Kapıdağ Peninsula

Kapıdağ Peninsula
Native name:
Kapıdağ Yarımadası
1956 map of the Kapidag Peninsula
Map
Geography
LocationMarmara Sea
Coordinates40°27′34″N 27°51′06″E / 40.45949°N 27.85172°E / 40.45949; 27.85172
Administration
Turkey
RegionMarmara
ProvincesBalıkesir
Cities and townsErdek
Kapıdağ Peninsula from top looking south, Bandırma Gulf on the left, Erdek Gulf on the right.

Kapıdağ Peninsula (Turkish: Kapıdağ Yarımadası) (Greek: Χερσόνησος της Κυζίκου) is a tied island in northwestern Anatolia extending into the Sea of Marmara in Balıkesir Province, Turkey.[1] The peninsula forms the Gulf of Bandırma on its east and the Gulf of Erdek on its west.

Kapıdağ was the classical island of ancient Greek Arctonnesus, but was joined to the mainland by a narrow isthmus in historic times either by an earthquake or (according to legend) by Alexander the Great. It was also known as the Peninsula of Cyzicus after its chief town.

Cyzicus was abandoned following a series of severe earthquakes, but served from 1303 to 1304 as the base of the Catalan Company of the East and was the site of the Battle of the Cyzicus in October 1303. After its conquest by the Ottoman Empire, it was part of the kaza of Erdek in the province of Bursa.

Locations

Erdek, a small town known as a seaside resort, is located in the Gulf of Erdek west of the peninsula. Erdek hosts a naval base of the Turkish Navy.

References

  1. ^ Uysal, İsmet; Onar, Sinan; Karabacak, Ersin; Çelik, Sezgin (2010). "Ethnobotanical aspects of Kapıdağ Peninsula (Turkey)". Biological Diversity and Conservation. 3 (3): 15–22. ISSN 1308-5301. Retrieved 29 February 2024.