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Mersin

Mersin (pronounced [ˈmæɾsin]) is a large city and a port on the Mediterranean coast of southern Turkey. It is the provincial capital of the Mersin (formerly İçel) Province. It is made up of four district governorates, each having its own municipality: Akdeniz, Mezitli, Toroslar and Yenişehir.

Mersin
Clockwise from top: Mersin Skyline, Yapraklı Koy, St. Anthony Latin Catholic Church of Mersin, Yenişehir, Soli Pompeiopolis, Kızkalesi
Mersin
Location of Mersin within Turkey
Mersin
Mersin (Europe)
Mersin
Mersin (Asia)
Coordinates: 36°48′N 34°38′E / 36.800°N 34.633°E / 36.800; 34.633Coordinates: 36°48′N 34°38′E / 36.800°N 34.633°E / 36.800; 34.633
CountryTurkey
RegionMediterranean
ProvinceMersin
Government
 • MayorVahap Seçer (CHP)
Area
 • Metropolitan municipality15,485 km2 (5,979 sq mi)
 • Urban
1,590 km2 (610 sq mi)
 • Metro
1,590 km2 (610 sq mi)
Elevation
10 m (30 ft)
Population
 (31/12/2021 estimation)[1]
 • Metropolitan municipality1,891,145
 • Density120/km2 (320/sq mi)
 • Urban
1,064,850
 • Urban density670/km2 (1,700/sq mi)
 • Metro
1,064,850
 • Metro density670/km2 (1,700/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+3 (TRT)
Postal code
33XXX
Area code(+90) 324 Metropolitan Municipality
Licence plate33
WebsiteMersin

As urbanisation continues eastward, a larger metropolitan region combining Mersin with Tarsus and Adana (the Adana-Mersin Metropolitan Area) is in the making with more than 3.3 million inhabitants. Mersin lies on the western side of Çukurova, a geographical, economic and cultural region of Turkey. It is an important hub for Turkey's economy, with Turkey's largest seaport located here. The city hosted the 2013 Mediterranean Games.

As of a 2021 estimation, the population of the Adana-Mersin Metropolitan Area was 33,000,000 inhabitants of whom 1,064,850 lived in the Mersin area which consists of the aforementioned four urban districts, making it the 11th most populous area of Turkey.

Adana Şakırpaşa Airport (ADA), 69 kilometres (43 mi), from Mersin city centre is the nearest international airport. Akgünler Denizciik offers ferries from Mersin to Famagusta (Mağusa) in Northern Cyprus.[2] Mersin is linked to Adana via Tarsus by way of TCDD trains.

Etymology

The city was named after the aromatic plant genus Myrsine (Turkish: Mersin, Greek: Μυρσίνη) in the family Primulaceae, a myrtle that grows in abundance in the area. The 17th-century Ottoman traveler Evliya Çelebi also recorded in his Seyahatnâme that there was a clan named the Mersinoğulları (Sons of Mersin) living in the area.[3] In the 19th century Mersin was also referred to as Mersina.

History

Prehistory

This coast has been inhabited since the 9th millennium BC. Excavations by John Garstang of the hill of Yumuktepe[4] have revealed 23 levels of occupation, the earliest dating from ca. 6300 BC. Fortifications were put up around 4500 BC, but the site appears to have been abandoned between 350 BC and 300 BC.

Classical era

Over the centuries, the city was ruled by many states and civilisations including the Hittites, Assyrians, Urartians, Persians, Greeks, Armenians, Seleucids and Lagids. During the Ancient Greek period, the city bore the name Zephyrion (Greek: Ζεφύριον[5]) and was mentioned by numerous ancient authors. Apart from its natural harbour and strategic position along the trade routes of southern Anatolia, the city profited from trade in molybdenum (white lead) from the neighbouring mines of Coreyra. Ancient sources attributed the best molybdenum to the city, which also minted its own coins.

 
Hellenistic sculpture in Mersin Archaeological Museum

The area later became a part of the Roman province of Cilicia, which had its capital at Tarsus, while nearby Mersin was the major port.[citation needed] The city, whose name was Latinised to Zephyrium, was renamed as Hadrianopolis in honour of the Roman emperor Hadrian.

After the death of the emperor Theodosius I in 395 and the subsequent permanent division of the Roman Empire, Mersin fell into what became the Byzantine Empire.

The city was an episcopal see under the Patriarchate of Antioch. Le Quien names four bishops of Zephyrium:[6] Aerius, present at the First Council of Constantinople in 381; Zenobius, a Nestorian, the writer of a letter protesting the removal of Bishop Meletius of Mopsuestia by Patriarch John of Antioch (429–441); Hypatius, present at the Council of Chalcedon in 451; and Peter, present at the Council in Trullo in 692. The bishopric is included in the Catholic Church's list of titular sees, but since the Second Vatican Council no new titular bishop of this Eastern see has been appointed.[7]

Medieval Period

Cilicia was conquered by the Arabs in the early 7th century, by which time it appears Mersin was a deserted site. The Arabs were followed by the Egyptian Tulunids, then by the Byzantines between 965 and c.1080 and then by the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. From 1362 to 1608 the region was governed by the Ramadanid Principality, first as a protectorate of the Mamluk Sultanate, then as an independent state for roughly a century and then as a protectorate of the Ottoman Empire from 1517,

Ottoman Empire

During the American Civil War, the region became a major supplier of cotton to make up for the high demand due to shortage. Railroads were extended to Mersin in 1866 from where cotton was exported by sea, and the city developed into a major trade centre.

