Babaeski

Template: Infobox city in Turkey / Maintenance / County

Babaeski ( Bulgarian Бабаески ) is a Turkish town in the province Kırklareli near the border with Bulgaria. It is located in the region of Eastern Thrace, on the southern slopes of the beach damage ( Yıldız ) Mountains, about 25 km from Kırklareli. In late antiquity it was called Burdizon, in the Middle Ages Bulgarophygon (literally: " Bulgarians escape ").

History

The city played a strategic role in the defense of Constantinople in its history. The Romans Therefore put on the road Via Militaris. A branch of the Via Militaris led by Burdizon after Deultum on the Black Sea coast and Via pontica.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the affiliation of the region between the Bulgarian and the Byzantine Empire was fought. 756 beat Emperor Constantine V in the Battle of Burdizon a Bulgarian army under Khan Kormisosch. After the victory he named Burdizon into Bulgarophygon. The victory of the Byzantines probably led to the collapse of the Bulgarian ruler. 836 penetrated a Bulgarian army with Khan Malamir at the top in Thrace and conquered Bulgarophygon after the Byzantine emperor Theophilos a 30-year peace broke.

896 were the Bulgarians again at the gates of Bulgarophygon. In the battle of Bulgarophygon the Bulgarian Tsar Simeon I beat the Byzantines and conquered devastating in consequence Nordthessalien, the Epirus and large parts of present-day Macedonia. The Byzantines, who had been due to the thrust of the Arabs in the east again in a difficult position, annual tribute to the Bulgarians committed themselves again to pay and assign more areas in the Black Sea, Epirus and Südthessalien. The Bulgarians went to the " most privileged economic nation " on.

Beginning of the 11th century, however, the Byzantines under Emperor Basil II to gain the upper hand again. 1204 succeeded the Crusaders take Constantinople Opel, which Bulgarophygon to the foothills of the capital of the newly established Latin Empire was. End of the 14th century did the Ottomans to conquer the region.

During the First Balkan War (1912-1913) the Bulgarian army defeated the Ottoman at Babaeski, paving the way for the advance on Constantinople Opel (now Istanbul) opened.

Population

Until the Second Balkan War (1913 ) lived here for many Bulgarians (see Thracian Bulgarians ) and to the Greek -Turkish War Greeks who were expelled (see also Teskilat -ı Mahsusa ).

In the following period, Balkan Turks and Pomaks ( Bulgarian Muslims) from the former Ottoman provinces in Europe Babaeski settled.

Attractions

One of the most important mosques in the city, the Ottoman Semiz Ali Paşa Mosque ( also called Cedid Ali Paşa Camii); they were from the Grand Vizier Semiz ( Cedid ) Ali Pasha (died 1565) founded along with a now destroyed Madrassah and after 1560, perhaps 1569 to 1575 or 1585/86, completed by the famous architect Sinan. It is a six -pillar mosque, the main dome underpinned by five half- domes ( supported) is two each on the north and south, and over the flung from the main room mihrab area. Among the lateral half domes elegant galleries are supported by marble columns with Faltwerkkapitellen. Here Sinan perfected the hexagonal principle, which he inherited from the Üç - Serefeli Mosque in Edirne and eg with the Sinan Pasha Mosque in Istanbul - first 1554-1555/56 varied. The space of Semiz Ali Paşa Mosque and the structural elements form a unit. The entrance of the mosque crowning mukarnas, it is a double porch ( Revak ) upstream. Five domes shield the faithful directly on the mosque wall, a column- supported roof panel leads into the mosque courtyard with a lovely fountain cleaning ( Şadırvan ).

Right next to the mosque, the river flows Büyük Dere or Şeytan Deresi over which the Babaeski Bridge or Sultan Murat IV Bridge spans. This bridge was donated by the same Sultan in 1633 as a stone inscription shows. She has six arches, is 72 meters long and 5.85 meters wide and depicted a river crossing of the important transit route Adrian Opel - Opel Konstantin ago.

Another building Sinan is located south of the nearby village Alpullu. It is Sokollu Mehmet Paşa Bridge over the River Ergene. This foundation Sokollu Mehmed Pasha is about in the second half of the 16th century ( date of construction is unknown) was built of seamless stone blocks. The bridge is 123 meters long, and the middle and largest arch has a span of 20.05 meters. At the highest point juts before a balcony.