Gülpinar
History
Gülpınar is a small town with approximately 1500 habitants situated 90km away from Çanakkale on the Dardanelles. It is located at the most westerly tip of the Anatolian mainland, right across the sea to the north of Greek Island, Lesvos. Overlooking vast olive groves it is situated at the skirts of a mountain right at the cape of Babakale. Gülpınar is a village that was given the status of a town with a municipality 15 years ago. The inhabitants earn their living mostly by olive agriculture (which is soap, organic olive and olive oil) and animal farming (mainly for cheese production purposes). The village is part of the 700 years old Ottoman settlement in the region. It is 3km away from a long beach and 20km from the ancient Greek settlement of Assos.
The legendary town of Alexandreia Troas, “the candidate to be the capital of Roman Empire” was stretching from present day Gülpınar to the ancient town of Troia (Troy). One of the many names it received throughout centuries is Chryse, referred to in Homer’s “Iliad”, housing the sacred area of Apollo-Smintheion in the Hellenistic Era (330-30 BC). The same excerpts from the epic poem can be traced out on the pieces found during the excavation at the Temple of Apollo, now being stored at the museum in Gülpınar. The excavations on the site started 27 years ago are still in progress under the leadership of Prof. Coskun Özgünel. Apart from the ancient ruins of the Temple and its surrounding, one also finds traces of the Ottoman period. Due to its relative distance from the main road, it remained in the shade of Assos in terms of attracting tourists.
For more info please visit http://www.canakkale.gov.tr/eng_ezine.htm
Place of Interest in the Surrounding Area
ASSOS (BEHRAMKALE) is an ancient Greek city which accepted the sovereignty of the Lydians in the 6th century BC, and surrendered to the Macedonians like many other West Anatolian cities during the Asian Campaign of Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC. The Temple of Athena which is on the crown of the Acropolis built in 540-530 BC, alongside the Agora and Agora Temple, Southern and Northern stoas, bouleterion, gymnasium, theatre and necropolis are amongst the most interesting parts of the city.
TUZLA VILLAGE neighbouring Gülpinar, is a small village right next to the plains providing vegetables to the area. The surroundings of the village is visually intriguing because of the salts deposited onto the soil perhaps due to the geothermal resources in the region that have yet to be properly developed. The village also houses the Hüdavendigar Külliyesi (Complex) from the Ottoman period, built by Sultan Murat, of which only the architecturally compelling mosque and a chamber of the school remain.
KOYUNEVI/SOKAKAGZI is situated across the Greek Island of Lesvos, on the southern side of Cape of Babakale. Koyunevi is one of the villages with intriguing stone houses all along the road from Gülpinar to Sokakagzi, located on the shore. Sokakagzi is a lively holiday resort with small pensions and restaurants along the half moon shaped long sandy cove.
