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Afyonkarahisar

Afyonkarahisar (Turkish pronunciation: [afˈjon.kaˌɾahisaɾ], Turkish: afyon "poppy, opium", kara "black", hisar "fortress"[2]) is a city in western Turkey. It is the administrative centre of Afyonkarahisar Province and Afyonkarahisar District.[3] Its population is 251,799 (2021).[1] Afyon is in the mountainous countryside inland from the Aegean coast, 250 km (155 mi) south-west of Ankara along the Akarçay River. In Turkey, Afyonkarahisar stands out as a capital city of hot springs and spas,[4] an important junction of railway, highway and air traffic in West-Turkey,[5] and the place where independence was won.[6] In addition, Afyonkarahisar is one of the top leading provinces in agriculture,[7] globally renowned for its marble[8] and is the world's largest producer of pharmaceutical opium.[9] In antiquity the city was called Akroinon and it is the side of Afyonkarahisar Castle.

Afyonkarahisar
View of Afyonkarahisar Castle
Afyonkarahisar
Location in Turkey
Afyonkarahisar
Afyonkarahisar (Turkey Aegean)
Coordinates: 38°45′28″N 30°32′19″E / 38.75778°N 30.53861°E / 38.75778; 30.53861
CountryTurkey
ProvinceAfyonkarahisar
DistrictAfyonkarahisar
Government
 • MayorMehmet Zeybek (AKP)
Elevation
1,021 m (3,350 ft)
Population
 (2021)[1]
251,799
Time zoneTRT (UTC+3)
Postal code
03000
Licence plate03
Websitewww.afyon.bel.tr

Etymology edit

The name Afyon Kara Hisar literally means opium black castle in Turkish, since opium was widely grown here and there is a castle on a black rock.[10] Also known simply as Afyon. Older spellings include Karahisar-i Sahip, Afium-Kara-hissar and Afyon Karahisar. The city was known as Afyon (opium), until the name was changed to Afyonkarahisar by the Turkish Parliament in 2004.

History edit

 
Statue of Zeus at Afyonkarahisar Archaeological Museum in Afyonkarahisar, Turkey
 
An old mansion in the historic part of Afyonkarahisar
 
Sultan Divani Tomb Mevlevi Mosque in Afyonkarahisar

Ancient times edit

The top of the rock in Afyon has been fortified for a long time. It was known to the Hittites as Hapanuwa, and was later occupied by Phrygians, Lydians and Achaemenid Persians until it was conquered by Alexander the Great. After the death of Alexander the city (now known as Akroinοn (Ακροϊνόν) or Nikopolis (Νικόπολις) in Ancient Greek), was ruled by the Seleucids and the kings of Pergamon, then Rome and Byzantium.

Medieval period edit

Akroinοn became an important fortress in the Armeniakon theme due to its strategic location and natural defences and was first mentioned in Byzantine history when it was attacked in 716 and 732 by Arabs invaders.[11] The Byzantine emperor Leo III renamed the city Nicopolis (Greek for "city of victory") after his victory over Arab besiegers under Abdallah al-Battal (who would become the famous Turkish literature figure of Battal Gazi) in 740. Since the 10th century it was also a bishopric of Phrygia Salutaris.[11]

After 1071 the town became part of the frontier zone between the Byzantine Empire and the invading Turks.[12] The city was still held by the former in 1112 but was lost to the Sultanate of Rum at some time before 1146 when Manuel I Komnenos won a vicotry here.[11][13] The Turks were unable to firmly control the city until around 1210,[13] renaming it to Kara Hissar ("black castle") after the ancient fortress situated upon a volcanic rock 201 meters above the town. Following the dispersal of the Seljuqs the town was occupied by the Sâhib Ata and then the Germiyanids.

The castle was finally conquered by the Ottoman Sultan Beyazid I in 1392 but was lost after the invasion of Timur Lenk in 1402. It was recaptured in 1428 or 1429.

Modern times edit

The area thrived during the Ottoman Empire, as the centre of opium production and Afyon became a wealthy city. From 1867 until 1922, Afyon was part of the Hüdavendigâr vilayet of the Ottoman Empire. In 1902, a fire burning for 32 hours destroyed parts of the city.[14]

 
Ottoman architecture in Afyonkarahisar

During the 1st World War British prisoners of war who had been captured at Gallipoli were housed here in an empty Armenian church at the foot of the rock. During the Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922) campaign (part of the Turkish War of Independence) Afyon and the surrounding hills were occupied by Greek forces. However, it was recovered on 27 August 1922, a key moment in the Turkish counter-attack in the Aegean region. After 1923 Afyon became a part of the Republic of Turkey.

The region was a major producer of raw opium (hence the name Afyon) until the late 1960s when under international pressure, from the US in particular, the fields were burnt and production ceased. Now poppies are grown under a strict licensing regimen. They do not produce raw opium any more but derive Morphine and other opiates using the poppy straw method of extraction.[15]

Afyon was depicted on the reverse of the Turkish 50 lira banknote of 1927–1938.[16]

Economy edit

The economy of Afyonkarahisar is based on agriculture, industries and thermal tourism. Especially its agriculture is strongly developed from the fact, a large part of its population living in the countrysides. Which stimulated agricultural activities greatly.

Marble edit

 
Pantheon, Rome. White Docimian marble is used on the floor and some of the columns such as the two protruding columns of the main apse. The white Docimian color on the floor is very dominant.

Afyonkarahisar produces an important chunk of Turkish processed marbles, it ranks second on processed marble exports and fourth on travertine.[17][18] Afyon holds an important share of Turkish marble reserves, with some 12,2% of total Turkish reserves.[19][20]

Historically marble from Afyon was generally referred to as "Docimeaen marble" due to the place where it was mined, Docimium.[21] Afyon has unique marble types and colors, which were historically very renown and are unique to Afyon such as "Afyon white", historically known as "Synnadic white", "Afyon Menekse", historically known as "Pavonazzetto",[22] and "Afyon kaplan postu", a less popular type.

