Finike
| Finike | |
|---|---|
| District | |
Port of Finike
|
|
 Finike
|
|
| Coordinates: 36°18′N 30°09′E / 36.300°N 30.150°ECoordinates: 36°18′N 30°09′E / 36.300°N 30.150°E | |
| Country |
 Turkey
|
| Region | Mediterranean |
| Province | Antalya |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Osman Kaan Sarıoğlu (MHP) |
| Area | |
| • District | 652.84 km2 (252.06 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 3 m (10 ft) |
| Population (2012) | |
| • Urban | 11,961 |
| • District | 46,405 |
| • District density | 71/km2 (180/sq mi) |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
| Postal code | 07740 |
| Area code(s) | (0090)+ 242 |
Finike, the ancient Phoenicus (Ancient Greek: Φοινικοῦς), also formerly Phineka, is a district on the Mediterranean coast of Antalya Province in Turkey, to the west of the city of Antalya, along the Turkish Riviera. It is located on the southern shore of the Teke peninsula, and the coast here is a popular tourist destination. However, Finike is best known for its oranges, the symbol of the town.
For centuries Finike, then named Phoenicus, was a trading port, the main port of Limyra, the capital city of Lycia. Phoenicus was said to have been founded by Phoenicians in the 5th century BC, and thus named after its founders.
The area has been inhabited for much longer than that; archaeologists have found evidence near the town of Elmalı showing that the Teke peninsula has been settled since 3000 BC (although on the coast nothing has been uncovered dating before 2000 BC).
Trade along the coast was established first by the Persians, who relinquished Lycia to the armies of Alexander the Great. However, the coast was always vulnerable to forces from Syria, Egypt and Rhodes until it was brought within the empire of the Ancient Romans and the succeeding Byzantines. Even then the Byzantines were threatened by the Arabian armies coming from the Arabian Peninsula. Eventually the area was lost to the Seljuk Turks in the 13th century. These were succeeded by the Ottoman Empire from 1426.
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Wikipedia