Afyonkarahisar
| Afyonkarahisar | |
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| Municipality | |
A view from the Cumhuriyet Square and Utku Monument in Afyonkarahisar
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 Afyonkarahisar
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| Coordinates: 38°45.48′N 30°32.32′E / 38.75800°N 30.53867°ECoordinates: 38°45.48′N 30°32.32′E / 38.75800°N 30.53867°E | |
| Country | Turkey |
| Region | Aegean |
| Province | Afyonkarahisar |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Burhanettin Çoban (AKP) |
| • Governor | Aziz Yıldırım |
| Area | |
| • District | 1,025.14 km2 (395.81 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,021 m (3,350 ft) |
| Population (2012) | |
| • Urban | 186,991 |
| • District | 263,297 |
| • District density | 260/km2 (670/sq mi) |
| Time zone | FET (UTC+3) |
| Postal code | 03xxx |
| Licence plate | 03 |
| Website | www.afyon-bld.gov.tr |
Afyonkarahisar (Turkish pronunciation: [afjonkaɾahiˈsaɾ], Turkish: afyon "poppy, opium", kara "black", hisar "fortress") is a city in western Turkey, the capital of Afyon Province. Afyon is in mountainous countryside inland from the Aegean coast, 250 km (155 mi) south-west of Ankara along the Akarçay River. Elevation 1,021 m (3,350 ft). Population (2010 census) 173,100 In Turkey, Afyonkarahisar stands out as a capital city of thermal and spa, an important junction of railway, highway and air traffic in West-Turkey, and the grounds where independence had been won. In addition, Afyonkarahisar is one of the top leading provinces in agriculture, globally renown for its marble and globally largest producer of pharmaceutical opium.
The name Afyon Kara Hisar (literally opium black castle in Turkish), since opium was widely grown here and there is a castle on a black rock. 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.
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. The Byzantine emperor Leo III after his victory over Arab besiegers in 740 renamed the city Nicopolis (Greek for "city of victory"). The Seljuq Turks then arrived in 1071 and changed its name 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.
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