Docimian marble was highly admired and valued for its unique colors and fine grained quality by ancient people such as the Romans.[23] When the Romans took control over Docimaean quarries, they were impressed by the beautiful color combinations of the Docimaean Pavonazzetto, which is a type of white marble with purple veins. Emperors such as Augustus, Trajan and Hadrian made extensive use of Docimaean marble to many of their major building projects.[24][25] These include the Pantheon,[26][27] Trajan's Forum[28][29][30] and the Basilica Aemilia.[31][32]

Thermal sector edit

The geography of Afyon has great geothermal activity. Hence, the place has plenty of thermal springs. There are five main springs and all of them have high mineral content with temperatures ranging between 40 and 100 °C. The waters have strong healing properties to some diseases. As a result, plenty of thermal facilities formed over time.

In time, Afyon has developed its thermal sector with more capacity, comfort and innovation. Afyon combined the traditional bath houses with 5-star resorts, the health benefits of the natural springs have put the thermal resorts further then a mere attraction. Hospitals and universities have come in association with thermal resorts, to utilize the full health potentials of the thermals. As such, Afyon Kocatepe University Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Hospital opened for that purpose.[33] Afyon now has the largest residence capacity of thermal resorts,[34][4] of which a large part are 5-star thermal hotels which give medical care with qualified personnel.

Spa water edit

Kızılay, was the first mineral water factory in Turkey which opened in Afyon, in 1926 by Atatürk. After the mineral water from Gazligöl springs, healed Atatürk's kidneys and proved its health benefits. Since its foundation, "Kızılay Spa Water" grew as the biggest spa water distributor in Turkey, Middle-East and Balkans.[35][36]

Pharmaceuticals and morphine edit

Almost a third of all the morphine produced in the world derives from alkaloids factory in Afyon, named as "Afyon Alkaloids". this large capacity is the byproduct of Afyon's poppy plantations. The pharmaceuticals derive from the opium of the poppy capsules. "Afyon Alkaloids" factory is the largest of its kind in the world,[9][37] with high capacity processing ability and modern laboratories. The raw opium is put through a chain of biochemical processes, resulting into several types of morphine.

In the Alkaloid Extraction Unit only base morphine is produced. In the adjacent Derivatives Unit half of the morphine extracted is converted to morphine hydrochloride, codeine, codeine phosphate, codeine sulphate, codeine hydrochloride, morphine sulphate, ethylmorphine hydrochloride.[38]

Agriculture edit

Livestocks Afyon breeds a large amount of livestocks, its landscape and demography is suitable for this field. As such it ranks in the top 10 within Turkey in terms of amounts of sheep and cattle it has.[39]

Meat and meat products As a result of being an important source of livestock, related sectors such as meat and meat products are also very productive in Afyon. Its one of the leading provinces in red meat production[40][41][42] and has very prestigious brand marks of sausages, such as "Cumhuriyet Sausages".[43]

Eggs Afyon is the sole leader in egg production within Turkey. It has the largest amount of laying hens, with a figure of 12,7 million.[44] And produces a record amount of 6 million eggs per day.[45]

Cherries and sour cherries Sour cherries are cultivated in Afyon in very large numbers, so much so that it became very iconic to Afyon. Every year, a sour cherry festival takes place in the Cay district. It is the largest producer of sour cherries in Turkey.[46] The sour cherries grown in Afyon are of excellent quality because of the ideal climate they're grown in. For the same reason Afyon is also an ideal place for cherry cultivation. First quality cherries known as "Napolyon Cherries" are grown in abundance, its one of the top 5 leading provinces.[47]

Poppy One of the iconic agricultural practices of Afyon is the cultivation of poppy. Afyon's climate is ideal for the cultivation of this plant, hence a large amount of poppy plantation occurs in this region. Though, a strong limitation came some decades ago from international laws, cause of the opium content of poppy plants peels. Nevertheless, Afyon is the largest producer of poppy in Turkey[46] and accounts for a large amount of global production.

Potatoes and sugar-beets Afyon has a durable reputation in potato production, it produces around 8% of Turkish potato need. It ranks in the top 5 in potato, sugar-beets, cucumber and barley production.[46]

Climate edit

Afyonkarahisar has a Mediterranean climate (Csa)[48] under the Köppen classification and an oceanic climate[49] with a warm summer and a cool winter (Dobk) under the Trewartha classification. The winters are cool and the summers are warm and dry with cool nights. Rainfall occurs mostly during the spring and autumn.

Climate data for Afyonkarahisar (1991–2020, extremes 1929–2020)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 18.1
(64.6)
21.8
(71.2)
26.4
(79.5)
30.2
(86.4)
33.9
(93.0)
35.8
(96.4)
39.8
(103.6)
38.2
(100.8)
37.2
(99.0)
31.3
(88.3)
25.3
(77.5)
21.0
(69.8)
39.8
(103.6)
Average high °C (°F) 4.6
(40.3)
7.1
(44.8)
11.7
(53.1)
16.6
(61.9)
21.8
(71.2)
26.2
(79.2)
30.3
(86.5)
30.2
(86.4)
25.9
(78.6)
19.7
(67.5)
12.8
(55.0)
6.8
(44.2)
17.8
(64.0)
Daily mean °C (°F) 0.4
(32.7)
2.2
(36.0)
6.0
(42.8)
10.5
(50.9)
15.3
(59.5)
19.4
(66.9)
22.8
(73.0)
22.8
(73.0)
18.5
(65.3)
13.0
(55.4)
6.9
(44.4)
2.5
(36.5)
11.7
(53.1)
Average low °C (°F) −3.0
(26.6)
−1.8
(28.8)
1.1
(34.0)
4.9
(40.8)
9.2
(48.6)
12.7
(54.9)
15.3
(59.5)
15.4
(59.7)
11.4
(52.5)
7.2
(45.0)
2.1
(35.8)
−0.8
(30.6)
6.1
(43.0)
Record low °C (°F) −27.0
(−16.6)
−25.3
(−13.5)
−17.0
(1.4)
−7.6
(18.3)
−3.1
(26.4)
1.0
(33.8)
4.0
(39.2)
2.4
(36.3)
−3.2
(26.2)
−7.9
(17.8)
−20.5
(−4.9)
−24.3
(−11.7)
−27.0
(−16.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 46.9
(1.85)
38.4
(1.51)
44.6
(1.76)
47.0
(1.85)
50.1
(1.97)
41.5
(1.63)
21.8
(0.86)
18.0
(0.71)
23.6
(0.93)
40.3
(1.59)
32.4
(1.28)
46.8
(1.84)
451.4
(17.77)
Average precipitation days 10.67 10.33 11.20 11.57 11.97 7.77 3.67 4.13 4.80 7.80 7.10 10.23 101.2
Mean monthly sunshine hours 80.6 113.0 151.9 183.0 229.4 273.0 331.7 310.0 249.0 189.1 138.0 77.5 2,326.2
Mean daily sunshine hours 2.6 4.0 4.9 6.1 7.4 9.1 10.7 10.0 8.3 6.1 4.6 2.5 6.4
Source: Turkish State Meteorological Service[50]

