Eskişehir

[es-kee-she-heer]

Eskişehir, city (1990 pop. 413,305), capital of Eskişehir prov., W central Turkey. An important industrial center, its manufactures include refined sugar, cement, railroad equipment, textiles, chemicals, and meerschaum products. It is noted for its hot mineral springs. Godfrey of Bouillon defeated the Seljuk Turks there in 1097. The city's modern development dates from the coming of the railroad (1894). Eskişehir is on or near the site of ancient Dorylaeum.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia Copyright © 2004.
Licensed from Columbia University Press

Eskişehir

Eskişehir (eskē'shehēr, Eskişehir, "Old City"; Latin: Dorylaeum; Greek: Δορύλαιον, Dorylaion) is a city in northwest Turkey and the capital district of Eskişehir Province. According to 2007 census, population of the district is 595,157 of which 570,825 live in the city of Eskişehir. The city is located on the bank of Porsuk River, 792 m above sea level, where it overlooks the fertile Phrygian Valley. In the nearby hills one can find hot springs. The city is on the west of Ankara, southeast of Istanbul and northeast of Kütahya. The province covers an area of .

History

The name Eskişehir literally means Old City in Turkish, although the locational suffix şehir is derived from the Persian word shahr (Persian: شهر), meaning "city". Indeed the city was founded by the Phrygians in about 1000 BC. Many Phrygian artifacts and sculptures can still be found in its Archeological Museum. There is also a museum of meerschaum stone, whose production remains still notable, used to make high quality meerschaum pipes. In the fourth century AD the city moved about ten km northeast, from Karadja Hissar to Shehir Euyuk.

Whenever it was mentioned by ancient geographers, the city was described as one of the most beautiful in Anatolia.

As with many towns in Anatolia, Christianity arrived after Constantine the Great made it the official religion of the Roman Empire. Beginning in the 4th century, records exist of bishops holding office in Eskişehir. The city was known as Dorylaeum, then. One of these bishops, Eusebius, was heavily involved in shaping the evolving dogma of the church.

Economy

Modern-day Eskişehir is one of Turkey's foremost industrial cities. Traditionally dependent on flour-milling and brickyards, the city expanded with the building of railway workshops in 1894 for work on the Berlin-Baghdad Railway. Eskişehir was also the site of Turkey's first aviation industry (Aeronautical Supply Maintenance Centre) and its air base is the headquarters of Turkey's First Tactical Air Force, on NATO's southern flank during the Cold War.

Eskişehir is one of the largest industrial centres of Turkey, with several modern industries, producing trucks, home appliances, railway locomotives, fighter aircraft engine, agricultural equipment, textiles, brick, cement, chemicals, processed meerschaum and refined sugar.

Attractions

Most of Eskişehir was rebuilt after the Turkish War of Independence (1919-1922). It is a well-functioning attractive place, but with few old attractions. One exception is the Kursunlu Camii Mosque. Near Eskişehir lies the site of the ancient Phrygian city of Dorylaeum. Eskişehir is noted for its hot sulphur springs.

Education

There are two universities in Eskişehir. These are Anadolu University and Eskişehir Osmangazi University. The current Metropolitan Mayor of Eskişehir Prof. Dr. Yılmaz Büyükerşen was formerly the rector of Anadolu University.

Culture

The city has a significant population of Crimean Tatars. It also attracted ethnic Turks emigrating from Bulgaria and Romania who contributed to the development of the city's metalworking industries.

Sister cities

Climate

Months	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jly	Agu	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avr.Max. °C	3.9	6.2	11.2	16.4	21.8	25.9	29.2	28.9	25	19.8	12.4	5.5
Avr.Min °C	-4.1	-3.9	-1.5	2.8	6.9	10.4	13.1	13	8.4	4.4	0.3	-2

Sports


Club	Sport	Established	League	Venue
Eskişehirspor	Football	1965	Turkcell Super League (Turkish Premier Division)	Eskişehir Atatürk Stadium
Anadolu University	Basketball	?	Turkish Basketball League 2	Anadolu University Sports Hall

Notable natives

Battal Gazi - 8th century Muslim saint buried in Seyitgazi
Yunus Emre - 13th century Turkish folk poet
Sheik Edebali - 13th century religious leader, spiritual founder of the Ottoman Empire
Behiç Erkin - Turkish Schindler born in İstanbul, buried in Eskişehir train station courtyard
Cüneyt Arkın - Film star
Serpil Çakmaklı - Film star
Yılmaz Büyükerşen - Mayor of Eskişehir
Zeki Sezer - Leader of DSP
İlhan Mansız - Football player
Neslihan Demir Darnel - Volleyball player
Ersan Ilyasova - Basketball player
Kerem Gönlüm - Basketball player
Hatice Guner - Industrial Engineer