Hersek Headland

Hersek headland (Turkish: Hersek burnu) is a headland in Turkey.

Geography[]

Hersek headland at 40°44′N 29°31′E / 40.733°N 29.517°E / 40.733; 29.517 is a headland in Altınova district of Yalova Province. It is an Anatolian headland pointing north to Gulf of İzmit which is a part of Marmara Sea. Although the average width of the gulf is about 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) the width at the north of Hersek headland is only 3 kilometres (1.9 mi)

History[]

The strategic importance of the headland was noticed by the Roman emperor Constantine I who founded the town of Helenopolis. Later during the First Crusade, Seljuk sultan Kılıç Arslan I defeated people's crusades in the battle of Civetot near Helenopolis. Hersek headland is also known as the place where the Ottoman Empire (then only a principality) proclaimed independence. On 27 July 1302, Ottoman armies defeated Byzantine armies which tried to relieve the city of Nicea (modern İznik) from Ottoman siege in the battle of Koyunhisar.^[1] After this battle Osman I declared the independence of his principality.

Bridge Project[]

The İzmit Bay Bridge is under construction between Hersek headland and Dilovası on the opposite side of the gulf. According to official statement, the bridge will be 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) and the present İstanbul-İzmir highway distance to will be shortened by 140 kilometres (87 mi)^[2]

References[]