Bolu
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'''Bolu''' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: '''Βιθύνιον''' /Vithinion, [[Latin]] '''Bithynium''' or [[Claudiopolis]]) is a town in [[Turkey]], and administrative center of the [[Bolu Province]]. The population is 84,565 (2000 census).
Bolu is on the old highway from [[Istanbul]] to [[Ankara]], which climbs over Mount Bolu, while the new motorway passes through [[Mount Bolu Tunnel]] below the town.
== History ==
=== Antiquity ===
Bolu was part of one of the [[Hittites|Hittite]] kingdoms around 2000 BC and later [[500 BC]] became one of the leading cities of the Kingdom of [[Bithynia]]. [[Strabo]] (XII, 4, 7) mentions a Hellenistic town, Bithynium (Claudiopolis), celebrated for its pastures and cheese, which according to [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]] (VIII, 9) was founded by [[Arcadians]] from [[Mantinea]].
In the [[Ancient Roman]] era, as is shown by its coins, the town was commonly called Claudiopolis after [[Emperor Claudius]]. It was the birthplace of [[Antinous]], the posthumously [[deified]] favourite of the Roman Emperor [[Hadrian]], who was very generous to the city, and his name was later added to that of Claudius on the coins of the city. Emperor [[Theodosius II]] (408-50) made it the capital of a new province, formed out of Bithynia and [[Paphlagonia]], and called by him ''Honorias'' in honour of the [[Emperor Honorius]].
=== Catholic bishopric ===
As Claudiopolis it remains a [[titular see]] of Bithynia. It was the religious [[metropolis]] of the province (so in all ''[[Notitiae episcopatuum]]''). [[Lequien]] (I, 567) mentions twenty titulars of the see to the thirteenth century; the first is [[St. Autonomus]], said to have suffered martyrdom under [[Diocletian]]; we may add Ignatius, a friend and correspondent of [[Photius]].<ref>{{CathEncy|url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04008b.htm|title=Claudiopolis}}</ref>
=== The Turkish era ===
In [[1325]] the town was conquered by the [[Ottoman Empire]], becoming known under the present Turkish name (sometimes called ''Bolou'' or ''Boli''). By this time it was the chief town of a [[sanjak]] in the [[vilayet]] (province) of [[Kastamonu]], with 10,000 inhabitants (700 Greeks, 400 Armenians, few Catholics).
== Bolu today ==
Bolu is a busy market town not a large city (basically one long shopping street), in attractive forested mountain countryside. Students from the university and soldiers based in Bolu make an important contribution to the local economy, which traditionally depended on forestry and handicrafts. Market day is Monday, when people from the surrounding villages come into to town for their weekly shop.
The main road from Istanbul to Ankara used to cross Bolu mountain, although more people would stop at the roadside restaurants than actually come into the town, and anyway now the [[Mount Bolu Tunnel]] is open most people will rush by on the motorway rather than climb up into Bolu, especially in winter when the road has often been closed due to ice and snow. Some of the service stations on the mountain road have already announced their closure.
Local specialities include a sweet made of hazelnuts (which grow in abundance here) and an eau-de-cologne with the scent of grass. One feature of Bolu dear to the local people is the soft spring water (''kökez suyu'') obtained from fountains in the town.
People are also named Bolu as a nickname, for example Tolulope Kehinde of [[Christ's Hospital]] in [[England]].
== Places of interest ==
The countryside around Bolu offers much excellents walking and other outdoor pursuits. There are hotels in the town for visitors. Sights near the town include:
* The 14th century mosque, ''Ulu Camii''
* Bolu Museum has artefacts from Hittite, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods.
* The hot springs ''kaplıcaları''
* The attractive lake and village of ''Gölköy'', near the university campus.
== Well-known residents ==
* The industrialist and philanthropist [[Izzet Baysal]] was born in Bolu and has built a great number of schools, hospitals and other public buildings in the town including the campus of [[Abant Izzet Baysal University]] in the forest outside the town (founded in 1992).
* Another name you will see written in many places is ''Köroğlu'' as the mountains of Bolu are reputed to be the scene of the [[Epic of Köroğlu]].
* [[Utku Varlık]] - Painter, b 1942
* A number of gymnasts have trained in Bolu including:
** [[Murat Canbaş]] - European gold medal gymnast in 1986 - (b 1975 d 1994)
** [[Suat Çelen]] - b 1978
** [[Ümit Şamiloğlu]]
* 2nd division Boluspor football club once played in the top flight.
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
* [http://www.ibu.edu.tr/ Izzet Baysal University official website]
* [http://www.bolu.gen.tr/ Informations about Bolu city.]
* [http://www.anatolia.com/anatolia/destinations/bolu/default.asp Anatolia.com - Bolu]
* [http://www.pbase.com/dosseman/bolu Pictures of the city]
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[[Category:Ancient Greek sites in Turkey]]
[[Category:Roman sites in Turkey]]
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GENEL BİLGİLER
M.Ö. 1200’lü yıllarda bütün Hitit toprakları gibi Bolu da Friglerin elindeydi. M.Ö. 6. asırda Persler bölgeye hakim oldular. M.Ö. 336’da Büyük İskender Persleri yenerek Anadolu’nun bir çok yeri gibi Bolu’yu da ele geçirdi. Büyük İskender’in ölümü üzerine Makedonya yıkılınca Bolu bölgesinde Bitinya Krallığı kuruldu. Yazılı belgeler, o dönemlerden kalan arkeolojik eserler ve tarih kaynaklarına göre, Trak göçleri sonunda Sakarya ve Filyos Nehrinin yayı içine yerleşen halk "Bithyn" ismi ile anılıyordu. Bu yüzden Bolu'nun da içinde bulunduğu Kuzeybatı Anadolu'ya "Bithynia" denilmiştir.