Afyon

Afyonkarahisar (.mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}Turkish pronunciation: [afˈjon.kaˌɾahisaɾ], Turkish: afyon 'poppy, opium', kara 'black', hisar 'fortress'[2]) is a city in western Turkey. It is the administrative centre of Afyonkarahisar Province and Afyonkarahisar District.[3] Its population is 251,799 (2021).[1] Afyon is in the mountainous countryside inland from the Aegean coast, 250 km (155 mi) south-west of Ankara along the Akarçay River. In Turkey, Afyonkarahisar stands out as a capital city of hot springs and spas,[4] an important junction of railway, highway and air traffic in West-Turkey,[5] and the place where independence was won.[6] In addition, Afyonkarahisar is one of the top leading provinces in agriculture,[7] globally renowned for its marble[8] and is the world's largest producer of pharmaceutical opium.[9] In antiquity the city was called Akroinon and it is the site of Afyonkarahisar Castle. The name Afyon Kara Hisar literally means opium black fortress in Turkish, since opium was widely grown here and there is a castle on a black rock.[10] Also known simply as Afyon. Older spellings include Karahisar-i Sahip, Afium-Kara-hissar and Afyon Karahisar. The city was known as Afyon (opium), until the name was changed to Afyonkarahisar by the Turkish Parliament in 2004. The top of the rock in Afyon has been fortified for a long time. It was known to the Hittites as Hapanuwa, and was later occupied by Phrygians, Lydians and Achaemenid Persians until it was conquered by Alexander the Great. After the death of Alexander the city (now known as Akroinοn (Ακροϊνόν) or Nikopolis (Νικόπολις) in Ancient Greek), was ruled by the Seleucids and the kings of Pergamon, then Rome and Byzantium.