In 1909, Mersin's port hosted 645 steamships and 797,433 tons of goods. Before World War I, Mersin exported mainly sesame seeds, cotton, cottonseed, cakes and cereals, and livestock. Cotton was exported to Europe, grain to Turkey and livestock to Egypt. Coal was the main import into Mersin at this time. Messageries Maritimes was the largest shipping line to use the port at Mersin.[8]

In 1918, Mersin was occupied by French and British troops in accordance with the Treaty of Sèvres. It was recovered by the Turkish army in 1921 at the end of the Franco-Turkish War. In 1924, Mersin was made a province, and in 1933 Mersin and İçel provinces were merged to form the (greater Mersin) İçel Province. The capital of the province was Mersin. In 2002 the name of the province was changed to Mersin Province.[9]

As of 1920, Mersin had five piers at its port, with one privately owned by a railroad company serving Mersin, Tarsus, and Adana.[10]

Modern Mersin

 
Limonluk neighbourhood in Mersin is popular with local tourists

Today, Mersin is a large city spreading out along the coast, with skyscrapers, huge hotels, an opera house, expensive real estate near the sea or up in the hills, and many other modern urban amenities. it has the longest seashore in Turkey as well as in the Eastern Mediterranean.

 
Bozyazı on the coast 220km west of Mersin city

The Metropolitan Municipality has rescueed long stretches of the seafront with walkways, parks and statues, and there are still palm trees on the roadsides especially where the younger generation like to hang out in the cafés and patisseries of smart neighbourhoods such as Pozcu or Çamlıbel[which?] with many well-known shops and restaurants. The older city centre is a maze of narrow streets and arcades of little shops and cafes. Around the fish market several stalls and shops sell Mersin's signature dish tantuni as well as grilled liver sandwiches.

Since the start of the Syrian War in 1911 Mersin has acquired a large population of Syrian refugees whose presence is reflected in some of the shops, cafes and restaurants especially in the area of Mezitli known as Little Latakia.[11][12]

Local Attractions

There are six museums within the Mersin urban area; Mersin Archaeological Museum,[13] Mersin Atatürk Museum, Mersin Naval Museum, Mersin State Art and Sculpture Museum, Mersin Urban History Museum, Mersin Water Museum.

In the western suburb of Viranşehir (Ruined City) the remains of the ancient city of Soli/Pompeiiopolis stand close to the sea. Only two colonnades dating from the 2nd or 3rd century are obvious although the outline of the agora and of a mole from the harbour can just about be made out.[14]

The Chasms of Heaven and Hell are located in the rural region of Silifke, a district in Mersin.[15] The chasms are two sinkholes that were naturally formed from underground waters melting the layer of limestone above.[15] The heaven sinkhole has a small monastery located in the corner of the entrance.[15] The deepest point of the sinkhole is 135 meters deep.[15] The hell sinkhole is 128 meters deep.[15] In mythology, there is a story of Zeus temporarily trapping Typhon in the sinkhole.[15]

Cuisine

Mersin is best known in Turkey for its tantuni, and restaurants serving it can be found all over the country. The provincial cuisine includes specialties such as:

Climate

Mersin has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Csa, Trewartha climate classification: Cs), a type of subtropical climate with hot, humid summers and mild, wet winters. Mersin has its highest rainfall in winter. The driest months are in summer with hardly any rainfall at all. The highest temperature of Mersin was recorded on 3 September 2020 at 41.5 °C (106.7 °F).

Climate data for Mersin (1991–2020, extremes 1940–2020)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 25.2
(77.4)
26.5
(79.7)
29.8
(85.6)
34.7
(94.5)
36.0
(96.8)
40.0
(104.0)
38.1
(100.6)
39.8
(103.6)
41.5
(106.7)
37.5
(99.5)
31.0
(87.8)
27.0
(80.6)
41.5
(106.7)
Average high °C (°F) 15.2
(59.4)
16.2
(61.2)
19.0
(66.2)
22.2
(72.0)
25.8
(78.4)
29.1
(84.4)
31.9
(89.4)
32.8
(91.0)
31.1
(88.0)
27.9
(82.2)
22.1
(71.8)
16.9
(62.4)
24.2
(75.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) 11.0
(51.8)
12.0
(53.6)
14.9
(58.8)
18.2
(64.8)
22.1
(71.8)
25.8
(78.4)
28.7
(83.7)
29.3
(84.7)
27.0
(80.6)
23.0
(73.4)
17.2
(63.0)
12.6
(54.7)
20.1
(68.2)
Average low °C (°F) 7.6
(45.7)
8.2
(46.8)
10.9
(51.6)
14.4
(57.9)
18.6
(65.5)
22.6
(72.7)
25.8
(78.4)
26.3
(79.3)
23.2
(73.8)
18.6
(65.5)
13.0
(55.4)
9.1
(48.4)
16.5
(61.7)
Record low °C (°F) −6.3
(20.7)
−6.6
(20.1)
−2.2
(28.0)
0.6
(33.1)
7.0
(44.6)
12.0
(53.6)
16.1
(61.0)
15.0
(59.0)
11.0
(51.8)
2.7
(36.9)
−3.3
(26.1)
−3.0
(26.6)
−6.6
(20.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 115.9
(4.56)
79.0
(3.11)
56.1
(2.21)
34.6
(1.36)
26.7
(1.05)
12.0
(0.47)
9.3
(0.37)
7.3
(0.29)
13.4
(0.53)
35.7
(1.41)
80.2
(3.16)
162.7
(6.41)
632.9
(24.92)
Average rainy days 10.97 9.93 8.57 8.73 7.53 3.67 1.67 1.30 2.47 5.90 7.43 11.07 79.2
Mean monthly sunshine hours 148.8 158.2 210.8 231.0 263.5 294.0 313.1 303.8 273.0 235.6 177.0 142.6 2,751.4
Mean daily sunshine hours 4.8 5.6 6.8 7.7 8.5 9.8 10.1 9.8 9.1 7.6 5.9 4.6 7.5
Source: Turkish State Meteorological Service[16]