Afyon today edit

 
A view from the Cumhuriyet Square and Utku Monument in Afyonkarahisar

Afyon is the centre of an agricultural area and the city has a country town feel to it. There is little in the way of bars, cafes, live music or other cultural amenities, and the standards of education are low for a city in the west of Turkey. Nonetheless, the city does host one seat of higher education, Afyon Kocatepe University.

 
Afyonkarahisar streets

Afyon is known for its marble (in 2005 there were 355 marble quarries in the province of Afyon producing high quality white stone), its sucuk (spiced sausages), its kaymak (meaning either cream or a white Turkish delight) and various handmade weavings. There is also a large cement factory.

This is a natural crossroads, the routes from Ankara to İzmir and from Istanbul to Antalya intersect here and Afyon is a popular stopping-place on these journeys. There are a number of well-established roadside restaurants for travellers to breakfast on the local cuisine. Some of these places are modern well-equipped hotels and spas; the mineral waters of Afyon are renowned for their healing qualities. There is also a long string of roadside kiosks selling the local Turkish delight.

Transport edit

Afyon is also an important rail junction between İzmir, Konya, Ankara and Istanbul. Afyon is on the route of the planned high-speed rail line between Ankara and Izmir.

 
Zafer Airport

Zafer Airport, located 60 km from city center, serves Afyonkarahisar. Four flights per week to Istanbul, and seasonal flights to international destinations are available.

Cuisine edit

Courses edit

    • sucuk - the famed local speciality, a spicy beef sausage, eaten fried or grilled. The best known brands include Cumhuriyet, Ahmet İpek, İkbal, İtimat and Danet but only 2 brands has the geographical indication and these are Cumhuriyet & Danet (Vahdet Et).[51]
    • ağzaçık or bükme - filo-style pastry stuffed with cheese or lentils.
    • keşkek - boiled wheat and chick peas stewed with meat.
 
Kaymak lokum, Turkish delight of cream, a speciality of Afyonkarahisar.

Sweets edit

  • local cream kaymak eaten with honey, with a bread pudding ekmek kadayıf, or with pumpkin simmered in syrup. Best eaten at the famous Ikbal restaurants (either the old one in the town centre or the big place on the main road).
  • Turkish delight.
  • helva - sweetened ground sesame

Main sights edit

  • Afyonkarahisar Castle
  • Victory Museum (Zafer Müzesi), a national military and war museum, which was used as headquarters by then Commander-in-Chief Mustafa Kemal Pasha (Atatürk), his chief general staff and army commanders before the Great Offensive in August 1922.[52] In the very city center, across the fortress, featuring maps, uniforms, photos, guns from the Greco-Turkish War.
  • The partly ruined fortress which has given the city its name. To reach at the top, eight hundred stairs need to be climbed.
  • The Afyonkarahisar Archaeological Museum which houses thousands of Hellenic, Frigian, Hittite, Roman, Ottoman finds.
  • Afyon Ulu Camii (the Great Mosque)
  • Altıgöz Bridge, like the Ulu Camii built by the Seljuqs in the 13th century.
  • Afyon mansion (Afyon konağı) situated on a hill overlooking the panoramic plain.
  • the White Elephant - Afyon is twinned with the town of Hamm in Germany, and now has a large statue of Hamm's symbolic white elephant.

With its rich architectural heritage, the city is a member of the European Association of Historic Towns and Regions .

Table of population over years
Year 1914 1990 1995 2000
Population 285,750[53] 95,643 103,000 128,516

