ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base

Fethiye (Turkish pronunciation: [feˈtʃije]; Turkish: Fethiye) is a city in Turkey and one of the 13 districts of Muğla Province in the Aegean Region. It is one of the cities of the Turkish Riviera. Its area is 3,059 km2 and its population is approximately 147,000 people according to the 2016 census. The city is relatively modern and has a significant tourist location, located near the ancient city of "Telmessos" (Telmessos), which is believed to have been founded in 3000 BC. This can be seen from the existing ruins in the city, such as the Hellenistic theater on the main waterfront.

Fethiye was previously known as Makri; until the Greek population was relocated from the region according to the terms of the Population Exchange Agreement between Greece and Turkey in 1923, and then another city was established in Greece called Nea Makri. The Turks came from Greece and settled in "Makri", which changed its name to Fethiye.

The city is one of the known tourist centers in Turkey, especially during the summer season, and it is considered a global tourist resort.

There are approximately 7,000 British families living in Fethiye who take on the task of receiving English students with coordination with the International Mediterranean Academy for teaching English in the village of "Hisarönü" which is about 5 km from Fethiye and 2 km from the coastal city of "Ölüdeniz" on the Turkish Riviera.

The district of Fethiye is the second largest district in Muğla Province after Bodrum District in terms of population, and the Fethiye district tries to become a province also but the current Turkish law does not allow it.

History of the city

Fethiye modern city is located at the same location as the ancient city of Telmessos (Telmessos), which can be seen from its ruins, such as the Hellenistic theater next to the main waterfront and the main port.

Greeks
There is an old Greek legend called "Leucasia" that explains the origin of the name "Telmessos". According to the legend, the Greek god Apollo fell in love with Aginor, the youngest daughter of a Venetian king. He disguised himself as a small dog and won the heart of the shy girl. After he appeared again as a handsome man, they had a son named Telmessus, which means "land of light". This was the name of the city.

Persians
The city of Telmessos became part of the Persian Empire after it was conquered by the Persian commander Harpagos in 547 BC, along with other cities of Caria and Lycia. The city joined the Attic-Delos Union, which was established in the mid-5th century BC under the leadership of Athens to continue fighting against the Persian Empire after the Greek victory at the Battle of Plataea and the end of the Second Persian invasion of Greece. Although Telmessus left the union later and became an independent city, it continued its relations with the Attic-Delos Union until the 4th century BC.

Byzantines

Not much is known about the city during the Byzantine era.

The remaining buildings indicate a period of prosperity in late antiquity, but most of the city was abandoned in the 7th and 8th centuries due to Byzantine-Islamic wars. The city was fortified in the 8th century, and its name was "Telmessos" or "Anastasioupolis" around 800 AD.

By the 10th century, the old name had been forgotten, and the city was known as Makri, meaning "long", from the island located at the entrance to the port.

In the 12th and 13th centuries, signs of renewed prosperity appeared, with the expansion of the city walls, and an ancient report from 1106 AD mentions Makri as one of the centers of perfume production, describing some works.