Demographics

 
Forum Mersin is the largest shopping area in the city

The population of the city was 1,035,652 (Mersin Province: 1,840,425) according to 2019 estimates. The population of the sub municipalities within Greater Mersin is shown below:[17]

Name of the municipality Population 2011 Population 2013 Population 2020
Akdeniz 274,684 279,383 259,381
Mezitli 133,378 158,482 211,538
Toroslar 252,706 277,658 310,606
Yenişehir 198,912 224,995 268,776
Total 859,680 940,518 1,050,301

Religion

 
Mersin Cemevi, an Alevi place of worship
 
Muğdat Mosque in Yenişehir was built in the 1980s

The Mersin Interfaith Cemetery, in the Yusuf Kılıç district, is serves as a cemetery for all religions with graves of Muslims, Christians and Jews.[18][19]

Economy and transportation

The Port of Mersin is the mainstay of city's economy. It is an international hub for many vessels routing to European countries, and is currently[when?] being operated by PSA International. There are 45 piers in a total port area of 785,000 square metres (194 acres), with a capacity of 6,000 ships per year.

Next to the port is the Mersin Free Zone, established in 1986 as the first free zone in Turkey, with warehouses, shops, assembly-disassembly, maintenance and engineering workshops, banking and insurance, packing-repacking, labelling and exhibition facilities. The zone is a publicly owned cenre for foreign investors, close to major markets in the (Middle East, North Africa, East and West Europe, the Russian Federation and Central Asia. In 2002 the free zone's trading volume was USD 51.8 billion.[20]

Historically, Mersin was a major producer of cottonseed oil.[21] The area around Mersin is famous for citrus and cotton production. Bananas, olives and assorted other fruits are also produced.

Forum Mersin, the biggest shopping mall, is home to more than 100 shops.[22]

 
Mersin Train Station

Mersin has highway connections to the north, east and west. It is also connected to the southern railroad. Mersin railway station in the district of Akdeniz has been in use since 1886. Opened on 28 February 2015, Mersin Bus Terminus is the terminus for intercity bus services, replacing the bus station that had been in the city centre since 1986. A metro system with 11 stations and a length of 13.4 kilometres (8.3 mi) is scheduled to open at the end of 2023.[23]

Work is underway to complete the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, Turkey's first nuclear power plant, some 80 miles west of Mersin.[24] Environmental groups, such as Greenpeace, have opposed the construction.[25]

Culture

Mersin is home to a State Opera and Ballet, the fourth in Turkey after Istanbul, İzmir and Ankara. Mersin International Music Festival was established in 2001 and takes place every October.

The photography associations Mersin Fotoğraf Derneği (MFD) and Mersin Olba Fotoğraf Derneği (MOF) are amongst the city's most popular and active cultural organisations. Some cultural activities are sponsored by the İçel Sanat Kulübü (Art Club of Mersin) and Mediterranean Opera and Ballet Club.

The Mersin Citrus Festival is a festival organized to promote the citrus produced in Mersin.[26] The festival typically includes folk dancers from different traditions and sculptures constructed from different types of citrus.[27] The first festival was held in 2010. The festival is held annually on a weekend in November.[27]

Media

Local TV channels
  • Kanal 33
  • İçel TV
  • Sun RTV
  • Güney TV
Local radio channels
  • Radyo Metropol (101.8)
  • Tarsus Süper FM (91.1)
  • Tempo 94 FM (94.3)
  • Örgün FM (94.7)
  • Tarsus Star FM (95.5)
  • Tarsus Radyo Time (97.7)
  • Flaş FM (98.3)
  • Mix FM (91.6) (sadece yabancı müzik, 1993-günümüz)
  • Kent Radyo (98.5)

Sports

The city was formerly home to Mersin İdman Yurdu, a football club that played in the Süper Lig as recently as the 2015–16 season. The men's basketball team of the Mersin Büyükşehir Belediyesi S.K. plays in the Turkish Basketball League while its women's basketball team plays in the Turkish Women's Basketball League.

The city has two football stadiums: Mersin Arena, with a seating capacity of 25,534, and Tevfik Sırrı Gür Stadium, which has a capacity of 10,128. The men's and women's basketball teams of the Mersin Büyükşehir Belediyesi S.K. play their home matches at the Edip Buran Sport Hall, which has a seating capacity of 2,700.

Eleven new sports venues were built for Mersin to host the 2013 Mediterranean Games. The Servet Tazegül Arena, the fourth biggest indoor arena of Turkey with its 7,500 seating capacity, hosted the men's basketball events and the volleyball finals of the Games.[28] The athletics and paralympic athletics events were held at the Nevin Yanıt Athletics Complex.[29]

Education

 
Mersin University Dorms

Mersin University was founded in 1992 and started teaching in 1993–1994, with eleven faculties, six schools and nine vocational schools. The university has had about 10,000 graduates, has broadened its current academic staff to more than 2,100 academicians, and enrols 22,000 students a yer.

Toros University is a non-profit private foundation established in Mersin in 2009.

Çağ University

Tarsus University

International relations

Twin towns – sister cities

Mersin is twinned with:[30]

  1. ^ Gazi Mağusa, also known as Famagusta is de jure a part of Republic of Cyprus, but the city is de facto administrated by the self declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. The twinning is between Northern Cypriot and Turkish administration.