Twin towns – sister cities edit

Notable natives edit

Following list is alphabetically sorted after family name.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Address-based population registration system (ADNKS) results dated 31 December 2021" (XLS) (in Turkish). TÜİK. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  2. ^ Lewis Thomas (Apr 1, 1986). Elementary Turkish. Courier Dover Publications. pp. 12. ISBN 978-0486250649.
  3. ^ İl Belediyesi, Turkey Civil Administration Departments Inventory. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  4. ^ a b Evren Ekiz (2016). termal turizmde farkli bir destinasyon: jeoturizm (afyonkarahisar örnegi) (PDF). p. 70. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09.
  5. ^ "Afyonkarahisar - Turkey". britannica.com. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  6. ^ Rosie Ayliffe (2003). TURKEY. Rough Guides. p. 606. ISBN 9781843530718.
  7. ^ . www.habermonitor.com. Archived from the original on 9 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  8. ^ Erica Highes (2013). Meaning and λόγος: Proceedings from the Early Professional Interdisciplinary. University of Liverpool. p. 29. ISBN 9781443873505.
  9. ^ a b US Department for State Bureau (August 1995). International Narcotics Control Strategy Report. DIANE. p. 388. ISBN 9780788120572.
  10. ^ "Afyonkarahisar | Turkey". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
  11. ^ a b c Kazhdan, Alexander; Cutler, Anthony (1991). "Akroinon". In Kazhdan, Alexander (ed.). The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. p. 48. ISBN 0-19-504652-8.
  12. ^ Pitcher, Donald Edgar (1972). An Historical Geography of the Ottoman Empire from Earliest Times to the End of the Sixteenth Century. Brill. p. 26. ISBN 9789004038288. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  13. ^ a b Matthews, Roger (1990). Ancient Anatolia Fifty Years' Work by the British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara. British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara. pp. 309–311. ISBN 9780995465695. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  14. ^ "Latest intelligence - Turkish town burnt". The Times. No. 36861. London. 1 September 1902. p. 4.
  15. ^ . fco-stage.fco.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 2 September 2008. Retrieved 6 June 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  16. ^ Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey 2009-06-15 at the Wayback Machine. Banknote Museum: 1. Emission Group - Fifty Turkish Lira - I. Series March 5, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. – Retrieved on 20 April 2009.
  17. ^ Belkıs ÖZKAR. (PDF). p. 29. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-08-10. Retrieved 2016-06-22.
  18. ^ Dilsad Erkek. Mermer ve Traverten Sektörüne Küresel ve Bölgesel Yaklaşım (PDF). p. 25. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09.
  19. ^ Sevgi Gürcan. Türkiye ve Afyon'da mermer sektörünün gelisim trendi, Kocatepe University (PDF). p. 389. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09.
  20. ^ Nuran Tasligil. . p. 619. Archived from the original on 2016-09-19. Retrieved 2016-06-22.
  21. ^ Strabo. Geography. "Book 9, chapter 5, section 16"
  22. ^ Barbara E. Borg (2015). A Companion to Roman Art. John Wiley & Sons. p. 157. ISBN 9781118886090.
  23. ^ Donato Attanasio (2003). Ancient White Marbles. L'ERMA di BRETSCHNEIDER. p. 154. ISBN 9788882652470.
  24. ^ Donato Attanasio (2003). Ancient White Marbles. p. 157. ISBN 9788882652470.
  25. ^ Strabo. Geography. Book 12, 8, 14
  26. ^ Anthony Grafton (2010). Classical Tradition, Harvard University. p. 842. ISBN 9780674035720.
  27. ^ William Lloyd Macdonald (2002). The Pantheon, Harvard University. p. 86. ISBN 9780674010192.
  28. ^ Gaynor Aaltonen (2008). The History of Architecture. ISBN 9781782127970.chapter, ROME: CROSSING CONTINENTS
  29. ^ James E. Packer (2001). The Forum of Trajan in Rome. p. 120. ISBN 9780520226739.
  30. ^ Ben Russell (2013). The Economics of Roman Stone Trade, Oxford University. p. 229. ISBN 9780199656394.
  31. ^ Max Schvoerer (1999). ASMOSIA 4, University of Bordeaux. p. 278. ISBN 9782867812446.
  32. ^ Gilbert J. Gorski (2015). The Roman Forum, Cambridge University. p. 19. ISBN 9780521192446.
  33. ^ Kurtulus Karamustafa; ömer Sanlioglu; Kenan Gülle (2013). Ulusal Turizm Kongresi, Erciyes University. pp. 245–246. ISBN 9786055216740.
  34. ^ Prof.Ergün Türker; Ahmet Yildiz (2008). (PDF). p. iX. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-08-09. Retrieved 2016-06-23.
  35. ^ Şafak, Yeni (17 August 2015). "Kızılay maden suyu 17 ülkeye satılıyor". Yeni Şafak. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  36. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-07-05. Retrieved 2016-06-23.
  37. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 7, 2013.
  38. ^ Zohara Yaniv; Nativ Dudai (2014). Medical and Aromatic Plants of the Middle-East. Institute of Plant Sciences. p. 328. ISBN 9789401792769.
  39. ^ (TÜİK), Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu. . www.tuik.gov.tr. Archived from the original on 9 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  40. ^ . star.com.tr. Archived from the original on 5 August 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  41. ^ YABANTV. "Tarımda Afyon Modeli!". yabantv.com. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  42. ^ "'Fiyat istikrarı için et sınıflandırılmalı' - Memurlar.Net". www.memurlar.net. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  43. ^ "Afyonkarahisar Where the old world meets the new". dailysabah.com. 7 June 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  44. ^ foundation of egg producers (2015). (PDF). p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-08-12. Retrieved 2016-06-23.
  45. ^ . www.afyonyumurta.com.tr. Archived from the original on 2018-04-09. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  46. ^ a b c Government of Turkey, statistics (2014). Afyonkarahisar'in sosyo-ekonomik göstergeleri (PDF). p. 60. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09.
  47. ^ . Archived from the original on August 12, 2016.
  48. ^ Meteocorne (Köppen Climate Classification) [1]
  49. ^ Meteocorne (Trewartha climate classification) [2]
  50. ^ "Resmi İstatistikler: İllerimize Ait Mevism Normalleri (1991–2020)" (in Turkish). Turkish State Meteorological Service. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  51. ^ "Coğrafi İşaret Platformu". Coğrafi İşaret Platformu (in Turkish). Retrieved 2 December 2020.[permanent dead link]
  52. ^ "Müzeler-Zafer Müzesi (Başkomutan Tarihi Milli Park Müdürlüğü)" (in Turkish). Ayfonkarahisar İl Kültür ve Turizm Müdürlüğü. Retrieved 2015-08-10.
  53. ^ Stanford, Jay Shaw (1976). History of the Ottoman Empire and Modern Turkey. Cambridge University. pp. 239–241. ISBN 9780521291668.
  54. ^ a b c d e f g . www.afyon-bld.gov.tr. Archived from the original on 2020-05-11. Retrieved 2020-04-05.

