Babaeski
Encyclopedia
Babaeski is a town and district of Kırklareli
Province
in the Marmara region of Turkey
. The countyship has a population of 27,712 and the total area of the district is 652 km².
of the city. He happened to meet an old man in front of the old mosque which is nowadays called as Small Mosque (Küçük Cami) and asked him when the town was established. The man replied "Eskidir, eski..." meaning "It is old, old...". When the Sultan asked the man's age, he replied also "Baba... eski" which means "the father is old...". From then on, the name Babaeski has been used.
times, the area was known as Boulgarophygon (Βουλγαρόφυγον), and was the site of a major Byzantine defeat
by the Bulgarians in 896.
Babaeski hosts the annual "Babaeski Agricultural Festival" in late July to early August where national singers perform.
Eski Cami (The Old Mosque) built during the Mehmet the Conqueror period in 1467. It is still in use.
Cedid Ali Paşa Camii was built by the great architect, Sinan, during the period of Süleyman the Magnificent in 1555. It is built in the style of the great Selimiye Mosque in Edirne which is also designed by Sinan. It was destroyed by the Bulgarian army during the Balkan Wars and was later reconstructed. It is also still open for worship.
Dördüzlü Çeşme (The Tetrahedral Fountain) was built in the 17th century. It has four sides and a dome centered in a square.
Babaeski Bridge was built in 1633 during the period of Murad the 4th. It is part of D-100 international highway and is still used.
The Bath is built in the classical single dome style. It is also still used.
Atatürk Elementary School was built by the then sub-governor (kaymakam) Tevfik Gür in 1914. It is a one story building with wooden roof and Turkish style eaves. It now serves as the vocational school of the University of Thrace.
Kirklareli Province
Kırklareli Province is a province in northwestern Turkey on the west coast of the Black Sea. The province neighbours Bulgaria to the north along a 180 kilometers long border. It borders the province of Edirne to the west and the province of Tekirdağ to the south and province of Istanbul to the...
Province
Provinces of Turkey
Turkey is divided into 81 provinces, called il in Turkish .A province is administered by an appointed governor , and was formerly termed a "governorate" ....
in the Marmara region of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. The countyship has a population of 27,712 and the total area of the district is 652 km².
Name
The name Babaeski is believed to have originated according to the following story: the Ottoman Sultan, Mehmet the Conqueror, stopped in town on his way to Constantinople before the final siegeFall of Constantinople
The Fall of Constantinople was the capture of the capital of the Byzantine Empire, which occurred after a siege by the Ottoman Empire, under the command of Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, against the defending army commanded by Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI...
of the city. He happened to meet an old man in front of the old mosque which is nowadays called as Small Mosque (Küçük Cami) and asked him when the town was established. The man replied "Eskidir, eski..." meaning "It is old, old...". When the Sultan asked the man's age, he replied also "Baba... eski" which means "the father is old...". From then on, the name Babaeski has been used.
History
In ByzantineByzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
times, the area was known as Boulgarophygon (Βουλγαρόφυγον), and was the site of a major Byzantine defeat
Battle of Bulgarophygon
The Battle of Boulgarophygon or Battle of Bulgarophygon was fought in the summer of 896 near the town of Bulgarophygon, modern Babaeski in Turkey, between the Byzantine Empire and the First Bulgarian Empire...
by the Bulgarians in 896.
Facts
Babaeski lies on a relatively flat landscape where the highest point does not exceed 150 m. The "Şeytan" stream (Şeytan Deresi) flows through the land of the district. Agriculture is the main industry. Sunflower, wheat are the main crops grown along with some vegetables. Industrial development has sped up in the last decade mainly in the form of textile factories.Babaeski hosts the annual "Babaeski Agricultural Festival" in late July to early August where national singers perform.
Sights
Some historical sites in Babaeski are:Eski Cami (The Old Mosque) built during the Mehmet the Conqueror period in 1467. It is still in use.
Cedid Ali Paşa Camii was built by the great architect, Sinan, during the period of Süleyman the Magnificent in 1555. It is built in the style of the great Selimiye Mosque in Edirne which is also designed by Sinan. It was destroyed by the Bulgarian army during the Balkan Wars and was later reconstructed. It is also still open for worship.
Dördüzlü Çeşme (The Tetrahedral Fountain) was built in the 17th century. It has four sides and a dome centered in a square.
Babaeski Bridge was built in 1633 during the period of Murad the 4th. It is part of D-100 international highway and is still used.
The Bath is built in the classical single dome style. It is also still used.
Atatürk Elementary School was built by the then sub-governor (kaymakam) Tevfik Gür in 1914. It is a one story building with wooden roof and Turkish style eaves. It now serves as the vocational school of the University of Thrace.