Salihli
Encyclopedia
Salihli is a large town and district of Manisa Province
in the Aegean
region of Turkey
.
-Ankara
(E 96) highway and the parallel railway connections. The urban zone is situated on the slopes of Bozdağ mountain chain along the southern alluvial plains of the Gediz River
. To the north and northeast of the plain extend two other mountain ranges, respectively those of the mounts Dibek (highest altitude 1.120 m) and Üşümüş (highest altitude 1085 m).
The town lies at an altitude of 125 meters from the sea level. Its advantageous location, smooth and busy intercity connections and the fertile soil allowed Salihli to develop extremely well in recent past.
Four streams, namely Alaşehir, Gümüş, Kurşunlu and Sart cross the district area to join the River Gediz, which flows westward. The climate type is Mediterranean climate
. To the 24 km (15 mi) north of the city is Demirköprü Dam
, used for irrigation, prevention of overflows, energy production and fishing, and which was built between 1954 and 1960.
The population figures in the 2000 census were 149,150 for the whole district and 83,137 for the urban center of Salihli. (The urban population is 96,304 as of 2009)
Aside from the city of Salihli, the district counts 8 townships with own municipalities. These are (Adala, Durasıllı, Gökeyüp, Mersinli, Poyrazdamları, Sart
, Taytan and Yılmaz
). Of these Sart corresponds to the location of ancient Sardes, the capital of Lydia
.
The district area is surrounded by the neighboring districts of Ahmetli
to the west, Gölmarmara
to the northwest, Gördes
and Köprübaşı to the north, Demirci
to the northeast, Kula
to the east, Alaşehir
to the southeast and Ödemiş
to the south.
The distances from Salihli to the seat of neighboring provinces are as follows:
The distances from Salihli to another cities of Manisa
are as the following:
in the region. However, the region came to foremost importance with the establishment of the city of Sardes, which is located 7 km (4 mi) west of Salihli center and where the most remarkable historical artifacts and remains of the region are found.
Sardes was the capital city of Lydia
until 547 B.C., at which date it was captured by the Persian Empire and governed by satraps until 334 B.C.. After the Persians, the region was governed successively by the Macedonian Empire, the Kingdom of the Attalids, Roman Empire
and Byzantine Empire
. In the beginning of the 14th century, Turks under the Beylik
of Saruhan
captured the city and the region and ruled it for a century from their base in nearby Manisa
. In 1400 the region passed over to the Ottoman Empire
under which Manisa preserved its position as a primary regional center. In the beginning of the Ottoman rule, Salihli was a village of the kaza of Sart
, depending the province seat of Aydın
, situated more to the south, and was called Evlâd-i Salih (meaning "the children of Salih" in English
). In the 19th century, with the construction of İzmir
-Uşak
-Afyon railway, Salihli demonstrated a much more rapid pace of progress compared to Sart and gained township status in 1872, when it became a kaza of the sancak of Saruhan
(Manisa
).
During the Greco-Turkish War
, the city was taken by Greek forces on 24 July 1920, then re-taken by the Turkish army on 5 September 1922. According to a number of sources, the retreating Greek army carried out a scorched-earth policy while fleeing from Anatolia during the final phase of the war. According to James Loder Park, the U.S. Vice-Consul in Constantinople at the time, who toured much of the devastated area immediately after the Greek evacuation, 65% of Salihli had been destroyed.
After the war, Salihli became one of the biggest and the most important districts of Manisa
.
It is not always easy to make estimates on Salihli's population before the establishment of the Republic of Turkey due to the lack of adequate sources. However, a population of 500 people was confirmed for Sart during the 1831 census. The city grew quite fast after the construction of the railway until the Turkish War of Independence
. In the yearbook of 1891, 3000 people and in the yearbook of 1908, 4400 people were documented to be living in Salihli. In the first Republican census of 1927, 7191 people were recorded. The departure of the town's minority populations in 1923 also caused the population to decrease.
Salihli has always been an attractive destination for immigrants. In the Ottoman era, the region was a favorite stopover for nomad clans (aşiret). Today, it is still possible to trace the names of some of the region's villages to the original aşiret names such as Karayahşi, Araplı, Burhan, Beylikli, Çökelek, Eldelek, Dombaylı, Durasıllı, Sindel etc. Moreover, some aşiret names refer to unsettled localities, such as Sığıralcısı, Bayındırlı, Karatekeli, Kuşdoğanlı, Kacar
, Taras
, Karakeçili
. After the 1890s until the 1950s, Salihli also attracted many immigrants moving into Turkey from the Balkans
, from Yugoslavia
and Bulgaria
particularly. Many refugees fleeing the disturbances in Eastern Turkistan also chose to live in Salihli.