External links edit

  • (in Turkish)
  • City council website (in Turkish)
  • (in English and Turkish)
  • (in English and Turkish)
  • Afyon Guide and Photo Album (in English)
  • (in English)
  • (in English)
  • (in Turkish)
  • (in Turkish)
  • (in Turkish)

afyonkarahisar, turkish, pronunciation, afˈjon, kaˌɾahisaɾ, turkish, afyon, poppy, opium, kara, black, hisar, fortress, city, western, turkey, administrative, centre, province, district, population, 2021, afyon, mountainous, countryside, inland, from, aegean, . Afyonkarahisar Turkish pronunciation afˈjon kaˌɾahisaɾ Turkish afyon poppy opium kara black hisar fortress 2 is a city in western Turkey It is the administrative centre of Afyonkarahisar Province and Afyonkarahisar District 3 Its population is 251 799 2021 1 Afyon is in the mountainous countryside inland from the Aegean coast 250 km 155 mi south west of Ankara along the Akarcay River In Turkey Afyonkarahisar stands out as a capital city of hot springs and spas 4 an important junction of railway highway and air traffic in West Turkey 5 and the place where independence was won 6 In addition Afyonkarahisar is one of the top leading provinces in agriculture 7 globally renowned for its marble 8 and is the world s largest producer of pharmaceutical opium 9 In antiquity the city was called Akroinon and it is the side of Afyonkarahisar Castle AfyonkarahisarMunicipalityView of Afyonkarahisar CastleLogoAfyonkarahisarLocation in TurkeyShow map of TurkeyAfyonkarahisarAfyonkarahisar Turkey Aegean Show map of Turkey AegeanCoordinates 38 45 28 N 30 32 19 E 38 75778 N 30 53861 E 38 75778 30 53861CountryTurkeyProvinceAfyonkarahisarDistrictAfyonkarahisarGovernment MayorMehmet Zeybek AKP Elevation1 021 m 3 350 ft Population 2021 1 251 799Time zoneTRT UTC 3 Postal code03000Licence plate03Websitewww wbr afyon wbr bel wbr tr Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 2 1 Ancient times 2 2 Medieval period 2 3 Modern times 3 Economy 3 1 Marble 3 2 Thermal sector 3 3 Spa water 3 4 Pharmaceuticals and morphine 3 5 Agriculture 4 Climate 5 Afyon today 5 1 Transport 5 2 Cuisine 5 2 1 Courses 5 2 2 Sweets 6 Main sights 7 Twin towns sister cities 8 Notable natives 9 See also 10 References 11 External linksEtymology editThe name Afyon Kara Hisar literally means opium black castle in Turkish since opium was widely grown here and there is a castle on a black rock 10 Also known simply as Afyon Older spellings include Karahisar i Sahip Afium Kara hissar and Afyon Karahisar The city was known as Afyon opium until the name was changed to Afyonkarahisar by the Turkish Parliament in 2004 History editFurther information Afyonkarahisar Castle nbsp Statue of Zeus at Afyonkarahisar Archaeological Museum in Afyonkarahisar Turkey nbsp An old mansion in the historic part of Afyonkarahisar nbsp Sultan Divani Tomb Mevlevi Mosque in AfyonkarahisarAncient times edit The top of the rock in Afyon has been fortified for a long time It was known to the Hittites as Hapanuwa and was later occupied by Phrygians Lydians and Achaemenid Persians until it was conquered by Alexander the Great After the death of Alexander the city now known as Akroinon Akroinon or Nikopolis Nikopolis in Ancient Greek was ruled by the Seleucids and the kings of Pergamon then Rome and Byzantium Medieval period edit Akroinon became an important fortress in the Armeniakon theme due to its strategic location and natural defences and was first mentioned in Byzantine history when it was attacked in 716 and 732 by Arabs invaders 11 The Byzantine emperor Leo III renamed the city Nicopolis Greek for city of victory after his victory over Arab besiegers under Abdallah al Battal who would become the famous Turkish literature figure of Battal Gazi in 740 Since the 10th century it was also a bishopric of Phrygia Salutaris 11 After 1071 the town became part of the frontier zone between the Byzantine Empire and the invading Turks 12 The city was still held by the former in 1112 but was lost to the Sultanate of Rum at some time before 1146 when Manuel I Komnenos won a vicotry here 11 13 The Turks were unable to firmly control the city until around 1210 13 renaming it to Kara Hissar black castle after the ancient fortress situated upon a volcanic rock 201 meters above the town Following the dispersal of the Seljuqs the town was occupied by the Sahib Ata and then the Germiyanids The castle was finally conquered by the Ottoman Sultan Beyazid I in 1392 but was lost after the invasion of Timur Lenk in 1402 It was recaptured in 1428 or 1429 Modern times edit The area thrived during the Ottoman Empire as the centre of opium production and Afyon became a wealthy city From 1867 until 1922 Afyon was part of the Hudavendigar vilayet of the Ottoman Empire In 1902 a fire burning for 32 hours destroyed parts of the city 14 nbsp Ottoman architecture in AfyonkarahisarDuring the 1st World War British prisoners of war who had been captured at Gallipoli were housed here in an empty Armenian church at the foot of the rock During the Greco Turkish War 1919 1922 campaign part of the Turkish War of Independence Afyon and the surrounding hills were occupied by Greek forces However it was recovered on 27 August 1922 a key moment in the Turkish counter attack in the Aegean region After 1923 Afyon became a part of the Republic of Turkey The region was a major producer of raw opium hence the name Afyon until the late 1960s when under international pressure from the US in particular the fields were burnt and production ceased Now poppies are grown under a strict licensing regimen They do not produce raw opium any more but derive Morphine and other opiates using the poppy straw method of extraction 15 Afyon was depicted on the reverse of the Turkish 50 lira banknote of 1927 1938 16 Economy editThe economy of Afyonkarahisar is based on agriculture industries and thermal tourism Especially its agriculture is strongly developed from the fact a large part of its population living in the countrysides Which stimulated agricultural activities greatly Marble edit Further information Pavonazzo marble Further information Docimium nbsp Pantheon Rome White Docimian marble is used on the floor and some of the columns such