In addition to the Turkish provinces of Bursa, Sakarya, Bolu, Kütahya and Eskişehir, all of which are known far beyond the country's borders due to some product or event (Bursa for large industrial concentrations,

Kütahya for porcelain manufacturers), the province of Bilecik with the provincial capital of the same name is almost completely unknown and that despite the close proximity to the provinces mentioned. Based on the 2010 census, we know that the province had 225,381 inhabitants at the time.

The Romans also used the name Agrillum

Bilecik also has a settlement history that goes back more than 2,000 years before Christ, but which has not been well researched or adequately documented. It is only known from records that Thracian settlers called the city Agrilion or Agrillum, while Greek settlers called it Belikoma. Between 1550 and 1400 BC Bilecik was the sovereign territory of the Egyptians, followed by the Hittites between 1400 and 1200, the Phrygians from 1200 to 676 BC, the Cimmerians between 676 and 595, the Lydians between 595 and 546, the Persians between 546 and 334 , followed by the Macedonians, then the Bithnians and the Romans who ruled here between 74 BC and 395 AD. The Byzantines ruled here until around 1299, with small intervals in between by the Umayyads and Abbasids. The Romans also used the name Agrillum to rebuild the city.

The hill forts near Bilecik

It is still largely unknown when exactly the mountain fortress near Bilecik dates from. There is also little that has been handed down about the myth of the “grave of the king's daughter”, who is said to have once lived in the castle. The ladder carved into the rock to climb the castle alone ensures the mythological continuation of the story. Unfortunately, there are only a few remains of the castle complex, so that even researchers have reached their limits.

The Karasu River, named after its mouth on the Black Sea, flows along the provincial capital of Bilecik. Whether the river gave the city its name or, conversely, the city gave its name to the river cannot be determined. However, as is quite common in Turkey, there are several rivers with the same name, the most important of which is the Karasu in eastern Turkey, known as the headwaters of the Euphrates.

Comparable to Kühtaya, however, there is also a strong porcelain production in Bilecik with numerous manufactories. The silk industry should also be mentioned at this point as a significant branch of the economy, despite the city's population of only 39,000.

Coordinates: 40° 9′ N, 29° 59′ E

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Ascent to Petrela - Coffee break in the castle´s garden

Eger-Cheb - the time-gate and renewed pedestrian zone