Bizye
| Vize | |
|---|---|
| District | |
 |
|
 Vize
|
|
| Coordinates: 41°34′25″N 27°45′55″E / 41.57361°N 27.76528°ECoordinates: 41°34′25″N 27°45′55″E / 41.57361°N 27.76528°E | |
| Country |
 Turkey
|
| Region | Marmara |
| Province | Kırklareli Province |
| District | 1922 |
| Municipality | 1923 |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Savaş Ünlü |
| • Mayor | Sedat Balkı (MHP) |
| Area | |
| • District | 1,090.63 km2 (421.09 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 168 m (551 ft) |
| Population (2012) | |
| • Urban | 12,543 |
| • District | 28,228 |
| • District density | 26/km2 (67/sq mi) |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
| Postal code | 39400 , 39410, 39460, 39480 |
| Area code(s) | 0 288 |
| Licence plate | 39 |
| Website |
www |
Vize (Greek: Βιζύη, Bulgarian: Виза) is a town and district of Kırklareli Province in the Marmara region of Turkey. District's governor is Savaş Ünlü, and the mayor is Sedat Balkı (MHP). In 2010 the population of the town was 12,196 and the district 29,153. The town's distance to the province center is 56 km (35 mi). Vize is situated on the state road 
, which runs from Istanbul to Edirne through Kırklareli.
Vize, under the ancient name Bizye served as capital for the ancient Thracian Kingdom. The acropolis section up on the hill above the town has some ancient buildings and a perfectly preserved Byzantine Church of Haghia Sophia from probably the 5th or 6th century AD. Also, on the slope of the acropolis was recently found the remains of its ancient theater. Vize with its beautiful setting on the hilltop is in a commanding position over the surrounding area. Across the plain from the town are many burial mounds built for the rulers of Thracian Kingdom. There are some more churches and monasteries, mainly from the Byzantine era, in the neighborhood of Vize. The town also has some Ottoman structures, in addition to an ancient synagogue.
Little Hagia Sophia Church (Gazi Suleiman Pasha Mosque) (Turkish: Küçük Ayasofya Kilisesi (Gazi Süleyman Paşa Camii)) is a former Byzantine era Orthodox church built during Emperor Justinian I (reigned 527-565) times, which was converted later in the Ottoman era into a mosque. Designed in an Orthodox Basilica plan, the church was constructed upon the foundations of the Temple of Apollo with masonry stone and brick. The cruciform shaped church consists of a nave with two rows of columns with three columns each, two aisles and an apse at one end. Its original wooden roof was replaced in the 12th and 13th centuries by a high dome. The building is vaulted around the dome, a different style that is normally not seen in Byzantian architecture.
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Wikipedia