Birgi

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For the river in Italy, see Birgi (river).

Coordinates: 38°15′00″N 28°03′32″E / 38.250°N 28.059°E / 38.250; 28.059

Birgi
Birgi is located in Turkey
Birgi
Birgi
Location of Birgi
Coordinates: 38°15′N 28°03′E / 38.250°N 28.050°E / 38.250; 28.050
Country Turkey
RegionAegean Region
Provinceİzmir Province
DistrictÖdemiş District
Elevation
326 m (1,070 ft)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)

Birgi is a small town located in the Ödemiş district of İzmir province in Turkey. Its current name is a distortion of its medieval Greek name, Pyrgion (Greek: Πυργίον, meaning "Little Tower").

History[]

In antiquity, the town was known as Dios Hieron (Greek: Διός Ἱερόν, 'Sanctuary of Zeus'),[1] one of two cities thus named.[2] The city became part of the Roman Republic and the Roman province of Asia with the annexation of the Kingdom of Pergamon.

It was renamed to Christoupolis (Greek: Χριστούπολις) in the 7th century and was known as Pyrgion (Greek: Πυργίον) from the 12th century on.[1] Pyrgion fell to the Turks in 1307, and became the capital of the beylik of Aydin.[1]

Ibn Battuta visited the city and attended a lecture by the eminent professor Muhyi al-Din.[3]

It was subsequently incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in 1390. Birgi is well known for its classic Seljuk and Ottoman architecture and has been listed as a World Cultural Heritage by ÇEKÜL(Protection and Promotion of the Environment and Cultural Heritage) since 1994.

Bishopric[]

The Roman Era city had an ancient Christian Bishopric attested as an episcopal see from at least 451, It was a suffragan of Ephesus, which it remained under until the late 12th century when it became a separate metropolis.[1]

There are four known bishops of this diocese from antiquity.

  • Stephen took part in the Council of Ephesus of 431
  • Eustorgios was not present at the Council of Chalcedon (451) and his metropolitan, Stephen of Ephesus, signed on his behalf
  • Zoetus was among the fathers of the Council of Constantinople of 680 and the Council in Trullo of 692
  • Stephen of Pyrgion participated at the two Councils of Constantinople in 869–870 and 879–880 who dealt with the issue of Patriarch Photios I of Constantinople

Today Dioshieron survives as titular bishopric in the Roman Catholic Church,[4] so far the see has never been assigned.[5][6]

Notable historic structures[]

  • Çakırağa Mansion — built in 18th-century Ottoman style by the wealthy Çakırağa family.
  • Aydınoğlu Mehmet Bey Mosque — commissioned in 1313 by Mehmet Bey, the founder of the Aydinids.
  • Aydınoğlu Baths (14th century)
  • Tomb of Birgivi Mehmet Efendi (16th century)
  • Birgivi Mehmet Efendi Madrasa (16th century)
  • , where Sultan Mehmed II the Conqueror (March 30, 1432 – May 3, 1481) was educated.
  • (19th century)
  • (18th century)
  • Birgi city walls
  • Iron Magazine (16th century)

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Nesbitt, John W.; Oikonomides, Nicolas, eds. (1996). Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Volume 3: West, Northwest, and Central Asia Minor and the Orient. Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection. p. 45. ISBN 0-88402-250-1.
  2. ^ William Hazlitt (1851). The Classical Gazetteer. p. 136.
  3. ^ Battutah, Ibn (2002). The Travels of Ibn Battutah. London: Picador. pp. 107–108. ISBN 9780330418799.
  4. ^ Pius Bonifacius Gams, Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae , Leipzig 1931, p. 444.
  5. ^ Dioshieron at Catholichierachy.org.
  6. ^ Dioshieron at GCatholic.org.
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