By considering the population increase rate according to 1985–1990 census, as of 1995 an approximate number of 170000 people were living inside the boundary of the city.
According to the census of 2009, the population in Salihli (including rural area) is 155 333 where 96 503 people were recorded in the city center.
This part of the population, mainly Kazakhs
and known as Türkistanlılar in the city came to Salihli between 1954 and 1955 in the following years. After the 1970s, some immigration from Eastern Anatolia also came to strengthen the ranks of the previous immigrants. Counter movements in the population were towards Turkey's big cities and to Europe
, especially to Germany
and France
).
Agriculture:
The main agricultural products are seedless Sultana grapes
, wheat
, barley
, cotton
, tobacco
and maize
. The fertility of the region's soil also allows for the cultivation of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Cherries known as the Napoleon breed grown especially in the villages of Allahdiyen and Gökköy and the potatoes locally known as Bozdağ potatoes are particularly famous.
Stockbreeding is another source of income for rural inhabitants, of rising importance especially in the last decade.
Industry:
The recent building of Salihli Organized Industrial Zone (in Turkish
Salihli Organize Sanayi Bölgesi), extending over an area of 111 hectares in a triangular zone between the close district centers of Salihli, Alaşehir
and Kula
, became a great opportunity to provide new employment opportunities in the region and accelerate the pace of industrialization.
Smaller industrial enterprises are concentrated in Salihli self, where there are 32 brick works and tileries drawing on the region's rich reserves in raw materials for bricks, 2 flour mills, 2 valonia oak factories, 10 cotton gin
factories, 2 grape operating works, 1 feed grain factory, 1 industrial tube factory, 1 tomato dressing factory, 2 olive oil mills, 2 beverage factories, 1 water bottling factory, 1 mineral water company and 1 emery rock factory.
Tourism:
The remains of Sardis
, which notably includes the Lydian King named Giges's tomb, the Artemis
Temple and a Marble Court with Gymnasium built by the Romans
, as well as other historical vestiges are widely visited by tourists, nationally and internationally.
To the 5 and 14 km (9 mi). south of the town, there are lead and mud baths named Kurşunlu Kaplıcaları, which are famous across the region. These thermal springs are visited especially to treat rheumatic disorders, sciatica
, lumbago, arthritis
, neuralgia
, orthopaedic disorders, several skin diseases, some gynecological conditions and kidney disorders. Moreover, a recent geothermal energy production project intends to use these thermal sources and provide heating for the city of Salihli.
There are also many excursion possibilities around Salihli. 'Bozdağ' summits and the Lake Gölcük located near the top of one of the summits at a very high altitude is an area of great natural beauty, as well as a prized ski resort in winter. The restaurants and cafes situated on the hills around Bozdağ offer a beautiful overview of Salihli.
Sports activities are also quite developed in and the city was represented for a long time in the Turkish Second League by Yeni Salihlispor. Today, nearly 1500 licensed sportsmen are competing in various sports activities in Salihli, such as football, basketball
, volleyball
, table tennis
, judo
, wrestling
, oil wrestling
, folk dance
and chess
. There are 10 football clubs representing Salihli in amateur league of Turkey and 1 female volleyball club is in the 2nd league. Under Salihli Municipality's structure, Turkish folk music
, Turkish Classical Music and Children's Chorus organizations also have a place and modern ballet
and other dance schools, folk dances, piano, drawing and theater lessons are also supported. Especially in Judo, there are several international sporties, Team of judo has got gold, silver and bronze medals in the world championships and countless medals in national tournaments.
is also reflected in the cuisine. In wedding ceremonies held in the villages, dishes like keşkek and topalak are often cooked, and some people make their own rakı
with sweet sultana
grapes.
Manisa Province
Manisa Province is a province in western Turkey. Its neighboring provinces are İzmir to the west, Aydın to the south, Denizli to the south east, Uşak to the east, Kütahya to the north east, and Balıkesir to the north...
in the 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...
.
Geography
The city of Salihli, the seat of the district, is located on İzmirIzmir
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...
-Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
(E 96) highway and the parallel railway connections. The urban zone is situated on the slopes of Bozdağ mountain chain along the southern alluvial plains of the Gediz River
Gediz River
-Name:The ancient name of the river was Hermos or Hermus.The name of the river Gediz may be related to the Lydian proper name Cadys; Gediz is also the name of a town near the river's sources. The name "Gediz" may also be encountered as a male name in Turkey.-Ancient geography:The Hermos separated...
