosnia and the Sanjak of several groups that still speak Bosnian among themselves.

In Ayvalik already existed in the 19th century, a printing shop, a pharmacy and there were several consulates located here, including the German, the French and the Dutch consulate. There was an academy and various gymnasiums and vocational schools. The surviving mansions let the former prosperity of the city guess. Because of the special position the city maintained the control rights, and you had to pay taxes to the Ottoman Empire.

Today

Even today in the vicinity of the town many remnants of Greek buildings and monasteries, some of which are in poor condition. Many clubs in Ayvalik ask now of the local authorities, the restoration of monasteries and churches in order to get the Cultural Heritage of the city.

The old town of Ayvalik offers the finest examples of neo -classical architecture of the Greek Revival. Is particularly worth seeing the mansions on the coast road. Some former churches are now used as mosques and are thus well preserved.

Today as in the past lived a large part of the population of the olive cultivation. With 2 million olive trees here is the largest olive growing region of Turkey. The different types of oil compete well with oils from Tuscany. In the nostalgic and winding streets you can still find olive oil soap manufacturers. Especially in the winter when the olives are harvested and pressed, fine olive oil aroma pervades the town. Although the abundance of fish in the Aegean Sea has declined, the fishery has remained well preserved.

Every Thursday in Ayvalik held a bazaar also like to arrive the neighbors from Lesbos to that.

Just outside of Ayvalik is the popular viewpoint Şeytan Sofrası with a beautiful view of the bay of Ayvalik and its countless islands.

Famous people

• Muhtar Kent, President and Chief Operating Officer of The Coca -Cola Company.
• Photios Kontoglou, writers and artists
• Mustafa Olpak, Afro- Turkish author and activist