Kapıdağı protrudes from the southern shore of the
Marmara Sea. On its southwest coast lies the small resort town of Erdek,
with Kapıdağı mountain rising majestically behind and protecting the town from the cold
north winds. The coastal hills are covered with the silvery green foliage of olive groves
set against the ever changing blue of the Marmara Sea. Within easy reach of İstanbul,
Bursa and Ankara, Erdek was a popular seaside resort for Turkish holiday-makers long
before those of the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts made it seem old-fashioned. With its
unspoiled countryside, clean sea and sandy beaches, however, Erdek is now being
rediscovered by more and more people.
Several festivals are now organized here, and new transport alternatives have
further improved its accessibility. Fast car ferries from Kumkapı quay in İstanbul take
just 1 hour and 45 minutes to reach Bandırma, which is only 19 kilometers from Erdek.
This
makes a weekend in Erdek feasible for city folk wanting to get away from it all. Erdek’s
re-found popularity and accessibility have brought some new dangers, however. Demand for
land for vacation homes in the area is on the rise and the rash of construction is eating
away at the olive groves whose yield is 4500 tons per year. So long as the authorities can
combat this trend, helped by the fact that the peninsula itself is a national park, Erdek
can maintain its unspoiled character for generations to come. Upon arriving in Erdek we
headed straight for Seyitgazi Hill for a panoramic view over the gulf which opens onto the
Marmara Sea.
View from Seyitgazi Hill
Next to us was the grave said to be that of the mediaeval Turkish general, Seyitgazi, and while we were there several people arrived to pay their respects at this venerable spot and make wishes. The peninsula is referred to as Cape Melanos by Strabo and was later called St. Simeon by the Byzantine Greeks. Here can be seen the remains of an ancient castle, the ruins of a small church, a quarry and caves. At the foot of Seyitgazi Hill is the building once used as a laboratory by Dr. Constantine Makris who lived in Erdek in the 19th century, although the locals refer to it as Kaymakam House. Beside this building we saw a group of young people swimming and sunbathing, but we wished to explore the peninsula before cooling off in the blue waters of the Marmara Sea. Northeast of Seyitgazi is Erdek’s harbour, Çınar Limanı, set in a sheltered bay. At its mouth is the tiny island of Zeytinli, 170 meters long and 50 meters wide, where traces of ancient settlements can be seen. Strabo relates that this island was known as Artake by the people of the ancient city of Cyzicus, whose ruins can be seen along the narrow isthmus.
When the Turkish writer and traveler Evliya
Çelebi visited Erdek in 1631 he wrote, “West of this town of Erdek is a tiny island as
large as a tablecloth where a hot spring boils. Its temperature is such that a man cannot
bear to immerse himself in its waters.” There are some modern buildings on the island to
accommodate visitors to its hot springs. In April 1704 Paul Luca visited Zeytinli and
described how he sailed over to the small island at the mouth of the harbour and saw ruins
which indicated the presence of a sophisticated civilization in antiquity. He noted finely
carved marbles and column capitals all around.
Cave in Seyitgazi Hill
Cyzicus itself on the isthmus 10 kilometers south of Erdek retains little of its former grandeur unfortunately, due partly to the practice of grinding down the marble columns and statues for lime dust over the centuries and partly to natural causes. In his Geographika Strabo wrote of Cyzicus, “The city can compete with the foremost cities of Asia in terms of size, beauty, and superiority of government in times of war and peace.” He also records the two great storehouses, one of which contained weapons and the other siege machinery and foodstuffs. Excavations of what remains of the city began here under Prof. Abdullah Yaylalı in 1989.
Çınar Limanı and Tea Gardens
Cyzicus enjoyed its golden age in Hellenistic times, when its commerce reached a peak, and continued to enjoy considerable prosperity under the Romans, the main articles of trade being wine, olives and olive oil. The city’s downfall was caused by a series of earthquakes in the 5th century, and it was eventually abandoned altogether. The finest monuments here were dismantled by the Byzantines and transported to Constantinople as building material. Meanwhile maritime trade shifted from Cyzicus to the natural harbour of Artake, the modern Erdek.Other places of interest are Muhla Castle and Kirazlı Monastery. To get to know the friendly local people of the peninsula try calling in at the small country tea shops. The main road encircling the peninsula via the villages of Ocaklar and Narlı passes by many good spots for swimming. There are plenty of reasonably priced restaurants, guest houses and hotels in the area. It is possible to visit the islands of Avşa and Marmara for the day from Erdek.
Beaches .....
Boats leave every morning at 8.30, calling first at Marmara Island and then at Avşa, returning to Erdek at 18.00.Most of Erdek’s hotels and motels are concentrated at Çuğra and Mangırcı, which have beaches 9 and 4 km long respectively. There are also pensions to suit every pocket and many well equipped camping sites. Kebabs and local dishes feature largely on restaurant menus, but fresh fish is also available in season.Erdek’s night life is quiet and tranquil. Try climbing to the top of Seyitgazi Hill to watch the moonlit gulf, or a walk along the waterfront followed by a cup of tea in one of the tea gardens. Then to bed ready for another peaceful day swimming or exploring the countryside.
Text from Skyline
Designed by Sinan Eröz
1998