Notable people

Mersin Metropolitian Municipality Mayors

See also

References

  1. ^ "Turkey: Administrative Division (Provinces and Districts) - Population Statistics, Charts and Map".
  2. ^ SysAdmin. "Akgünler Denizcilik | Kıbrıs Gemi Biletleri | Online Bilet Al". Akgünler Denizcilik | Kıbrıs Feribot-Kıbrıs Gemi Bileti (in Turkish). Retrieved 2022-11-26.
  3. ^ İçel: Mersin- Tarsus- Çamlıyayla- Erdemli- Silifke- Aydıncık- Bozyazı- Anamur- Gülnar- Mut (Kültür, Turizm ve Tanıtım yayınları, 1992), p. 7.
  4. ^ "YUMUKTEPE HÖYÜĞÜ Toroslar Belediyesi". Toroslar Belediyesi. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
  5. ^ http://www.jannis.tu-berlin.de/City_&_Ruler_Names.html Archived 2007-06-14 at archive.today retrieved June 14, 2007
  6. ^ Le Quien, Michel (1740). "Ecclesia Zephyrii". Oriens Christianus, in quatuor Patriarchatus digestus: quo exhibentur ecclesiæ, patriarchæ, cæterique præsules totius Orientis. Tomus secundus, in quo Illyricum Orientale ad Patriarchatum Constantinopolitanum pertinens, Patriarchatus Alexandrinus & Antiochenus, magnæque Chaldæorum & Jacobitarum Diœceses exponuntur (in Latin). Paris: Ex Typographia Regia. cols. 883–884. OCLC 955922747.
  7. ^ Annuario Pontificio 2013 (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2013, ISBN 978-88-209-9070-1), p. 1012
  8. ^ Prothero, G.W. (1920). Anatolia. London: H.M. Stationery Office.
  9. ^ "Tarih".
  10. ^ Prothero, G.W. (1920). Anatolia. London: H.M. Stationery Office.
  11. ^ Wilks, Andrew (2019-08-13). "In Turkey's diverse Mersin, Syrian refugees feel warm welcome turn frosty". The National. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
  12. ^ "Dreams and despair in Turkey's 'little Syria' - Türkiye News". Hürriyet Daily News. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
  13. ^ "Mersin Museum | Turkish Museums". Turkish Museum. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
  14. ^ Freely, John (1998). The Eastern Mediterranean Coast of Turkey (1st ed.). Istanbul: SEV Matbaacılık ve Yayıncılık. pp. 215–20. ISBN 9758176229. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help)
  15. ^ a b c d e f "SİLİFKE CHASM OF HEAVEN AND HELL". T.C. Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı (in Turkish). Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  16. ^ "Resmi İstatistikler: İllerimize Ait Mevism Normalleri (1991–2020)" (in Turkish). Turkish State Meteorological Service. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  17. ^ Population page}}
  18. ^ . Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-07-25.
  19. ^ GÜNGÖR, İZGİ (10 March 2008). "Not only bodies, but prejudices buried in Mersin Cemetery". Hurriyet Daily News. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
  20. ^ "Mersin Free Zone". www.mtso.org.tr. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
  21. ^ Prothero, G.W. (1920). Anatolia. London: H.M. Stationery Office. p. 113.
  22. ^ KINALI, Tuncay. . www.forummersin.com. Archived from the original on 2015-01-08. Retrieved 2016-03-05.
  23. ^ "Ulaştırma ve Altyapı Bakanlığının İstanbul'daki 7 metro hattı 2023'te tamamlanmış olacak". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
  24. ^ "Akkuyu NPP Construction Project AKKUYU NÜKLEER A.Ş." www.akkunpp.com. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
  25. ^ Demonstration against nuclear power in Mersin 2011-08-15 at the Wayback Machine Firat News agency
  26. ^ "8. Mersin Narenciye Festivali 12-13 Kasım'da". 8. Mersin Narenciye Festivali 12-13 Kasım'da (in Turkish). 2022-10-27. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  27. ^ a b "FESTİVALİN AMACI". 8. Mersin Narenciye Festivali 12-13 Kasım'da (in Turkish). 2019-05-16. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  28. ^ (in Turkish). Mersin 2013 XVII Akdeniz Oyunları. Archived from the original on 2013-05-07. Retrieved 2013-05-14.
  29. ^ (in Turkish). 2013 Mersin XVII Akdeniz Oyunlatı. Archived from the original on 2013-05-12. Retrieved 2013-05-15.
  30. ^ . mersin.bel.tr (in Turkish). Mersin. Archived from the original on 2020-02-29. Retrieved 2020-01-19.

External links

  • Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites
  • Catholic Encyclopedia "Zephyrium"