as the two protruding columns of the main apse The white Docimian color on the floor is very dominant Afyonkarahisar produces an important chunk of Turkish processed marbles it ranks second on processed marble exports and fourth on travertine 17 18 Afyon holds an important share of Turkish marble reserves with some 12 2 of total Turkish reserves 19 20 Historically marble from Afyon was generally referred to as Docimeaen marble due to the place where it was mined Docimium 21 Afyon has unique marble types and colors which were historically very renown and are unique to Afyon such as Afyon white historically known as Synnadic white Afyon Menekse historically known as Pavonazzetto 22 and Afyon kaplan postu a less popular type Docimian marble was highly admired and valued for its unique colors and fine grained quality by ancient people such as the Romans 23 When the Romans took control over Docimaean quarries they were impressed by the beautiful color combinations of the Docimaean Pavonazzetto which is a type of white marble with purple veins Emperors such as Augustus Trajan and Hadrian made extensive use of Docimaean marble to many of their major building projects 24 25 These include the Pantheon 26 27 Trajan s Forum 28 29 30 and the Basilica Aemilia 31 32 Thermal sector edit The geography of Afyon has great geothermal activity Hence the place has plenty of thermal springs There are five main springs and all of them have high mineral content with temperatures ranging between 40 and 100 C The waters have strong healing properties to some diseases As a result plenty of thermal facilities formed over time In time Afyon has developed its thermal sector with more capacity comfort and innovation Afyon combined the traditional bath houses with 5 star resorts the health benefits of the natural springs have put the thermal resorts further then a mere attraction Hospitals and universities have come in association with thermal resorts to utilize the full health potentials of the thermals As such Afyon Kocatepe University Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Hospital opened for that purpose 33 Afyon now has the largest residence capacity of thermal resorts 34 4 of which a large part are 5 star thermal hotels which give medical care with qualified personnel Spa water edit Kizilay was the first mineral water factory in Turkey which opened in Afyon in 1926 by Ataturk After the mineral water from Gazligol springs healed Ataturk s kidneys and proved its health benefits Since its foundation Kizilay Spa Water grew as the biggest spa water distributor in Turkey Middle East and Balkans 35 36 Pharmaceuticals and morphine edit Almost a third of all the morphine produced in the world derives from alkaloids factory in Afyon named as Afyon Alkaloids this large capacity is the byproduct of Afyon s poppy plantations The pharmaceuticals derive from the opium of the poppy capsules Afyon Alkaloids factory is the largest of its kind in the world 9 37 with high capacity processing ability and modern laboratories The raw opium is put through a chain of biochemical processes resulting into several types of morphine In the Alkaloid Extraction Unit only base morphine is produced In the adjacent Derivatives Unit half of the morphine extracted is converted to morphine hydrochloride codeine codeine phosphate codeine sulphate codeine hydrochloride morphine sulphate ethylmorphine hydrochloride 38 Agriculture edit Livestocks Afyon breeds a large amount of livestocks its landscape and demography is suitable for this field As such it ranks in the top 10 within Turkey in terms of amounts of sheep and cattle it has 39 Meat and meat products As a result of being an important source of livestock related sectors such as meat and meat products are also very productive in Afyon Its one of the leading provinces in red meat production 40 41 42 and has very prestigious brand marks of sausages such as Cumhuriyet Sausages 43 Eggs Afyon is the sole leader in egg production within Turkey It has the largest amount of laying hens with a figure of 12 7 million 44 And produces a record amount of 6 million eggs per day 45 Cherries and sour cherries Sour cherries are cultivated in Afyon in very large numbers so much so that it became very iconic to Afyon Every year a sour cherry festival takes place in the Cay district It is the largest producer of sour cherries in Turkey 46 The sour cherries grown in Afyon are of excellent quality because of the ideal climate they re grown in For the same reason Afyon is also an ideal place for cherry cultivation First quality cherries known as Napolyon Cherries are grown in abundance its one of the top 5 leading provinces 47 Poppy One of the iconic agricultural practices of Afyon is the cultivation of poppy Afyon s climate is ideal for the cultivation of this plant hence a large amount of poppy plantation occurs in this region Though a strong limitation came some decades ago from international laws cause of the opium content of poppy plants peels Nevertheless Afyon is the largest producer of poppy in Turkey 46 and accounts for a large amount of global production Potatoes and sugar beets Afyon has a durable reputation in potato production it produces around 8 of Turkish potato need It ranks in the top 5 in potato sugar beets cucumber and barley production 46 Climate editAfyonkarahisar has a Mediterranean climate Csa 48 under the Koppen classification and an oceanic climate 49 with a warm summer and a cool winter Dobk under the Trewartha classification The winters are cool and the summers are warm and dry with cool nights Rainfall occurs mostly during the spring and autumn Climate data for Afyonkarahisar 1991 2020 extremes 1929 2020 Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YearRecord high C F 18 1 64 6 21 8 71 2 26 4 79 5 30 2 86 4 33 9 93 0 35 8 96 4 39 8 103 6 38 2 100 8 37 2 99 0 31 3 88 3 25 3 77 5 21 0 69 8 39 8 103 6 Average high C F 4 6 40 3 7 1 44 8 11 7 53 1 16 6 61 9 21 8 71 2 26 2 79 2 30 3 86 5 30 2 86 4 25 9 78 6 19 7 67 5 12 8 55 0 6 8 44 2 17 8 64 0 Daily mean C F 0 4 32 7 2 2 36 0 6 0 42 8 10 5 50 9 15 3 59 5 19 4 66 9 22 8 73 0 22 8 73 0 18 5 65 3 13 0 55 4 6 9 44 4 2 5 36 5 11 7 53 1 Average low C