Babaeski


Babaeski is a town and district of Kırklareli Province in the Marmara region of Turkey. The countyship has a population of 29,342 and the total area of the district is 652 km².

Name

The name Babaeski is believed to have originated according to the following legend: the Ottoman Sultan, Mehmet the Conqueror, stopped in town on his way to Constantinople before the final siege of the city. He happened to meet an old man in front of the old mosque which is nowadays called Small Mosque and asked him when the town was established. The man replied "Eskidir, eski," meaning "It is old, old." When the Sultan asked the man's age, he replied again, "Baba... eski," which means "The father is old." From then on, the name Babaeski has been used for the town.

History

In Byzantine times, the area was known as Boulgarophygon, and was the site of a major Byzantine defeat by the Bulgarians in 896. In Greek is known as Arteskos.

Facts

Babaeski lies on a relatively flat landscape where the highest point does not exceed 150 m. The Devil Stream flows through the land of the district. Agriculture is the main industry. Sunflower, wheat are the main crops grown along with some vegetables. Industrial development has sped up in the last decade mainly in the form of textile factories.
Babaeski hosts the annual "Babaeski Agricultural Festival" in late July to early August where national singers perform.

Population

The population in Babaeski are of different Background, like Balkan Turks, Amuca tribe, Pomaks, Romani people in Turkey and Crimean Tatars,
are Cultural Muslims, who belong to the Hanafi school of Sunni Islam.

Sights

Some historical sites in Babaeski are: