Dikili
Encyclopedia
Dikili is a coastal town and a district of İzmir Province
in the Aegean Region of Turkey
. The district is quite picturesque both along its shoreline and in its interior parts, and is a popular summer resort. The center town of Dikili is situated at about 120 km (75 mi) north of İzmir
, served by a good road. The notable township of Çandarlı
(ancient Pitane
) is located close to Dikili.
The whole area abounds in places of natural beauty as well as spots of historical interest. There is a crater lake
in Merdivenli village, and ancient caverns in Demirtaş and Delitaş villages, as well as pine forests extending towards the Madra Stream. The area is also famous for its thermal springs, which are in Nebiler, Bademli
and Kocaoba
villages. Furthermore, the beaches in Bademli
and Denizköy are important tourist attractions within the region. Dikili has a fine port large enough to accommodate three passenger ships simultaneously, and the port has good land transport connections.
The Merkez Mosque
is a rare example of a wooden construction dating from 1789. It was built without using any nails in the construction.
Dikili also has a rich history extending back to prehistory, and the ancient and as yet unexplored site of Atarneus
is located nearby. The site is called "Atarna" locally.
Dikili town center is situated opposite the Greek
island of Lesbos.
A small islet within Dikili district (called Garip Adası locally, with ancient sources also citing the name Argounissai) made international headlines in April 2007. The islet is offered for sale by its proprietors and The Guardian
reported the Greek islanders of Lesbos raising money among themselves to buy the islet.
Dikili becomes largely deserted in winter, except for permanent residents who live there all year round. In summer months, tourists, principally Turkish
, who own summer houses in the region come to Dikili for their holidays, or for weekends.
Izmir Province
İzmir Province is a province of Turkey in western Anatolia on the Aegean coast, whose capital is the city of İzmir. On the west it is surrounded by the Aegean sea, and it encloses the Gulf of İzmir. Its area is 11,973 km.2, population 3.948.848 . The population was 3,370,866 in 2000...
in the Aegean 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 district is quite picturesque both along its shoreline and in its interior parts, and is a popular summer resort. The center town of Dikili is situated at about 120 km (75 mi) north of İzmir
Izmir
Izmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
, served by a good road. The notable township of Çandarlı
Çandarli
Çandarlı is a coastal township with own municipality within the district of Dikili in western Turkey's İzmir Province. It is a well-developed town and an important tourist resort...
(ancient Pitane
Pitane (Aeolis)
Pitane , near Çandarlı, Turkey, was an ancient Greek town of Aeolis, in Asia Minor. In ancient times it was a port city and a member of the Delian League. About 334 BC, Alexander the Great tried to take over the city, but was repulsed by Memnon of Rhodes and 5,000 Greek mercenaries provided by...
) is located close to Dikili.
The whole area abounds in places of natural beauty as well as spots of historical interest. There is a crater lake
Crater lake
A crater lake is a lake that forms in a volcanic crater or caldera, such as a maar; less commonly and with lower association to the term a lake may form in an impact crater caused by a meteorite. Sometimes lakes which form inside calderas are called caldera lakes, but often this distinction is not...
in Merdivenli village, and ancient caverns in Demirtaş and Delitaş villages, as well as pine forests extending towards the Madra Stream. The area is also famous for its thermal springs, which are in Nebiler, Bademli
Bademli
Bademli is a place name in Turkish and it maty refer to several villages in Turkey*Bademli, Dinar , a village in Afyon Province*Bademli, Emirdağ a village in Afyon Province*Bademli, Şuhut a village in Afyon Province*Bademli, Dikili a village in İzmir Province...
and Kocaoba
Kocaoba
Kocaoba is a village in İzmir Province, Turkey. Administratively, it's part of Dikili district and it is at the east of Dikili. The distance to Aegean Sea coast is . The population of the village is 219. as of 2010....
villages. Furthermore, the beaches in Bademli
Bademli
Bademli is a place name in Turkish and it maty refer to several villages in Turkey*Bademli, Dinar , a village in Afyon Province*Bademli, Emirdağ a village in Afyon Province*Bademli, Şuhut a village in Afyon Province*Bademli, Dikili a village in İzmir Province...
and Denizköy are important tourist attractions within the region. Dikili has a fine port large enough to accommodate three passenger ships simultaneously, and the port has good land transport connections.
The Merkez Mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
is a rare example of a wooden construction dating from 1789. It was built without using any nails in the construction.
Dikili also has a rich history extending back to prehistory, and the ancient and as yet unexplored site of Atarneus
Atarneus
Atarneus was an ancient city in the region of Aeolis, Asia Minor. It lies on the mainland opposite the island of Lesbos, northeast of the town of Dikili in modern-day Turkey....
is located nearby. The site is called "Atarna" locally.
Dikili town center is situated opposite the Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
island of Lesbos.
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
reported the Greek islanders of Lesbos raising money among themselves to buy the islet.
Dikili becomes largely deserted in winter, except for permanent residents who live there all year round. In summer months, tourists, principally Turkish
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
, who own summer houses in the region come to Dikili for their holidays, or for weekends.
External links
- Dikili Guide
- http://www.dikiliguide.com/
- http://www.dikilide.com/