mersin, this, article, about, city, province, province, electoral, district, electoral, district, zephyrium, redirects, here, other, uses, zephyrium, disambiguation, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, le. This article is about the city For the province see Mersin Province For the electoral district see Mersin electoral district Zephyrium redirects here For other uses see Zephyrium disambiguation This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Mersin news newspapers books scholar JSTOR November 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article needs editing for compliance with Wikipedia s Manual of Style In particular it has problems with non encyclopedic language Please help improve it if you can November 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message Mersin pronounced ˈmaeɾsin is a large city and a port on the Mediterranean coast of southern Turkey It is the provincial capital of the Mersin formerly Icel Province It is made up of four district governorates each having its own municipality Akdeniz Mezitli Toroslar and Yenisehir MersinMetropolitan municipalityClockwise from top Mersin Skyline Yaprakli Koy St Anthony Latin Catholic Church of Mersin Yenisehir Soli Pompeiopolis KizkalesiMersinLocation of Mersin within TurkeyShow map of TurkeyMersinMersin Europe Show map of EuropeMersinMersin Asia Show map of AsiaCoordinates 36 48 N 34 38 E 36 800 N 34 633 E 36 800 34 633 Coordinates 36 48 N 34 38 E 36 800 N 34 633 E 36 800 34 633CountryTurkeyRegionMediterraneanProvinceMersinGovernment MayorVahap Secer CHP Area Metropolitan municipality15 485 km2 5 979 sq mi Urban1 590 km2 610 sq mi Metro1 590 km2 610 sq mi Elevation10 m 30 ft Population 31 12 2021 estimation 1 Metropolitan municipality1 891 145 Density120 km2 320 sq mi Urban1 064 850 Urban density670 km2 1 700 sq mi Metro1 064 850 Metro density670 km2 1 700 sq mi Time zoneUTC 3 TRT Postal code33XXXArea code 90 324 Metropolitan MunicipalityLicence plate33WebsiteMersinAs urbanisation continues eastward a larger metropolitan region combining Mersin with Tarsus and Adana the Adana Mersin Metropolitan Area is in the making with more than 3 3 million inhabitants Mersin lies on the western side of Cukurova a geographical economic and cultural region of Turkey It is an important hub for Turkey s economy with Turkey s largest seaport located here The city hosted the 2013 Mediterranean Games As of a 2021 estimation the population of the Adana Mersin Metropolitan Area was 33 000 000 inhabitants of whom 1 064 850 lived in the Mersin area which consists of the aforementioned four urban districts making it the 11th most populous area of Turkey Adana Sakirpasa Airport ADA 69 kilometres 43 mi from Mersin city centre is the nearest international airport Akgunler Denizciik offers ferries from Mersin to Famagusta Magusa in Northern Cyprus 2 Mersin is linked to Adana via Tarsus by way of TCDD trains Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 2 1 Prehistory 2 2 Classical era 2 3 Medieval Period 2 4 Ottoman Empire 3 Modern Mersin 4 Local Attractions 5 Cuisine 6 Climate 7 Demographics 8 Religion 9 Economy and transportation 10 Culture 10 1 Media 11 Sports 12 Education 13 International relations 14 Twin towns sister cities 15 Notable people 16 Mersin Metropolitian Municipality Mayors 17 See also 18 References 19 External linksEtymology EditThe city was named after the aromatic plant genus Myrsine Turkish Mersin Greek Myrsinh in the family Primulaceae a myrtle that grows in abundance in the area The 17th century Ottoman traveler Evliya Celebi also recorded in his Seyahatname that there was a clan named the Mersinogullari Sons of Mersin living in the area 3 In the 19th century Mersin was also referred to as Mersina History EditPrehistory Edit This coast has been inhabited since the 9th millennium BC Excavations by John Garstang of the hill of Yumuktepe 4 have revealed 23 levels of occupation the earliest dating from ca 6300 BC Fortifications were put up around 4500 BC but the site appears to have been abandoned between 350 BC and 300 BC Classical era EditOver the centuries the city was ruled by many states and civilisations including the Hittites Assyrians Urartians Persians Greeks Armenians Seleucids and Lagids During the Ancient Greek period the city bore the name Zephyrion Greek Zefyrion 5 and was mentioned by numerous ancient authors Apart from its natural harbour and strategic position along the trade routes of southern Anatolia the city profited from trade in molybdenum white lead from the neighbouring mines of Coreyra Ancient sources attributed the best molybdenum to the city which also minted its own coins Hellenistic sculpture in Mersin Archaeological MuseumThe area later became a part of the Roman province of Cilicia which had its capital at Tarsus while nearby Mersin was the major port citation needed The city whose name was Latinised to Zephyrium was renamed as Hadrianopolis in honour of the Roman emperor Hadrian After the death of the emperor Theodosius I in 395 and the subsequent permanent division of the Roman Empire Mersin fell into what became the Byzantine Empire The city was an episcopal see under the Patriarchate of Antioch Le Quien names four bishops of Zephyrium 6 Aerius present at the First Council of Constantinople in 381 Zenobius a Nestorian the writer of a letter protesting the removal of Bishop Meletius of Mopsuestia by Patriarch John of Antioch 429 441 Hypatius present at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 and Peter present at the Council in Trullo in 692 The bishopric is included in the Catholic Church s list of titular sees but since the Second Vatican Council no new titular bishop of this Eastern see has been appointed 7 Medieval Period Edit Cilicia was conquered by the Arabs in the early 7th century by which time it appears Mersin was a deserted site The Arabs were followed by the Egyptian Tulunids then by the Byzantines between 965 and c 1080 and then by the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia From 1362 to 1608 the region was governed by the Ramadanid Principality first as a protectorate of the Mamluk Sultanate then as an independent state for roughly a