Sunday, July 8, 2012

Nicomedia


Nicomedia :Megarian colony  Astacos
Destroyed by major earthquake on 24 Aug. 358 BC
Re-built by Nicodemos 264 BC
The historian Arrian was born here
The Byzantine historian Michael Psellos  was born here in the 11th cent.
Izmit : Nikomedia, gulf of Astacos, founded 712 BC as Astacos, destroyed rebuilt by Nicomedes in 264 BC. Hannibal visited and committed suicide nearby. Constantines interim capital before Constantinople. Constantine died here in 337.
Remains of ancient acropolis, theatre, agora, nympheum (fountain), necropolis, temple to Demeter, city walls,
Home of  Saint George, St. Barbara
The 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia
Earthquake of 1999 killed 19,000






Lefkai (Osmaneli) on Saggarios river

Ruins of a large church of 1890s, nearby a silk-spinning mill
until 1921 population mostly Greek
Bilecik : has many restored houses
Sogut in the area , where the Ottoman Empire was founded in 1299



Bolu : Bithynion (Claudiopolis)

Hittites, Strabo mentions a Hellenistic town famous for pastures and cheese. Acc. to Pausanias, it was founded by Arcadians from Mantinea. Hot springs
 
Beypazari : Lagania, name means rocky peak, old Anastasiopolis after the Emperor visited and liked so much. Famous for 80-layer baklava (usually 40-layer), crystal trona, a kind of natural soda used in glass making

Safranbolu : Saframpolis, from saffron (spice from saffron crocus, Akrotiri, Santorini)

District Kirankoy : famous for Greek houses with rock
 
Kastamonu : Kastra Komneni : Isaac I Komnenos built a fortress
Siye : Kumyaka monastery
 
Cankiri : Gangra, old Germanicopolis, from Hittites,
     Synod of Gangra in 340 AD









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