Bekilli
Encyclopedia
Bekilli is a town and a district of Denizli Province
in the inner Aegean
region of Turkey
. Bekilli district area neighbors the district areas of Çal
and Çivril
, both also depending Denizli
to the west, south and east, and those of two districts of Uşak Province
to the north, namely Ulubey
and Karahallı
.
The town of Bekilli is located midway between the province seats of Denizli and Uşak
, at a distance of 82 km (51 mi) from the first and 86 km (53 mi) from the second.
The town has 11 villages. They are Bükrüce, Çamköy, Çoğaşlı, Deşdemir, Gömce, İkizbaba, Köselli, Poyrazlı, Sırıklı, Üçkuyu and Yeşiloba
(also known as Medele).
The town is renowned for its vineyard
s and celebrates an annual wine festival. Viticulture
is a principal constituent of local culture.
Until the confirmation of its site slightly north of the town and south of the present-day neighboring district center of Karahallı, at a very short distance from Bekilli, the location of Bekilli was one of the leading candidates matched with ancient Pepuza
(as well as its neighboring Tymion
), associated with Montanism
. Nevertheless, there are interesting and yet largely unexplored traces dating from Phrygia
n, Lydia
n, Roman
and early Christian and Byzantine
periods within Bekilli district area itself.
Denizli Province
Denizli Province is a province of Turkey in Western Anatolia, on high ground above the Aegean coast. Neighbouring provinces are Uşak to the north, Burdur, Isparta, Afyon to the east, Aydın, Manisa to the west and Muğla to the south. It is located between the coordinates 28° 30’ and 29° 30’ E and...
in the inner Aegean
Aegean Region
Aegean Region , is one of the 7 census-defined regions of Turkey, and in Western Asia.It is located in the west part of the country: bounded by Aegean Sea on the west; Marmara Region on the north;...
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...
. Bekilli district area neighbors the district areas of Çal
Çal
Çal is a town and a district of Denizli Province in the inner Aegean region of Turkey. Çal district area occupies a central position in the northern part of its province and neighbors the central district of Denizli to the south-west and the district areas of Güney to the west and Honaz to the south...
and Çivril
Çivril
Çivril is a town and district of Denizli Province in the inner Aegean region of Turkey. Çivril district area neighbors those of two districts of Uşak Province to its north, namely Sivaslı and Karahallı, and four districts of Afyonkarahisar Province from the north-east to the south which are,...
, both also depending Denizli
Denizli
Denizli is a growing industrial city in the Southwestern part of Turkey and the eastern end of the alluvial valley formed by the river Büyük Menderes, where the plain reaches an elevation of about a hundred meters. Denizli is located in southwestern Turkey, in the country's Aegean Region.The city...
to the west, south and east, and those of two districts of Uşak Province
Usak Province
Uşak is a province in western Turkey. Its adjacent provinces are Manisa to the west, Denizli to the south, Afyon to the east, and Kütahya to the north. The provincial capital is Uşak, and its traffic code is 64. The province covers an area of 5,341 km² and has a population of 335,860...
to the north, namely Ulubey
Ulubey
Ulubey may refer to;*Ulubey, Ordu, a district of Ordu Province, Turkey*Ulubey , Uşak, a district of Uşak Province, Turkey...
and Karahallı
Karahalli
Karahallı is a town and district of Uşak Province in the inner Aegean region of Turkey. Karahallı district area neighbors those of two other districts of the same province to the north, namely Ulubey and Sivaslı, and to the south those of two districts depending Denizli Province which are Çivril...
.
The town of Bekilli is located midway between the province seats of Denizli and Uşak
Usak
Uşak is a city in the interior part of the Aegean Region of Turkey. The city has a population of 180,414 and is the capital of Uşak Province. The mayor is Ali Erdoğan ....
, at a distance of 82 km (51 mi) from the first and 86 km (53 mi) from the second.
The town has 11 villages. They are Bükrüce, Çamköy, Çoğaşlı, Deşdemir, Gömce, İkizbaba, Köselli, Poyrazlı, Sırıklı, Üçkuyu and Yeşiloba
Yeşiloba
Yeşiloba, also known as Medele is a village in the district of Bekilli, Denizli.It is probably the site of ancient and medieval Motella.-External links:* * *...
(also known as Medele).
The town is renowned for its vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
s and celebrates an annual wine festival. Viticulture
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
is a principal constituent of local culture.
Until the confirmation of its site slightly north of the town and south of the present-day neighboring district center of Karahallı, at a very short distance from Bekilli, the location of Bekilli was one of the leading candidates matched with ancient Pepuza
Pepuza
Pepuza was an ancient town in Phrygia, Asia Minor...
(as well as its neighboring Tymion
Tymion
Tymion was an ancient town in Phrygia, Asia Minor . Its site is located at the Turkish village of Şükranje...
), associated with Montanism
Montanism
Montanism was an early Christian movement of the late 2nd century, later referred to by the name of its founder, Montanus, but originally known by its adherents as the New Prophecy...
. Nevertheless, there are interesting and yet largely unexplored traces dating from Phrygia
Phrygia
In antiquity, Phrygia was a kingdom in the west central part of Anatolia, in what is now modern-day Turkey. The Phrygians initially lived in the southern Balkans; according to Herodotus, under the name of Bryges , changing it to Phruges after their final migration to Anatolia, via the...
n, Lydia
Lydia
Lydia was an Iron Age kingdom of western Asia Minor located generally east of ancient Ionia in the modern Turkish provinces of Manisa and inland İzmir. Its population spoke an Anatolian language known as Lydian....
n, Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
and early Christian and Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
periods within Bekilli district area itself.