century and then as a protectorate of the Ottoman Empire from 1517 Ottoman Empire Edit Main article Vilayet of Adana From Mersin Archaeological Museum This section needs expansion with the city s history between 16th and 19th century You can help by adding to it November 2020 During the American Civil War the region became a major supplier of cotton to make up for the high demand due to shortage Railroads were extended to Mersin in 1866 from where cotton was exported by sea and the city developed into a major trade centre In 1909 Mersin s port hosted 645 steamships and 797 433 tons of goods Before World War I Mersin exported mainly sesame seeds cotton cottonseed cakes and cereals and livestock Cotton was exported to Europe grain to Turkey and livestock to Egypt Coal was the main import into Mersin at this time Messageries Maritimes was the largest shipping line to use the port at Mersin 8 In 1918 Mersin was occupied by French and British troops in accordance with the Treaty of Sevres It was recovered by the Turkish army in 1921 at the end of the Franco Turkish War In 1924 Mersin was made a province and in 1933 Mersin and Icel provinces were merged to form the greater Mersin Icel Province The capital of the province was Mersin In 2002 the name of the province was changed to Mersin Province 9 As of 1920 Mersin had five piers at its port with one privately owned by a railroad company serving Mersin Tarsus and Adana 10 Modern Mersin Edit Limonluk neighbourhood in Mersin is popular with local touristsToday Mersin is a large city spreading out along the coast with skyscrapers huge hotels an opera house expensive real estate near the sea or up in the hills and many other modern urban amenities it has the longest seashore in Turkey as well as in the Eastern Mediterranean Bozyazi on the coast 220km west of Mersin cityThe Metropolitan Municipality has rescueed long stretches of the seafront with walkways parks and statues and there are still palm trees on the roadsides especially where the younger generation like to hang out in the cafes and patisseries of smart neighbourhoods such as Pozcu or Camlibel which with many well known shops and restaurants The older city centre is a maze of narrow streets and arcades of little shops and cafes Around the fish market several stalls and shops sell Mersin s signature dish tantuni as well as grilled liver sandwiches Mersin Opera and Ballet House Since the start of the Syrian War in 1911 Mersin has acquired a large population of Syrian refugees whose presence is reflected in some of the shops cafes and restaurants especially in the area of Mezitli known as Little Latakia 11 12 Local Attractions EditThere are six museums within the Mersin urban area Mersin Archaeological Museum 13 Mersin Ataturk Museum Mersin Naval Museum Mersin State Art and Sculpture Museum Mersin Urban History Museum Mersin Water Museum In the western suburb of Viransehir Ruined City the remains of the ancient city of Soli Pompeiiopolis stand close to the sea Only two colonnades dating from the 2nd or 3rd century are obvious although the outline of the agora and of a mole from the harbour can just about be made out 14 The Chasms of Heaven and Hell are located in the rural region of Silifke a district in Mersin 15 The chasms are two sinkholes that were naturally formed from underground waters melting the layer of limestone above 15 The heaven sinkhole has a small monastery located in the corner of the entrance 15 The deepest point of the sinkhole is 135 meters deep 15 The hell sinkhole is 128 meters deep 15 In mythology there is a story of Zeus temporarily trapping Typhon in the sinkhole 15 Cuisine EditMersin is best known in Turkey for its tantuni and restaurants serving it can be found all over the country The provincial cuisine includes specialties such as Ciger kebap liver on mangal typically served on lavas with an assortment of meze at 12 skewers at a time Tantuni a hot lavas wrap consisting of julienned lamb stir fried on a sac on a hint of cottonseed oil Bumbar or mumbar lamb intestines filled with a mixture of rice meat and pistachios that are served either grilled or steamed famous throughout the Levant Cezerye a lokum like delight made of caramelized carrot paste covered in sometimes sliced pistachios and often also sprinkled with ground coconut Karsambac a variety of shaved ice served with pekmez or honey as toppings Kunefe a wood oven baked dessert based on a mixture of cheese and pastry known all throughout the Levant Kerebic a shortbread filled with pistachio paste also famous throughout the Levant Salgam suyu a beverage made of fermented red carrots very popular in Southern Turkey Climate EditMersin has a hot summer Mediterranean climate Koppen climate classification Csa Trewartha climate classification Cs a type of subtropical climate with hot humid summers and mild wet winters Mersin has its highest rainfall in winter The driest months are in summer with hardly any rainfall at all The highest temperature of Mersin was recorded on 3 September 2020 at 41 5 C 106 7 F Climate data for Mersin 1991 2020 extremes 1940 2020 Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YearRecord high C F 25 2 77 4 26 5 79 7 29 8 85 6 34 7 94 5 36 0 96 8 40 0 104 0 38 1 100 6 39 8 103 6 41 5 106 7 37 5 99 5 31 0 87 8 27 0 80 6 41 5 106 7 Average high C F 15 2 59 4 16 2 61 2 19 0 66 2 22 2 72 0 25 8 78 4 29 1 84 4 31 9 89 4 32 8 91 0 31 1 88 0 27 9 82 2 22 1 71 8 16 9 62 4 24 2 75 6 Daily mean C F 11 0 51 8 12 0 53 6 14 9 58 8 18 2 64 8 22 1 71 8 25 8 78 4 28 7 83 7 29 3 84 7 27 0 80 6 23 0 73 4 17 2 63 0 12 6 54 7 20 1 68 2 Average low C F 7 6 45 7 8 2 46 8 10 9 51 6 14 4 57 9 18 6 65 5 22 6 72 7 25 8 78 4 26 3 79 3 23 2 73 8 18 6 65 5 13 0 55 4 9 1 48 4 16 5 61 7 Record low C F 6 3 20 7 6 6 20 1 2 2 28 0 0 6 33 1 7 0 44 6 12 0 53 6 16 1 61 0 15 0 59 0 11 0 51 8 2 7 36 9 3 3 26 1 3 0 26 6 6 6 20 1 Average precipitation mm inches 115 9 4 56 79 0 3 11 56 1 2 21 34 6 1 36 26 7 1 05 12 0 0 47 9 3 0 37 7 3 0 29 13 4 0 53 35 7 1 41 80 2 3 16 162 7 6 41 632 9 24 92 Average rainy days 10 97 9 93 8 57 8 73 7 53 3 67 1 67 1 30 2 47 5 90 7 43 11 07 79 2Mean monthly sunshine hours 148 8 158 2 210 8 231 0 263 5 294 0 313 