F 3 0 26 6 1 8 28 8 1 1 34 0 4 9 40 8 9 2 48 6 12 7 54 9 15 3 59 5 15 4 59 7 11 4 52 5 7 2 45 0 2 1 35 8 0 8 30 6 6 1 43 0 Record low C F 27 0 16 6 25 3 13 5 17 0 1 4 7 6 18 3 3 1 26 4 1 0 33 8 4 0 39 2 2 4 36 3 3 2 26 2 7 9 17 8 20 5 4 9 24 3 11 7 27 0 16 6 Average precipitation mm inches 46 9 1 85 38 4 1 51 44 6 1 76 47 0 1 85 50 1 1 97 41 5 1 63 21 8 0 86 18 0 0 71 23 6 0 93 40 3 1 59 32 4 1 28 46 8 1 84 451 4 17 77 Average precipitation days 10 67 10 33 11 20 11 57 11 97 7 77 3 67 4 13 4 80 7 80 7 10 10 23 101 2Mean monthly sunshine hours 80 6 113 0 151 9 183 0 229 4 273 0 331 7 310 0 249 0 189 1 138 0 77 5 2 326 2Mean daily sunshine hours 2 6 4 0 4 9 6 1 7 4 9 1 10 7 10 0 8 3 6 1 4 6 2 5 6 4Source Turkish State Meteorological Service 50 Afyon today edit nbsp A view from the Cumhuriyet Square and Utku Monument in AfyonkarahisarAfyon is the centre of an agricultural area and the city has a country town feel to it There is little in the way of bars cafes live music or other cultural amenities and the standards of education are low for a city in the west of Turkey Nonetheless the city does host one seat of higher education Afyon Kocatepe University nbsp Afyonkarahisar streetsAfyon is known for its marble in 2005 there were 355 marble quarries in the province of Afyon producing high quality white stone its sucuk spiced sausages its kaymak meaning either cream or a white Turkish delight and various handmade weavings There is also a large cement factory This is a natural crossroads the routes from Ankara to Izmir and from Istanbul to Antalya intersect here and Afyon is a popular stopping place on these journeys There are a number of well established roadside restaurants for travellers to breakfast on the local cuisine Some of these places are modern well equipped hotels and spas the mineral waters of Afyon are renowned for their healing qualities There is also a long string of roadside kiosks selling the local Turkish delight Transport edit See also Afyon Ali Cetinkaya railway station and Afyon City railway stationAfyon is also an important rail junction between Izmir Konya Ankara and Istanbul Afyon is on the route of the planned high speed rail line between Ankara and Izmir nbsp Zafer AirportZafer Airport located 60 km from city center serves Afyonkarahisar Four flights per week to Istanbul and seasonal flights to international destinations are available Cuisine edit Courses edit sucuk the famed local speciality a spicy beef sausage eaten fried or grilled The best known brands include Cumhuriyet Ahmet Ipek Ikbal Itimat and Danet but only 2 brands has the geographical indication and these are Cumhuriyet amp Danet Vahdet Et 51 agzacik or bukme filo style pastry stuffed with cheese or lentils keskek boiled wheat and chick peas stewed with meat nbsp Kaymak lokum Turkish delight of cream a speciality of Afyonkarahisar Sweets edit local cream kaymak eaten with honey with a bread pudding ekmek kadayif or with pumpkin simmered in syrup Best eaten at the famous Ikbal restaurants either the old one in the town centre or the big place on the main road Turkish delight helva sweetened ground sesameMain sights editAfyonkarahisar Castle Victory Museum Zafer Muzesi a national military and war museum which was used as headquarters by then Commander in Chief Mustafa Kemal Pasha Ataturk his chief general staff and army commanders before the Great Offensive in August 1922 52 In the very city center across the fortress featuring maps uniforms photos guns from the Greco Turkish War The partly ruined fortress which has given the city its name To reach at the top eight hundred stairs need to be climbed The Afyonkarahisar Archaeological Museum which houses thousands of Hellenic Frigian Hittite Roman Ottoman finds Afyon Ulu Camii the Great Mosque Altigoz Bridge like the Ulu Camii built by the Seljuqs in the 13th century Afyon mansion Afyon konagi situated on a hill overlooking the panoramic plain the White Elephant Afyon is twinned with the town of Hamm in Germany and now has a large statue of Hamm s symbolic white elephant With its rich architectural heritage the city is a member of the European Association of Historic Towns and Regions 3 Table of population over years Year 1914 1990 1995 2000Population 285 750 53 95 643 103 000 128 516Twin towns sister cities edit nbsp Nyiregyhaza Hungary since 1992 54 nbsp Greece Athens since 1999 54 nbsp Turkistan Kazakhstan 54 nbsp Hamm Germany since 2005 54 nbsp Pec Kosovo since 2008 54 nbsp Yunfu China since 2007 54 nbsp Latakia Syria since 2009 54 Notable natives editFollowing list is alphabetically sorted after family name Mihran Mesrobian 1889 1975 architect and decorated Ottoman soldier Ilker Basbug 1943 former Chief of the General Staff of Turkey Ali Cetinkaya 1879 1949 Ottoman Army officer and Turkish politician Fikret Emek 1963 retired military personnel of the Special Forces Command Veysel Eroglu 1948 Minister of Environment and Forestry Bulent Iplikcioglu 1952 historian Fazil Senel 1972 High Commissioner Board Member of EMRA EPDK Ex President of BOTAS Ahmed Karahisari 1468 1566 Ottoman calligrapher Gulcan Mingir 1989 European Champion Middle distance runner Ahmet Necdet Sezer 1941 former President of Turkey Sibel Ozkan Oz 1988 Olympic medalist female weightlifter Nurgul Yesilcay 1976 actress Gunay Uslu 1972 Secretary of State NetherlandsSee also edit2012 Afyonkarahisar arsenal explosionReferences edit a b Address based population registration system ADNKS results dated 31 December 2021 XLS in Turkish TUIK Retrieved 12 January 2023 Lewis Thomas Apr 1 1986 Elementary Turkish Courier Dover Publications pp 12 ISBN 978 0486250649 Il Belediyesi Turkey Civil Administration Departments Inventory Retrieved 15 January 2023 a b Evren Ekiz 2016 termal turizmde farkli bir destinasyon jeoturizm afyonkarahisar ornegi PDF p 70 Archived PDF from the original on 2022 10 09 Afyonkarahisar Turkey britannica com Retrieved 8 April 2018 Rosie Ayliffe 2003 TURKEY Rough Guides p 606 ISBN 9781843530718 The project created in Afyon thermal greenhouse out of 660 thousand square meters www habermonitor com Archived from the original on 9 April 2018 Retrieved 8 April 2018 Erica Highes 2013 Meaning and logos Proceedings