. To the north and northeast of the plain extend two other mountain ranges, respectively those of the mounts Dibek (highest altitude 1.120 m) and Üşümüş (highest altitude 1085 m).
The town lies at an altitude of 125 meters from the sea level. Its advantageous location, smooth and busy intercity connections and the fertile soil allowed Salihli to develop extremely well in recent past.
Four streams, namely Alaşehir, Gümüş, Kurşunlu and Sart cross the district area to join the River Gediz, which flows westward. The climate type is Mediterranean climate
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
. To the 24 km (15 mi) north of the city is Demirköprü Dam
Demirköprü Dam
Demirköprü Dam is an embankment dam on the Gediz River in Manisa Province, Turkey. Constructed between 1954 and 1960, the development was backed by the Turkish State Hydraulic Works. The dams supports a 69 MW power station and provides water for the irrigation of .-References:*, State Hydraulic...
, used for irrigation, prevention of overflows, energy production and fishing, and which was built between 1954 and 1960.
The population figures in the 2000 census were 149,150 for the whole district and 83,137 for the urban center of Salihli. (The urban population is 96,304 as of 2009)
Aside from the city of Salihli, the district counts 8 townships with own municipalities. These are (Adala, Durasıllı, Gökeyüp, Mersinli, Poyrazdamları, Sart
Sart
Sart is a name for the settled inhabitants of Central Asia which has had shifting meanings over the centuries. Sarts, known sometimes as Ak-Sart in ancient times, did not have any particular ethnic identification, and were usually town-dwellers.-Origin:There are several theories about the origin...
, Taytan and Yılmaz
Yilmaz
Yılmaz is a Turkish word that translates to unshirking, unbeatable or brave, and is a common male given name and surname.-Given name:* Yilmaz Arslan , Kurdish film director, screenwriter and producer...
). Of these Sart corresponds to the location of ancient Sardes, the capital of 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....
.
The district area is surrounded by the neighboring districts of Ahmetli
Ahmetli
Ahmetli is a town and district of Manisa Province in the Aegean region of Turkey. According to the 2000 census, population of the district is 18,852 of which 11,011 live in the town of Ahmetli. The district covers an area of , and the town lies at an elevation of .-External links:* * *...
to the west, Gölmarmara
Gölmarmara
Gölmarmara is a town and district of Manisa Province in Turkey's Aegean at a distance of from the province center of Manisa. The town owes its name to the nearby Lake Marmara, called under various names throughout history. The town of Gölmarmara itself was a mere village in Ottoman times cited...
to the northwest, Gördes
Gördes
Gördes is a town and district of Manisa Province in the Aegean region of Turkey. According to the 2000 census, population of the district is 38,110 of which 10,809 live in the town of Gördes. The district covers an area of , and the town lies at an elevation of .-Economy:Gördes is one of the...
and Köprübaşı to the north, Demirci
Demirci
Demirci is a town and district of Manisa Province in the Aegean region of Turkey. According to the 2000 census, population of the district is 59,314 of which 21,230 live in the town of Demirci. The district covers an area of , and the town lies at an elevation of .-Economy:Demirci is one of the...
to the northeast, Kula
Kula, Manisa
Kula is a town and district of Manisa Province in the Aegean region of Turkey. According to the 2000 census, population of the district is 52,986 of which 24,217 live in the town of Kula...
to the east, Alaşehir
Alasehir
Alaşehir, in Antiquity and the Middle Ages known as Philadelphia , i.e. " brotherly love" is a town and district of Manisa Province in the Aegean region of Turkey. It is situated in the valley of the Kuzuçay , at the foot of the Bozdağ...
to the southeast and Ödemiş
Ödemis
Ödemiş is a district of İzmir Province of Turkey. North of Ödemiş, which is 113 km southeast of İzmir, are the ruins of Hypaiapa...
to the south.