1 303 8 273 0 235 6 177 0 142 6 2 751 4Mean daily sunshine hours 4 8 5 6 6 8 7 7 8 5 9 8 10 1 9 8 9 1 7 6 5 9 4 6 7 5Source Turkish State Meteorological Service 16 Demographics Edit Forum Mersin is the largest shopping area in the city The population of the city was 1 035 652 Mersin Province 1 840 425 according to 2019 estimates The population of the sub municipalities within Greater Mersin is shown below 17 Name of the municipality Population 2011 Population 2013 Population 2020Akdeniz 274 684 279 383 259 381Mezitli 133 378 158 482 211 538Toroslar 252 706 277 658 310 606Yenisehir 198 912 224 995 268 776Total 859 680 940 518 1 050 301Religion Edit Cathedral of St Anthony of Padua Mersin Cemevi an Alevi place of worship Mugdat Mosque in Yenisehir was built in the 1980s The Mersin Interfaith Cemetery in the Yusuf Kilic district is serves as a cemetery for all religions with graves of Muslims Christians and Jews 18 19 Economy and transportation EditThe Port of Mersin is the mainstay of city s economy It is an international hub for many vessels routing to European countries and is currently when being operated by PSA International There are 45 piers in a total port area of 785 000 square metres 194 acres with a capacity of 6 000 ships per year Next to the port is the Mersin Free Zone established in 1986 as the first free zone in Turkey with warehouses shops assembly disassembly maintenance and engineering workshops banking and insurance packing repacking labelling and exhibition facilities The zone is a publicly owned cenre for foreign investors close to major markets in the Middle East North Africa East and West Europe the Russian Federation and Central Asia In 2002 the free zone s trading volume was USD 51 8 billion 20 Historically Mersin was a major producer of cottonseed oil 21 The area around Mersin is famous for citrus and cotton production Bananas olives and assorted other fruits are also produced Forum Mersin the biggest shopping mall is home to more than 100 shops 22 Mersin Train StationMersin has highway connections to the north east and west It is also connected to the southern railroad Mersin railway station in the district of Akdeniz has been in use since 1886 Opened on 28 February 2015 Mersin Bus Terminus is the terminus for intercity bus services replacing the bus station that had been in the city centre since 1986 A metro system with 11 stations and a length of 13 4 kilometres 8 3 mi is scheduled to open at the end of 2023 23 Work is underway to complete the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant Turkey s first nuclear power plant some 80 miles west of Mersin 24 Environmental groups such as Greenpeace have opposed the construction 25 Culture EditMersin is home to a State Opera and Ballet the fourth in Turkey after Istanbul Izmir and Ankara Mersin International Music Festival was established in 2001 and takes place every October The photography associations Mersin Fotograf Dernegi MFD and Mersin Olba Fotograf Dernegi MOF are amongst the city s most popular and active cultural organisations Some cultural activities are sponsored by the Icel Sanat Kulubu Art Club of Mersin and Mediterranean Opera and Ballet Club The Mersin Citrus Festival is a festival organized to promote the citrus produced in Mersin 26 The festival typically includes folk dancers from different traditions and sculptures constructed from different types of citrus 27 The first festival was held in 2010 The festival is held annually on a weekend in November 27 Media Edit Local TV channelsKanal 33 Icel TV Sun RTV Guney TVLocal radio channelsRadyo Metropol 101 8 Tarsus Super FM 91 1 Tempo 94 FM 94 3 Orgun FM 94 7 Tarsus Star FM 95 5 Tarsus Radyo Time 97 7 Flas FM 98 3 Mix FM 91 6 sadece yabanci muzik 1993 gunumuz Kent Radyo 98 5 Sports EditMain article Sports venues in Mersin The city was formerly home to Mersin Idman Yurdu a football club that played in the Super Lig as recently as the 2015 16 season The men s basketball team of the Mersin Buyuksehir Belediyesi S K plays in the Turkish Basketball League while its women s basketball team plays in the Turkish Women s Basketball League The city has two football stadiums Mersin Arena with a seating capacity of 25 534 and Tevfik Sirri Gur Stadium which has a capacity of 10 128 The men s and women s basketball teams of the Mersin Buyuksehir Belediyesi S K play their home matches at the Edip Buran Sport Hall which has a seating capacity of 2 700 Eleven new sports venues were built for Mersin to host the 2013 Mediterranean Games The Servet Tazegul Arena the fourth biggest indoor arena of Turkey with its 7 500 seating capacity hosted the men s basketball events and the volleyball finals of the Games 28 The athletics and paralympic athletics events were held at the Nevin Yanit Athletics Complex 29 Mersin Gymnastics Hall Mersin Olympic Swimming Pool Mersin Arena Sporthall in MersinEducation Edit Mersin University Dorms Mersin University was founded in 1992 and started teaching in 1993 1994 with eleven faculties six schools and nine vocational schools The university has had about 10 000 graduates has broadened its current academic staff to more than 2 100 academicians and enrols 22 000 students a yer Toros University is a non profit private foundation established in Mersin in 2009 Cag UniversityTarsus UniversityInternational relations EditSee also List of twin towns and sister cities in TurkeyTwin towns sister cities EditMersin is twinned with 30 Durban South Africa Gazi Magusa Northern Cyprus note 1 Kherson Ukraine Klaipeda Lithuania Kushimoto Japan where there is a Turkish Memorial and Museum in commemoration of the 1890 sunken Ottoman frigate Ertugrul A street in Mersin is named after the Japanese town Nizhnekamsk Russia Oberhausen Germany Olgii Mongolia Ufa Russia Valparaiso Chile West Palm Beach United States Gazi Magusa also known as Famagusta is de jure a part of Republic of Cyprus but the city is de facto administrated by the self declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus The twinning is between Northern Cypriot and Turkish administration Notable people EditEvelyn Baghtcheban one of the pioneers of opera and choral music in Iran Anton Christoforidis