Kayaköy

Template: Infobox city in Turkey / Maintenance / county without inhabitants or surface

Kayaköy ( Turkish for rock village), (Greek: Λειβησι / Levissi ) is a village in Turkey, located on the territory of one until 1922/23, the majority of ethnic Greeks lived in small town. Most of the approximately eight kilometers south of Fethiye located in a rocky mountain valley community is a ghost town today. The former Greek inhabitants of Levissi were sold in compliance with the Treaty of Lausanne.

History

The area was inhabited by Kayaköy to about 3000 BC. In ancient times the city was Carmylessus which was regarded in 1100 as a good harbor.

In the 18th century, was built on the ruins of the city Carmylessus Levissi, flourished as an earthquake in 1856 and a fire in 1885 the neighboring Fethiye largely destroyed. At that time there were about 20,000 inhabitants in Levissi. Early 20th century attracted most residents, however, back to Fethiye, in the First World War also Armenians and Azerbaijanis were brutally expelled because many members of these groups collaborated with the Allies against the Ottomans. At the end of the First World War, the town counted depending on the source between 2000 about 2,000 families of up to 20,000 inhabitants. After the expulsion of the Greek population, most of whom fled to Crete, displaced ethnic Turks were here from Greece, among other things, Thessaloniki, settled, but as farmers moved into the location below the city level. Thus, the city was at first completely broke.

Today Kayaköy is a museum village and is a listed building; nearly 3,500 house ruins have been preserved, including two Greek Orthodox Church ruins, which are the main sights of the ghost town. In addition, a private museum exists on the history of the city. In the village center stands a fountain source from the 17th century. Kayaköy was declared by UNESCO as a World Friendship and Peace Village.

Economy

Currently Levissis most professionals were craftsmen. The most important economic factor of the place is tourism, as well as organic farming production methods. It is planned to restore the village part.

Elle covers pop culture

Louis de Bernières has used for the village Eskişehir in his novel Birds without wings Kayaköy as a blueprint.