The distances from Salihli to the seat of neighboring provinces are as follows:
| in km | Manisa | İzmir | Balıkesir | Uşak | Denizli |
| Salihli | 72 | 96 | 144 | 120 | 110 |
The distances from Salihli to another cities of Manisa
Manisa
Manisa is a large city in Turkey's Aegean Region and the administrative seat of Manisa Province.Modern Manisa is a booming center of industry and services, advantaged by its closeness to the international port city and the regional metropolitan center of İzmir and by its fertile hinterland rich in...
are as the following:
| in km | Alaşehir | Ahmetli | Akhisar | Demirci | Gölmarmara | Gördes | Kula | Köprübaşı | Saruhanlı | Sarıgöl | Selendi | Turgutlu |
| Salihli | 40 | 18 | 66 | 102 | 40 | 88 | 42 | 53 | 52 | 53 | 80 | 42 |
History
Salihli is a city with a long history. The fossile footprints discovered near the villages of Sindel and Çarıklar, Manisa, estimated to be between 10000 and 26000 years old, are the first traces of prehistoryPrehistory
Prehistory is the span of time before recorded history. Prehistory can refer to the period of human existence before the availability of those written records with which recorded history begins. More broadly, it refers to all the time preceding human existence and the invention of writing...
in the region. However, the region came to foremost importance with the establishment of the city of Sardes, which is located 7 km (4 mi) west of Salihli center and where the most remarkable historical artifacts and remains of the region are found.
Sardes was the capital city of 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....
until 547 B.C., at which date it was captured by the Persian Empire and governed by satraps until 334 B.C.. After the Persians, the region was governed successively by the Macedonian Empire, the Kingdom of the Attalids, Roman Empire
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 Byzantine Empire
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...
. In the beginning of the 14th century, Turks under the Beylik
Bey
Bey is a title for chieftain, traditionally applied to the leaders of small tribal groups. Accoding to some sources, the word "Bey" is of Turkish language In historical accounts, many Turkish, other Turkic and Persian leaders are titled Bey, Beg, Bek, Bay, Baig or Beigh. They are all the same word...
of Saruhan
Saruhan
The Sarukhanids or Sarukhanid dynasty , also known as the Principality of Saruhan and Beylik of Saruhan , was one of the Anatolian beyliks, centered in Manisa.It was one of the frontier principalities established by Oghuz Turkish clans after the decline of the Anatolian Seljuk...
captured the city and the region and ruled it for a century from their base in nearby Manisa
Manisa
Manisa is a large city in Turkey's Aegean Region and the administrative seat of Manisa Province.Modern Manisa is a booming center of industry and services, advantaged by its closeness to the international port city and the regional metropolitan center of İzmir and by its fertile hinterland rich in...
. In 1400 the region passed over to the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
under which Manisa preserved its position as a primary regional center. In the beginning of the Ottoman rule, Salihli was a village of the kaza of Sart
Sart
Sart is a name for the settled inhabitants of Central Asia which has had shifting meanings over the centuries. Sarts, known sometimes as Ak-Sart in ancient times, did not have any particular ethnic identification, and were usually town-dwellers.-Origin:There are several theories about the origin...
, depending the province seat of Aydın
Aydin
Aydın is a city in and the seat of Aydın Province in Turkey's Aegean Region. The city is located at the heart of the lower valley of Büyük Menderes River at a commanding position for the region extending from the uplands of the valley down to the seacoast...
, situated more to the south, and was called Evlâd-i Salih (meaning "the children of Salih" in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
). In the 19th century, with the construction 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...
-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 ....
-Afyon railway, Salihli demonstrated a much more rapid pace of progress compared to Sart and gained township status in 1872, when it became a kaza of the sancak of Saruhan
Saruhan
The Sarukhanids or Sarukhanid dynasty , also known as the Principality of Saruhan and Beylik of Saruhan , was one of the Anatolian beyliks, centered in Manisa.It was one of the frontier principalities established by Oghuz Turkish clans after the decline of the Anatolian Seljuk...
(Manisa
Manisa
Manisa is a large city in Turkey's Aegean Region and the administrative seat of Manisa Province.Modern Manisa is a booming center of industry and services, advantaged by its closeness to the international port city and the regional metropolitan center of İzmir and by its fertile hinterland rich in...
).
During the Greco-Turkish War
Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922)
The Greco–Turkish War of 1919–1922, known as the Western Front of the Turkish War of Independence in Turkey and the Asia Minor Campaign or the Asia Minor Catastrophe in Greece, was a series of military events occurring during the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire after World War I between May...
, the city was taken by Greek forces on 24 July 1920, then re-taken by the Turkish army on 5 September 1922. According to a number of sources, the retreating Greek army carried out a scorched-earth policy while fleeing from Anatolia during the final phase of the war. According to James Loder Park, the U.S. Vice-Consul in Constantinople at the time, who toured much of the devastated area immediately after the Greek evacuation, 65% of Salihli had been destroyed.