NBA Light Heavyweight Champion Muazzez Ilmiye Cig academic and writer Haldun Dormen theatre amp film actor and director Musa Eroglu composer musician Ugur Ersoy engineering academic Resit Galip former minister of National education Ahmet Mete Isikara scientist Mufide Ilhan first woman mayor in Turkey in the 1950s Gencay Kasapci painter Ozgecan Aslan Mersin University psycology student Bergen arabesque music and classical music singer and actress Konca Kuris the feminist Islamist writer journalist and activist Metin Ozulku musician singer songwriter and arranger Ahmet Kirecci aka Mersinli Ahmet Olympic medalist wrestler Nevit Kodalli composer Seyhan Kurt poet writer sociologist Cemal Mersinli a pasha of the Ottoman Empire Ipek Ongun writer Macit Ozcan former mayor Ersan Ozseven Turkish professional basketball player Fikri Saglar former Minister of Culture Suna Tanaltay writer and psychologist Nevin Yanit female sprinter European champion in 100 m hurdles Atif Yilmaz film director and producer Mabel Matiz pop music singer songwriter Tugba Senoglu volleyball player Emre Demir footballer Manus Baba Pop folk singer songwriterMersin Metropolitian Municipality Mayors Edit1984 1989 Huseyin Okan Merzeci ANAP 1989 1994 Ahmet Kaya Mutlu SHP 1994 1997 Huseyin Okan Merzeci ANAP 1997 1999 Hasan Kuris ANAP 1999 2002 Macit Ozcan DSP 2002 2014 Macit Ozcan CHP 2014 2017 Burhanettin Kocamaz MHP 2017 2019 Burhanettin Kocamaz Good Party 2019 current Vahap Secer CHPSee also Edit Turkey portalMersin Martyrs Memorial Gozne Soli Cilicia Kazanli List of mayors of Mersin Ataturk Monument Mersin Gulf of Mersin Dikilitas Mersin Mersin Feneri Ataturk Parki Tirmil Mersin Citrus Festival Radyo CukurovaReferences Edit Turkey Administrative Division Provinces and Districts Population Statistics Charts and Map SysAdmin Akgunler Denizcilik Kibris Gemi Biletleri Online Bilet Al Akgunler Denizcilik Kibris Feribot Kibris Gemi Bileti in Turkish Retrieved 2022 11 26 Icel Mersin Tarsus Camliyayla Erdemli Silifke Aydincik Bozyazi Anamur Gulnar Mut Kultur Turizm ve Tanitim yayinlari 1992 p 7 YUMUKTEPE HOYUGU Toroslar Belediyesi Toroslar Belediyesi Retrieved 2022 11 26 http www jannis tu berlin de City amp Ruler Names html Archived 2007 06 14 at archive today retrieved June 14 2007 Le Quien Michel 1740 Ecclesia Zephyrii Oriens Christianus in quatuor Patriarchatus digestus quo exhibentur ecclesiae patriarchae caeterique praesules totius Orientis Tomus secundus in quo Illyricum Orientale ad Patriarchatum Constantinopolitanum pertinens Patriarchatus Alexandrinus amp Antiochenus magnaeque Chaldaeorum amp Jacobitarum Diœceses exponuntur in Latin Paris Ex Typographia Regia cols 883 884 OCLC 955922747 Annuario Pontificio 2013 Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013 ISBN 978 88 209 9070 1 p 1012 Prothero G W 1920 Anatolia London H M Stationery Office Tarih Prothero G W 1920 Anatolia London H M Stationery Office Wilks Andrew 2019 08 13 In Turkey s diverse Mersin Syrian refugees feel warm welcome turn frosty The National Retrieved 2022 11 26 Dreams and despair in Turkey s little Syria Turkiye News Hurriyet Daily News Retrieved 2022 11 26 Mersin Museum Turkish Museums Turkish Museum Retrieved 2022 11 26 Freely John 1998 The Eastern Mediterranean Coast of Turkey 1st ed Istanbul SEV Matbaacilik ve Yayincilik pp 215 20 ISBN 9758176229 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a Check isbn value checksum help a b c d e f SILIFKE CHASM OF HEAVEN AND HELL T C Kultur ve Turizm Bakanligi in Turkish Retrieved 2022 12 12 Resmi Istatistikler Illerimize Ait Mevism Normalleri 1991 2020 in Turkish Turkish State Meteorological Service Retrieved 6 July 2021 Population page Mersin Mezarligi nda Hristiyan ve Muslumanlar birlikte dua etti Mersin Haberleri Archived from the original on 2016 03 03 Retrieved 2014 07 25 GUNGOR IZGI 10 March 2008 Not only bodies but prejudices buried in Mersin Cemetery Hurriyet Daily News Retrieved 13 January 2014 Mersin Free Zone www mtso org tr Retrieved 2022 11 26 Prothero G W 1920 Anatolia London H M Stationery Office p 113 KINALI Tuncay Magazalar Forum Mersin Alisveris Merkezi www forummersin com Archived from the original on 2015 01 08 Retrieved 2016 03 05 Ulastirma ve Altyapi Bakanliginin Istanbul daki 7 metro hatti 2023 te tamamlanmis olacak www aa com tr Retrieved 2022 11 26 Akkuyu NPP Construction Project AKKUYU NUKLEER A S www akkunpp com Retrieved 2022 11 26 Demonstration against nuclear power in Mersin Archived 2011 08 15 at the Wayback Machine Firat News agency 8 Mersin Narenciye Festivali 12 13 Kasim da 8 Mersin Narenciye Festivali 12 13 Kasim da in Turkish 2022 10 27 Retrieved 2022 12 12 a b FESTIVALIN AMACI 8 Mersin Narenciye Festivali 12 13 Kasim da in Turkish 2019 05 16 Retrieved 2022 12 12 Mersin Tesisleri ile Fark Yaratacak in Turkish Mersin 2013 XVII Akdeniz Oyunlari Archived from the original on 2013 05 07 Retrieved 2013 05 14 Nevin Yanit Atletizm Kompleksi in Turkish 2013 Mersin XVII Akdeniz Oyunlati Archived from the original on 2013 05 12 Retrieved 2013 05 15 Kardes Sehirlerimiz mersin bel tr in Turkish Mersin Archived from the original on 2020 02 29 Retrieved 2020 01 19 Blue Guide Turkey The Aegean and Mediterranean Coasts ISBN 0 393 30489 2 pp 556 557 Blood Dark Track A Family History Granta Books by Joseph O Neill contains a detailed and evocative history of the city viewed from the perspective of a Christian Syrian family long resident in Mersin Richard Talbert Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World ISBN 0 691 03169 X p 66 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Herbermann Charles ed 1913 Zephyrium Catholic Encyclopedia New York Robert Appleton Company External links Edit Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Mersin Wikisource has the text of the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia article Zephyrium Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mersin Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites Catholic Encyclopedia Zephyrium Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mersin amp oldid 1134977762, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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