Söke

Söke
Söke
Coordinates: TR 37°45′3″N 27°24′37″E / 37.75083°N 27.41028°E / 37.75083; 27.41028Coordinates: TR 37°45′3″N 27°24′37″E / 37.75083°N 27.41028°E / 37.75083; 27.41028
Country Turkey
Province Aydın
District Söke
Government
 • Mayor Necdet Özekmekçi (CHP)
 • Prefect Mehmet Demirezer
Area[1]
 • District 986.62 km2 (380.94 sq mi)
Population (2012)[2]
 • Urban 70,522
 • District 115,586
 • District density 120/km2 (300/sq mi)
Post code 09200
Website www.soke.bel.tr

Söke is a town and a large district of Aydın Province in the Aegean region of western Turkey, 54 km (34 miles) south-west of the city of Aydın, near the Aegean coast. It had 68,020 population in 2010. It neighbours are Germencik from north-east, Koçarlı from east, Milas from south-east, Didim from south-west, Aegean Sea from west and Kuşadası from northwest.

Etymology

Modern Söke is identified with the ancient Greek city of Anaia (Ἄναια, also referred to as Anea, Anaea, Annaea or Annaia), which according to legend, was named after an Amazon.[3] As of 1920, the British were calling Söke, Sokia.[4] Anaia is also the name of a titular see (Anea) of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, and the seat of an actual diocese of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople from 1833 to 1922.

Geography

The district lies between the Aegean coast and the edge of the fertile alluvial plain of the Büyük Menderes River. Lake Bafa is to the south of the district. The plain contains much rich agricultural land, one of Turkey's largest cotton growing areas and also important for wheat and flour. Other income comes from handicrafts, forestry and fishing. Söke is Turkey's only exporter of culinary snails.

The Aegean region is rich in history and natural beauty, complemented with Mediterranean climate. Söke is a large town right in the centre of the region, the market town at the heart of a wealthy agricultural district, with a dramatic backdrop of mountains. Furthermore, although eclipsed by the nearby centres of tourism on the coast, Kuşadası, Didim and Bodrum, Söke does catch passing trade from the many visitors to the area, including visitors to the nearby historical site of Priene. There are a number of amenities on the highway for tourists passing through from Izmir airport to the coast, these include restaurants, service stations, and outlet stores selling cut-price clothing. The local cuisine includes çöp şiş (a shish kebab of small pieces of lamb) and pide (a flat bread pizza).

Söke is a town of 62,000 people.

History

Settled since the centuries BC, The region of Söke (Greek: Ανέων, Aneon or Σώκια, Sokia) was inhabited by Greeks until 1426 when it was taken over by the Ottoman Turks as remaining capital of the Sanjak of Menteşe.

In 18 May 1919 Söke was occupied by Italian troops coming from Antalya. During the Turkish War of Independence (1919-1922) resistance in the area was led by one Cafer Efe, whose statue is in the town. See Efe for the background to this era. They were withdrawn in 21 April 1922 and were replaced with Greek troops. It was liberated in 6 September 1922.

The city was settled with Turkish immigrants from Crete during the Population exchange between Greece and Turkey in the 1920s.

Economy

Söke has a history of mining lignite. During World War I, it was producing large amounts of lignite. The British described the quality as being "very poor." It was exported to Smyrna via train and used in factories.[4]

Places of interest

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Area of regions (including lakes), km²". Regional Statistics Database. Turkish Statistical Institute. 2002. Retrieved 2013-03-05.
  2. ↑ "Population of province/district centers and towns/villages by districts - 2012". Address Based Population Registration System (ABPRS) Database. Turkish Statistical Institute. Retrieved 2013-02-27.
  3. ↑ http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/searchresults?page=2&q=Anaea
  4. 1 2 Prothero, G.W. (1920). Anatolia. London: H.M. Stationery Office. p. 101.
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