Lapseki
Encyclopedia
Lapseki is a town and district of Çanakkale Province
, Turkey
. As of 2010, it has a population of 10,889. The mayor is Gani Mehmet Ekim (MHP
).
The district of Lapseki is famous for its cherries; a cherry festival is held annually in this town.
colonists from Phocaea
in the 6th century BC. Soon afterwards it became a main competitor of Miletus
, controlling the trade roots in the Dardanelles
. The modern Turkish
name derives from the original Greek name.
Lapseki was founded about 500 BC, one of 4 settlements along the Dardanelles at that time. In ancient times, while the city was under the rule of King Mendrom and named Pityausa, the king, who defended the colonists from Foça from the attacks of the local people, minted coins for the first time in its history in the name of his daughter Lapseke and later the city was given this name by the colonists to express their indebtedness to him. In this way, the name Lampsakos, then Lapseki, was passed down to the present day.
The city was under the Byzantines for a long period then passed into Ottoman hands after its conquest by Süleyman Pasha in1356. Occupied at the end of World War I, the town was freed from the British and French forces on 25 September 1922 as a result of the unity and solidarity of the people of Lapseki, toward the end of the War of Independence. In the district are the graves of 15,000 soldiers who lost their lives during the War of Independence.
Çanakkale Province
Çanakkale Province is a province of Turkey, located in the northwestern part of the country. It takes its name from the town of Çanakkale.Like Istanbul, Çanakkale province has a European and an Asian part. The European part is formed by the Gallipoli peninsula, while the Asian part is largely...
, 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...
. As of 2010, it has a population of 10,889. The mayor is Gani Mehmet Ekim (MHP
Nationalist Movement Party
The Nationalist Movement Party , is a far-right political party in Turkey.In the 2002 general elections, the party had lost its 129 seats as it had won only 8.34% of the national vote...
).
History
The town was founded by GreekGreeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
colonists from Phocaea
Phocaea
Phocaea, or Phokaia, was an ancient Ionian Greek city on the western coast of Anatolia. Greek colonists from Phocaea founded the colony of Massalia in 600 BC, Emporion in 575 BC and Elea in 540 BC.-Geography:Phocaea was the northernmost...
in the 6th century BC. Soon afterwards it became a main competitor of Miletus
Miletus
Miletus was an ancient Greek city on the western coast of Anatolia , near the mouth of the Maeander River in ancient Caria...
, controlling the trade roots in the Dardanelles
Dardanelles
The Dardanelles , formerly known as the Hellespont, is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara. It is one of the Turkish Straits, along with its counterpart the Bosphorus. It is located at approximately...
. The modern Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
name derives from the original Greek name.
Lapseki was founded about 500 BC, one of 4 settlements along the Dardanelles at that time. In ancient times, while the city was under the rule of King Mendrom and named Pityausa, the king, who defended the colonists from Foça from the attacks of the local people, minted coins for the first time in its history in the name of his daughter Lapseke and later the city was given this name by the colonists to express their indebtedness to him. In this way, the name Lampsakos, then Lapseki, was passed down to the present day.
The city was under the Byzantines for a long period then passed into Ottoman hands after its conquest by Süleyman Pasha in1356. Occupied at the end of World War I, the town was freed from the British and French forces on 25 September 1922 as a result of the unity and solidarity of the people of Lapseki, toward the end of the War of Independence. In the district are the graves of 15,000 soldiers who lost their lives during the War of Independence.
Economy
Possessing all the natural beauty of the Dardanelles, the primary livelihood of the people in the area is agriculture with fishing and tourism also being important. The most famous fruits of the district are cherries and peaches. First held in 1983, the annual Cherry Festival takes place 2-12 June. A fair is also held in Lapseki on 1-4 SeptemberSee also
- LampsacusLampsacusLampsacus was an ancient Greek city strategically located on the eastern side of the Hellespont in the northern Troad. An inhabitant of Lampsacus was called a Lampsacene. The name has been transmitted in the nearby modern town of Lapseki.-Ancient history:...
- Abramios the RecluseAbramios The RecluseSaint Abramios the Recluse was an early Christian hermit and ascetic from Edessa.-Biography:Abramios was born in 290 AD in Edessa . On the day of his wedding, he left his fiancée and went to the coast of the Sea of Marmara, near Lampsacus...