Isparta is a city in western

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula ...

and the capital of Isparta Province. The city's population was 222,556 in 2010 and its elevation is 1035 m. It is known as the "City of Roses". Isparta is well-connected to other parts of Turkey via roads.

Antalya la, Attalensis grc, Ἀτταλειώτης , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = 07xxx , area_code = (+90) 242 , registration_plate = 07 , blank_name = Licence plate ...

lies 130 km to the south and Eskişehir is 350 km to the north. Süleyman Demirel University has introduced thousands of youths from varied backgrounds to the city's mostly conservative fabric in recent years. The city's

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly ...

team, Ispartaspor, plays in Group 7 of the Turkish Regional Amateur League.

History

Roman era

Isparta is a Turkish spelling of Greek ''Sparta'', by prothesis de clustering. Isparta was said to correspond to the ancient city of Baris, which is a namesake and was part of the

Roman province The Roman provinces (Latin: ''provincia'', pl. ''provinciae'') were the administrative regions of Ancient Rome outside Roman Italy that were controlled by the Romans under the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire. Each province was rule ...

of Pisidia. A later theory has it instead as the Eastern Roman fortress Saporda; in Muslim sources it appears as Sabarta. GE Bean characterized the situation thus: "These perpetually shifting conceptions leave the reader quite bewildered." Modern scholars locate Baris near Kılıç, in Keçiborlu district, Isparta province. At an early stage it became a

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι� ...

bishopric, a

suffragan A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations. In the Anglican Communion, a suffragan bishop is a bishop who is subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop (bishop ordinary) and so is not normally jurisdiction ...

of the

Metropolitan see Metropolitan may refer to: * Metropolitan area, a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories * Metropolitan borough, a form of local government district in England * Metropolitan county, a t ...

Antioch of Pisidia Antioch in Pisidia – alternatively Antiochia in Pisidia or Pisidian Antioch ( el, Ἀντιόχεια τῆς Πισιδίας) and in Roman Empire, Latin: ''Antiochia Caesareia'' or ''Antiochia Colonia Caesarea'' – was a city in th ...

, the capital of the province. The names of two of its

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ...

s are known with certainty: Heraclius participated in the First Council of Nicaea in 325 and Leo in the

Second Council of Nicaea The Second Council of Nicaea is recognized as the last of the first seven ecumenical councils by the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church. In addition, it is also recognized as such by the Old Catholics, the Anglican Communion, an ...

in 787. In addition, Paulus was at the

Council of Constantinople (869) The Fourth Council of Constantinople was the eighth ecumenical council of the Catholic Church held in Constantinople from October 5, 869, to February 28, 870. It was poorly attended, the first session by only 12 bishops and the number of bisho ...

and Stephanus was at the Council of Constantinople (879), but one or both of these may have been of the Baris in the Roman province of Hellespontus. Like most sees in Asia Minor, it faded away. *1071: Conquered by the Seljuk Turks. *Late 13th century: Becomes part of the Hamidids. *1381: Isparta is sold to the Ottoman sultan Murad I by the Hamidid Emir. *Late 19th century: Muslim refugees from the

Balkans The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...

settle around Isparta. The Bulgarian refugees brought the knowledge of kazanlik rosewater production with them, leading to Isparta's nickname: city of roses. *1914: According to the 1914 Ottoman population statistics, the district of Isparta had a total population of 54.465, consisting of 46.698 Muslims, 6.648

Greeks The Greeks or Hellenes (; el, Έλληνες, ''Éllines'' ) are an ethnic group and nation indigenous to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea regions, namely Greece, Cyprus, Albania, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, and, to a lesser extent, ot ...

and 1.119

Armenians Armenians ( hy, հայեր, ''hayer'' ) are an ethnic group native to the Armenian highlands of Western Asia. Armenians constitute the main population of Armenia and the ''de facto'' independent Artsakh. There is a wide-ranging diaspora ...

. *1923: The Greek inhabitants of the area were forced to move to

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wi ...

under the Greco-Turkish population exchange. On 19 September, 1976, Turkish Airlines Flight 452, a Boeing 727 aircraft, crashed on a Isparta hill, killing all 154 occupants. On November 30, 2007, Atlasjet Flight 4203 crashed on approach to Isparta Süleyman Demirel Airport, killing all 57 passengers and crew.

