I asked my fiancée whether he was up for a road trip on a flaming hot Sunday, and he said “why not”; so, we found some comfort in the air conditioning of his car and drove to what was called in the ancient time, the peninsula of Apollonia. Before I walk you through this small village that resides on the western shore of Lake Uluabat, a little history lesson shall be covered.
‘Til I get a drone, thank you, Pinterest.
The History of the Peninsula
Due to the coins from as early as 450 BCE that were discovered in Apollonia, it is believed that the village was founded by Miletus in the ancient times. Some believe that the anchor symbol on the coin has something to do with its given name, others speak of a tale: The Bergama King Attalos II. gave the name of Queen Apollonis to the village. In the luwi language apa means water, ull means bushes, and wana means God; hence, the name resembles a combination of all. In ancient times, there were 9 other cities named Apollonia so, some refer to the village as Apolyont to distinguish it alongside its water source.
During its long history, Apollonia was under the control of the Byzantine Empire. However, Ottoman claimed the land in the 14th century; the architecture alongside the water carries the clashing influence of both cultures. Today, Apollonia is referred to as Golyazi (meaning ‘fisherwoman’) by the Nilufer Municipality of Bursa, and it’s both a historic site and home to its fishermen and villagers.
Before I forget, many thanks to my personal photographer Oğuzhan Tiryaki for capturing this authentic village, and helping me overcome my writer’s block without even realizing it. I might keep you full time.
The Tour Guide
- St. Panteleimon Church
- The Weeping Plane
- The Golyazi Lake
- Greek Ruins
- Ethnic Food
Hazalscamera.com 