SALİHLİ

Salihli is a large town and district of Manisa Province in the Aegean region of Turkey.

Salihli is one of the most important turism center.

HISTORY OF SALİHLİ

Salihli is a city with a long history. The fossil footprints discovered near the villages of Sindel and Çarıklar, Manisa , estimated to be between 10,000 and 26,000 years old, are the first traces of prehistory in the region.

Sardes was the capital city of Lydia until 547 B.C., at which date it was captured by the Persian Empire and governed by satraps until 334 B.C.. After the Persians, the region was governed successively by the Macedonian Empire, the Kingdom of the Attalids, Roman Empire and Byzantine Empire. In the beginning of the 14th century, Turks under the Beylik of Saruhan captured the city and the region and ruled it for a century from their base in nearby Manisa then the region passed over to the Ottoman Empire

ECONOMYThe economy of the city is based on agriculture, agricultural commerce and industry.

Agriculture:The main agricultural products are seedless Sultan

grapes, wheat, barley, cotton, tobacco and maize. The fertility of the region's soil also allows for the cultivation of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Cherries known as the Napoleon breed grown especially in the villages of Allahdiyen and Gökköy and the potatoes locally known as Bozdağ potatoes are particularly famous.

Stockbreeding is another source of income for rural inhabitants, of rising importance especially in the last decade.

Industry:The recent building of Salihli Organized

Industrial Zone (in Turkish Salihli Organize Sanayi Bölgesi), extending over an area of 111 hectares in a triangular zone between the close district centers of Salihli, Alaşehir and Kula, became a great opportunity to provide new employment opportunities in the region and accelerate the pace of industrialization.

Smaller industrial enterprises are concentrated in Salihli self with several factories.

TOURISM

The remains of Sardis, which notably includes the Lydian King named Giges's tomb, the Artemis Temple and a Marble Court with Gymnasium built by the Romans, as well as other historical vestiges are widely visited by tourists, nationally and internationally.

To the 5 and 14 km (9 mi). south of the town, there are lead and mud baths named Kurşunlu Kaplıcaları, which are famous across the region. These thermal springs are visited especially to treat rheumatic disorders, sciatica, lumbago, arthritis, neuralgia, orthopaedic disorders, several skin diseases, some gynecological conditions and kidney disorders. Moreover, a recent geothermal energy production project intends to use these thermal sources and provide heating for the city of Salihli.

There are also many excursion possibilities around Salihli. 'Bozdağ' summits and the Lake Gölcük located near the top of one of the summits at a very high altitude is an area of great natural beauty, as well as a prized ski resort in winter. The restaurants and cafes situated on the hills around Bozdağ offer a beautiful overview of Salihli.

Culture and Sports Activities

Sports activities are also quite developed in and the city was represented for a long time in the Turkish Second League by Yeni Salihlispor. Today, nearly 1500 licensed sportsmen are competing in various sports activities in Salihli, such as football, basketball, volleyball, table tennis, judo, wrestling, oil wrestling, folk dance and chess. There are 10 football clubs representing Salihli in amateur league of Turkey and 1 female volleyball club is in the 2nd league. Under Salihli Municipality's structure, Turkish folk music, Turkish Classical Music and Children's Chorus organizations also have a place and modern ballet and other dance schools, folk dances, piano, drawing and theater lessons are also supported. Especially in Judo, there are several international sporties, Team of judo has got gold, silver and bronze medals in the world championships and countless medals in national tournaments.

Cuisine

Besides other Turkish dishes, Salihli has a

particular köfte variety of its own, named Odun Köfte. Gökeyüp village's Güveç stews are also particularly famous in the region. Production of high quality grapes, especially Sultana grapes is also reflected in the cuisine. In wedding ceremonies held in the villages, dishes like keşkek and topalak are often cooked