Titular see

No longer a residential bishopric, 'Baris in Pisidia' is today listed by the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...

as a titular bishopric, nominal suffragan of

Nicomedia Nicomedia (; el, Νικομήδεια, ''Nikomedeia''; modern İzmit) was an ancient Greek city located in what is now Turkey. In 286, Nicomedia became the eastern and most senior capital city of the Roman Empire (chosen by the emperor Diocle ...

, since the diocese was nominally restored in 1933: Latin adjective Baren(us) in Pisidia (Latin). It has been vacant for decades, having had the following incumbents, so far of the fitting Episcopal (lowest) rank:http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/former/t0281.htm GCatholic * Alfred Bertram Leverman (1948.04.24 – 1953.07.27) as Auxiliary Bishop of Halifax (

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...

) (1948.04.24 – 1953.07.27); later Bishop of

Saint John, New Brunswick Saint John is a seaport city of the Atlantic Ocean located on the Bay of Fundy in the province of New Brunswick, Canada. Saint John is the oldest incorporated city in Canada, established by royal charter on May 18, 1785, during the reign of ...

(Canada) (1953.07.27 – 1968.09.07), emeritate as Titular Bishop of

Altava Altava was an ancient Romano- Berber city in present-day Algeria. It served as the capital of the ancient Berber Kingdom of Altava. During the French presence, the town was called ''Lamoriciere''. It was situated in the modern Ouled Mimoun near T ...

(1968.09.07 – death 1972.04.28) * José de Almeida Batista Pereira (1953.12.22 – 1955.11.07) as Auxiliary Bishop of Niterói (

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

) (1953.12.22 – 1955.11.07), Bishop of Sete Lagoas (Brazil) (1955.11.07 – 1964.04.02), Bishop of

Guaxupé Guaxupé is a Brazilian municipality located in the southwest of the state of Minas Gerais. Its estimated population in 2020 was 52,078 inhabitants living in a total area of 286 km². The city belongs to the meso-region of Sul e Sudoeste de ...

(Brazil) (1964.04.02 – retired 1976.01.16); died 2009 * António Cardoso Cunha (1956.03.09 – 1967.01.10), first as Auxiliary Bishop of Beja (

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of th ...

) (1956.03.09 – 1965), then as

Coadjutor Bishop A coadjutor bishop (or bishop coadjutor) is a bishop in the Catholic, Anglican, and (historically) Eastern Orthodox churches whose main role is to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese. The coadjutor (literally, "co- ...

of Vila Real (Portugal) (1965 – 1967.01.10), next succeeded as Bishop of Vila Real (1967.01.10 – retired 1991.01.19), died 2004.

Economy

The main economic activities of Isparta are the production of rosewater and handmade carpets. Tourism, both local and increasingly international due to " biblical tourism", is becoming an important source of revenue. In the early 20th century, carpetmaking was a major industry in Isparta.

Climate

Isparta has a

hot-summer Mediterranean A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

: ''Csa''), or a temperate

continental climate Continental climates often have a significant annual variation in temperature (warm summers and cold winters). They tend to occur in the middle latitudes (40 to 55 north), within large landmasses where prevailing winds blow overland bringing so ...

(Trewartha climate classification: ''Dc''). Winters are chilly, rainy and often snowy, summers are hot and dry. The lakes around the city have an important moderating influence on the climate. Precipitation occurs mostly in the winter months, with a notable decrease in summer.

Sights

The city lies close to a fault line and is thus prone to violent

earthquake An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, fr ...