After the war, Salihli became one of the biggest and the most important districts of Manisa
Manisa
Manisa is a large city in Turkey's Aegean Region and the administrative seat of Manisa Province.Modern Manisa is a booming center of industry and services, advantaged by its closeness to the international port city and the regional metropolitan center of İzmir and by its fertile hinterland rich in...
.
It is not always easy to make estimates on Salihli's population before the establishment of the Republic of Turkey due to the lack of adequate sources. However, a population of 500 people was confirmed for Sart during the 1831 census. The city grew quite fast after the construction of the railway until the Turkish War of Independence
Turkish War of Independence
The Turkish War of Independence was a war of independence waged by Turkish nationalists against the Allies, after the country was partitioned by the Allies following the Ottoman Empire's defeat in World War I...
. In the yearbook of 1891, 3000 people and in the yearbook of 1908, 4400 people were documented to be living in Salihli. In the first Republican census of 1927, 7191 people were recorded. The departure of the town's minority populations in 1923 also caused the population to decrease.
Salihli has always been an attractive destination for immigrants. In the Ottoman era, the region was a favorite stopover for nomad clans (aşiret). Today, it is still possible to trace the names of some of the region's villages to the original aşiret names such as Karayahşi, Araplı, Burhan, Beylikli, Çökelek, Eldelek, Dombaylı, Durasıllı, Sindel etc. Moreover, some aşiret names refer to unsettled localities, such as Sığıralcısı, Bayındırlı, Karatekeli, Kuşdoğanlı, Kacar
Kacar
Kačar can refer to:*Gojko Kačar, a Serbian soccer player*Slobodan Kačar, a Yugoslavian boxer*Tadija Kačar, a Yugoslavian boxer...
, Taras
Taras
Taras may mean:* Taras, ancient city of Magna Graecia, modern Taranto.* Taraš, a village in Vojvodina, Serbia.* Taras , the son of Poseidon and of the nymph Satyrion....
, Karakeçili
Karakeçili
Karakeçili is a town and district of Kırıkkale Province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. According to 2000 census, population of the district is 8,296 of which 7,851 live in the town of Karakeçili.-External links:*...
. After the 1890s until the 1950s, Salihli also attracted many immigrants moving into Turkey from the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
, from Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
and Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
particularly. Many refugees fleeing the disturbances in Eastern Turkistan also chose to live in Salihli.
By considering the population increase rate according to 1985–1990 census, as of 1995 an approximate number of 170000 people were living inside the boundary of the city.
According to the census of 2009, the population in Salihli (including rural area) is 155 333 where 96 503 people were recorded in the city center.
This part of the population, mainly Kazakhs
Kazakhs
The Kazakhs are a Turkic people of the northern parts of Central Asia ....
and known as Türkistanlılar in the city came to Salihli between 1954 and 1955 in the following years. After the 1970s, some immigration from Eastern Anatolia also came to strengthen the ranks of the previous immigrants. Counter movements in the population were towards Turkey's big cities and to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, especially to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
).
Economy
The economy of the city is based on agriculture, agricultural commerce and industry.Agriculture:
The main agricultural products are seedless Sultana grapes
Sultana (grape)
The sultana is a type of white, seedless grape assumed to originate from the Turkish, Greek, or Iranian area...
, wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
, barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
, cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
, tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
and maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
. The fertility of the region's soil also allows for the cultivation of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Cherries known as the Napoleon breed grown especially in the villages of Allahdiyen and Gökköy and the potatoes locally known as Bozdağ potatoes are particularly famous.
Stockbreeding is another source of income for rural inhabitants, of rising importance especially in the last decade.
Industry:
The recent building of Salihli Organized Industrial Zone (in 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,...
Salihli Organize Sanayi Bölgesi), extending over an area of 111 hectares in a triangular zone between the close district centers of Salihli, Alaşehir
Alasehir
Alaşehir, in Antiquity and the Middle Ages known as Philadelphia , i.e. " brotherly love" is a town and district of Manisa Province in the Aegean region of Turkey. It is situated in the valley of the Kuzuçay , at the foot of the Bozdağ...
and Kula
Kula, Manisa
Kula is a town and district of Manisa Province in the Aegean region of Turkey. According to the 2000 census, population of the district is 52,986 of which 24,217 live in the town of Kula...
, became a great opportunity to provide new employment opportunities in the region and accelerate the pace of industrialization.