from the Early Professional Interdisciplinary University of Liverpool p 29 ISBN 9781443873505 a b US Department for State Bureau August 1995 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report DIANE p 388 ISBN 9780788120572 Afyonkarahisar Turkey Encyclopaedia Britannica Retrieved 2019 05 24 a b c Kazhdan Alexander Cutler Anthony 1991 Akroinon In Kazhdan Alexander ed The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium Oxford and New York Oxford University Press p 48 ISBN 0 19 504652 8 Pitcher Donald Edgar 1972 An Historical Geography of the Ottoman Empire from Earliest Times to the End of the Sixteenth Century Brill p 26 ISBN 9789004038288 Retrieved 27 September 2023 a b Matthews Roger 1990 Ancient Anatolia Fifty Years Work by the British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara pp 309 311 ISBN 9780995465695 Retrieved 27 September 2023 Latest intelligence Turkish town burnt The Times No 36861 London 1 September 1902 p 4 Archived copy fco stage fco gov uk Archived from the original on 2 September 2008 Retrieved 6 June 2022 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey Archived 2009 06 15 at the Wayback Machine Banknote Museum 1 Emission Group Fifty Turkish Lira I Series Archived March 5 2009 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 20 April 2009 Belkis OZKAR mermer sektorunde katma degerin ve ihracatin artirilmasi PDF p 29 Archived from the original PDF on 2016 08 10 Retrieved 2016 06 22 Dilsad Erkek Mermer ve Traverten Sektorune Kuresel ve Bolgesel Yaklasim PDF p 25 Archived PDF from the original on 2022 10 09 Sevgi Gurcan Turkiye ve Afyon da mermer sektorunun gelisim trendi Kocatepe University PDF p 389 Archived PDF from the original on 2022 10 09 Nuran Tasligil Die Analyse der als Baumaterial genutzten Marmara University p 619 Archived from the original on 2016 09 19 Retrieved 2016 06 22 Strabo Geography Book 9 chapter 5 section 16 Barbara E Borg 2015 A Companion to Roman Art John Wiley amp Sons p 157 ISBN 9781118886090 Donato Attanasio 2003 Ancient White Marbles L ERMA di BRETSCHNEIDER p 154 ISBN 9788882652470 Donato Attanasio 2003 Ancient White Marbles p 157 ISBN 9788882652470 Strabo Geography Book 12 8 14 Anthony Grafton 2010 Classical Tradition Harvard University p 842 ISBN 9780674035720 William Lloyd Macdonald 2002 The Pantheon Harvard University p 86 ISBN 9780674010192 Gaynor Aaltonen 2008 The History of Architecture ISBN 9781782127970 chapter ROME CROSSING CONTINENTS James E Packer 2001 The Forum of Trajan in Rome p 120 ISBN 9780520226739 Ben Russell 2013 The Economics of Roman Stone Trade Oxford University p 229 ISBN 9780199656394 Max Schvoerer 1999 ASMOSIA 4 University of Bordeaux p 278 ISBN 9782867812446 Gilbert J Gorski 2015 The Roman Forum Cambridge University p 19 ISBN 9780521192446 Kurtulus Karamustafa omer Sanlioglu Kenan Gulle 2013 Ulusal Turizm Kongresi Erciyes University pp 245 246 ISBN 9786055216740 Prof Ergun Turker Ahmet Yildiz 2008 Termal ve Maden Sulari Konferansi Afyon University PDF p iX Archived from the original PDF on 2016 08 09 Retrieved 2016 06 23 Safak Yeni 17 August 2015 Kizilay maden suyu 17 ulkeye satiliyor Yeni Safak Retrieved 8 April 2018 Kizilay PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2016 07 05 Retrieved 2016 06 23 plantation Office PDF Archived from the original PDF on October 7 2013 Zohara Yaniv Nativ Dudai 2014 Medical and Aromatic Plants of the Middle East Institute of Plant Sciences p 328 ISBN 9789401792769 TUIK Turkiye Istatistik Kurumu Turkiye Istatistik Kurumu Hayvansal Uretim Istatistikleri Haziran 2015 www tuik gov tr Archived from the original on 9 April 2018 Retrieved 8 April 2018 Et fiyatlari artik Afyon da belirlenecek Son Dakika Ekonomi Haberleri STAR star com tr Archived from the original on 5 August 2016 Retrieved 8 April 2018 YABANTV Tarimda Afyon Modeli yabantv com Retrieved 8 April 2018 Fiyat istikrari icin et siniflandirilmali Memurlar Net www memurlar net Retrieved 8 April 2018 Afyonkarahisar Where the old world meets the new dailysabah com 7 June 2014 Retrieved 8 April 2018 foundation of egg producers 2015 Yumurta Tavukculugu verileri PDF p 4 Archived from the original PDF on 2016 08 12 Retrieved 2016 06 23 Company Profile www afyonyumurta com tr Archived from the original on 2018 04 09 Retrieved 8 April 2018 a b c Government of Turkey statistics 2014 Afyonkarahisar in sosyo ekonomik gostergeleri PDF p 60 Archived PDF from the original on 2022 10 09 Foundation of Turkish Agriculture Archived from the original on August 12 2016 Meteocorne Koppen Climate Classification 1 Meteocorne Trewartha climate classification 2 Resmi Istatistikler Illerimize Ait Mevism Normalleri 1991 2020 in Turkish Turkish State Meteorological Service Retrieved 26 June 2021 Cografi Isaret Platformu Cografi Isaret Platformu in Turkish Retrieved 2 December 2020 permanent dead link Muzeler Zafer Muzesi Baskomutan Tarihi Milli Park Mudurlugu in Turkish Ayfonkarahisar Il Kultur ve Turizm Mudurlugu Retrieved 2015 08 10 Stanford Jay Shaw 1976 History of the Ottoman Empire and Modern Turkey Cambridge University pp 239 241 ISBN 9780521291668 a b c d e f g Kardes Sehir Hamm www afyon bld gov tr Archived from the original on 2020 05 11 Retrieved 2020 04 05 External links edit nbsp Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Afyonkarahisar nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Afyonkarahisar nbsp Wikisource has the text of the 1905 New International Encyclopedia article Afiun Kara Hissar nbsp Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica article Afium kara hissar Afyon Karahisar in Turkish City council website in Turkish Governor s office Afyonkarahisar community and information Afyon Blog in English and Turkish Afyonkarahisar City Daily Photo in English and Turkish Afyon Guide and Photo Album in English Afyon and the Phrygians in English Afyon Kocatepe University in English Department of forestry and the environment in Turkish Afyon Science High School in Turkish Afyon Zafer College in Turkish Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Afyonkarahisar amp oldid 1182525065, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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