s. Most of the ancient city was destroyed by an earthquake 1914. So there are only a few historical buildings left. The oldest building is the ''Kutlu Bey Mosque'' (or ''Ulu Camii'', which means great Mosque), built in 1429 by Kutlu Bey, a general of Sultan Murad II. It was very badly destroyed by the earthquake 1914, but restored 1922. Famous is the ''Firdevs-Bey-Camii'' (Mosque) (also: ''Firdevs Paşa Camii'', ''Mimar Sinan Camii'') from 1561. The mosque and the neighboring ''Bedesten'' (market hall) are attributed to the architect Sinan. Badly damaged by earthquake in 1914, it was renovated afterwards. Most of the churches have been destroyed, only a few remain, especially the ''Aya Payana Church'' (Turkish: ''Aya Baniya Kilisesi''); a Greek-Orthodox church from 1750. In a state of ruin since 1923, the roof was re-covered in 1999. Another renovation is planned but has not yet been carried out (as of 2022) File:Isparta Iplik Camii 2472.jpg, Isparta Iplik Camii File:Isparta Mimar Sinan (Firdevs Paşa) Cami 2435.jpg, Isparta Mimar Sinan (Firdevs Paşa) Cami File:Isparta Mimar Sinan (Firdevs Paşa) Cami 2437.jpg, Isparta Mimar Sinan (Firdevs Paşa) Cami File:Isparta; Firdevs Paşa Camii von Süd.jpg, Isparta; Firdevs Paşa Camii von Süd File:Isparta Kutlubey Camii aka Ulu Camii 2466.jpg, Isparta Kutlu Bey Camii aka Ulu Camii File:Isparta Kutlubey Camii aka Ulu Camii 2457.jpg, Isparta Kutlu Bey Camii aka Ulu Camii File:Isparta Kutlubey Camii aka Ulu Camii 2461.jpg, Isparta Kutlu Bey Camii aka Ulu Camii The city also has a museum. File:Isparta museum Early Bronze Age vessels 4945.jpg, Isparta museum Early Bronze Age vessels File:Isparta museum Late Archaic stele 2796.jpg, Isparta museum Late Archaic stele File:Isparta museum Late Archaic steles 4990.jpg, Isparta museum Late Archaic steles File:Isparta museum Eğirdir treasure 4965.jpg, Isparta museum Eğirdir treasure File:Isparta museum Anatolian dresses 4973.jpg, Isparta museum Anatolian dresses File:Isparta museum church bell 2808.jpg, Isparta museum church bell Other sights include: File:Isparta Atatürk monument 5025.jpg, Isparta Atatürk monument File:Süleyman Demirel Heykeli 2481.jpg, Süleyman Demirel Heykeli File:Isparta Şehitler Parkı 4928.jpg, Isparta Şehitler Parkı File:Isparta Clocktower 2471.jpg, Isparta Clocktower File:Isparta Culture and Tourism building 2446.jpg, Isparta Culture and Tourism building File:Isparta Provincial Directorate of National Education 2445.jpg, Isparta Provincial Directorate of National Education File:Isparta Firdevs Bey Bedesteni 2465.jpg, Isparta Firdevs Bey Bedesteni

Notable people

* Zeki Demirkubuz, film director, screenwriter, producer and film editor *

Süleyman Demirel Süleyman Sami Demirel (; 1 November 1924 – 17 June 2015) was a Turkish politician, engineer, and statesman who served as the 9th President of Turkey from 1993 to 2000. He previously served as the Prime Minister of Turkey seven times betwee ...

, former prime minister and president of Turkey, was born in the village of Islamköy close to Isparta *

Said Nursî Said Nursi ( ota, سعيد نورسی, ku, Seîdê Nursî ,سەعید نوورسی‎; 1877 – 23 March 1960), also spelled Said-i Nursî or Said-i Kurdî, and commonly known with the honorifics Bediüzzaman (meaning "wonder of the age") an ...

, Islamic thinker who spent the last decade of his life in this city * Mustafa Doğan, footballer * Hussein Avni Pasha, Ottoman Grand Vizier *

Halil Hamid Pasha Halil Hamid Pasha, also Halil Hamit Paşa (1736–1785) was the grand vizier of the Ottoman Empire from 31 December 1782 to 30 April 1785. He was of Bosnian origin. He was especially instrumental in inviting foreign experts, especially French o ...

, Ottoman Grand Vizier

Twin towns – sister cities

Isparta is twinned with: *

Comrat Comrat ( ro, Comrat, ; gag, Komrat, Russian and bg, Комрат, Komrat) is a city and municipality in Moldova and the capital of the autonomous region of Gagauzia. It is located in the south of the country, on the Ialpug River. In 2014, Comr ...

, Moldova * Hamadan, Iran

References

Sources and external links

Hunt for clues in Turkish crash

Isparta City Portal – All about Isparta

{{Authority control Ancient Greek archaeological sites in Turkey Populated places in Isparta Province Districts of Isparta Province Pisidia