Smaller industrial enterprises are concentrated in Salihli self, where there are 32 brick works and tileries drawing on the region's rich reserves in raw materials for bricks, 2 flour mills, 2 valonia oak factories, 10 cotton gin
Cotton gin
A cotton gin is a machine that quickly and easily separates cotton fibers from their seeds, a job formerly performed painstakingly by hand...
factories, 2 grape operating works, 1 feed grain factory, 1 industrial tube factory, 1 tomato dressing factory, 2 olive oil mills, 2 beverage factories, 1 water bottling factory, 1 mineral water company and 1 emery rock factory.
Tourism:
The remains of Sardis
Sardis
Sardis or Sardes was an ancient city at the location of modern Sart in Turkey's Manisa Province...
, which notably includes the Lydian King named Giges's tomb, the Artemis
Artemis
Artemis was one of the most widely venerated of the Ancient Greek deities. Her Roman equivalent is Diana. Some scholars believe that the name and indeed the goddess herself was originally pre-Greek. Homer refers to her as Artemis Agrotera, Potnia Theron: "Artemis of the wildland, Mistress of Animals"...
Temple and a Marble Court with Gymnasium built by the Romans
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....
, as well as other historical vestiges are widely visited by tourists, nationally and internationally.
To the 5 and 14 km (9 mi). south of the town, there are lead and mud baths named Kurşunlu Kaplıcaları, which are famous across the region. These thermal springs are visited especially to treat rheumatic disorders, sciatica
Sciatica
Sciatica is a set of symptoms including pain that may be caused by general compression or irritation of one of five spinal nerve roots that give rise to each sciatic nerve, or by compression or irritation of the left or right or both sciatic nerves. The pain is felt in the lower back, buttock, or...
, lumbago, arthritis
Arthritis
Arthritis is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints....
, neuralgia
Neuralgia
Neuralgia is pain in one or more nerves that occurs without stimulation of pain receptor cells. Neuralgia pain is produced by a change in neurological structure or function rather than by the excitation of pain receptors that causes nociceptive pain. Neuralgia falls into two categories: central...
, orthopaedic disorders, several skin diseases, some gynecological conditions and kidney disorders. Moreover, a recent geothermal energy production project intends to use these thermal sources and provide heating for the city of Salihli.
There are also many excursion possibilities around Salihli. 'Bozdağ' summits and the Lake Gölcük located near the top of one of the summits at a very high altitude is an area of great natural beauty, as well as a prized ski resort in winter. The restaurants and cafes situated on the hills around Bozdağ offer a beautiful overview of Salihli.
Culture and sports activities
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, table tennis
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
, judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
, wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
, oil wrestling
Oil wrestling
Oil wrestling , also called grease wrestling, is the Turkish national sport. It is so called because the wrestlers douse themselves with olive oil. It is related to the Uzbeki kurash, Tuvan khuresh and Tatar köräş...
, folk dance
Folk dance
The term folk dance describes dances that share some or all of the following attributes:*They are dances performed at social functions by people with little or no professional training, often to traditional music or music based on traditional music....
and chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
. There are 10 football clubs representing Salihli in amateur league of Turkey and 1 female volleyball club is in the 2nd league. Under Salihli Municipality's structure, Turkish folk music
Turkish folk music
Turkish folk music combines the distinct cultural values of all civilisations that have lived in Anatolia and the Ottoman territories in Europe and Asia...
, Turkish Classical Music and Children's Chorus organizations also have a place and modern ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
and other dance schools, folk dances, piano, drawing and theater lessons are also supported. Especially in Judo, there are several international sporties, Team of judo has got gold, silver and bronze medals in the world championships and countless medals in national tournaments.
Cuisine
Besides other Turkish dishes, Salihli has a particular köfte variety of its own, named Odun Köfte. Gökeyüp village's Güveç stews are also particularly famous in the region. Production of high quality grapes, especially Sultana grapesSultana (grape)
The sultana is a type of white, seedless grape assumed to originate from the Turkish, Greek, or Iranian area...
is also reflected in the cuisine. In wedding ceremonies held in the villages, dishes like keşkek and topalak are often cooked, and some people make their own rakı
Raki
-Alcoholic beverages:*Rakı, an anise-flavored spirit popular in Turkey*Any anise-flavored drink.-Fictional characters:*Raki, a character in the manga/anime series Claymore*Raki, a character in the game Ar tonelico II: Melody of Metafalica...
with sweet sultana
Sultana (grape)
The sultana is a type of white, seedless grape assumed to originate from the Turkish, Greek, or Iranian area...
grapes.