Introduction
Municipality in TurkeyBurdurMunicipalityView of Burdur with Lake Burdur in the background
Coat of armsBurdurLocation in TurkeyCoordinates: 37°43′10″N 30°17′00″E / 37.71944°N 30.28333°E / 37.71944; 30.28333CountryTurkeyProvinceBurdurDistrictBurdurGovernment • MayorAli Orkun Ercengiz (CHP)Population (2021)95,436Time zoneUTC+3 (TRT)Postal code15000Area code0248Websitewww.burdur.bel.tr
Burdur is a city in southwestern Turkey. The seat of Burdur Province and of Burdur District, it is located on the shore of Lake Burdur. Its population is 95,436 (2021).
History
[edit]
Artifacts in Burdur Archaeological Museum
A statue of Zeus from Kremna, in the Burdur Archaeological Museum.
Historical affiliations
Hittites c. 1600–1200 BC
Phrygia c. 800–695 BC
Achaemenid Empire c. 547–333 BC
Macedonian Empire 333–323 BC
Kingdom of Pergamon c. 281–133 BC
Roman Empire 133 BC–395 AD
Byzantine Empire 395–1071
Seljuk Empire 1071–1077
Sultanate of Rum 1077–1243
Ilkhanate 1243–1335
Hamidids c. 1301–1391
Ottoman Empire 1391–1922
Turkey 1923–present
Burdur Archaeological Museum
Ancient history[edit]
Whilst there is evidence of habitation in the province dating back to 6500 BC, the earliest sign of habitation in the city itself dates to Early Bronze Age. Artifacts from this period have been found in the site of today's railway station. In antiquity, the area was part of the region of Pisidia. It has been proposed that the city of Burdur has changed location a number of times; the ancient city of Limnombria ("Lake City") was closer to Lake Burdur than the modern city. It is known that in the Byzantine era, the city existed with the name Polydorion (Greek: Πολυδώριον), from which the current name is derived. No remains of Polydorion survive to this day. Burdur may also occupy the site of a town called Praetoria.
Turkish settlement and the Hamidids[edit]
The history of the urban development of Burdur is generally held to begin with the Turkish settlement after the Seljuq victory at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071. In the late 11th century, the Kınalı tribe of the Oghuz Turks captured the Burdur area and settled there. Turks became the majority of the population of the area after 1211, establishing a number of villages in addition to expanding the town. The first Turkish settlement was in an area known as Hamam Bendi that had a lower elevation than today's city but was farther to the lake than the ancient town of Limnombria. These residents used the site of today's Grand Mosque of Burdur as an open marketplace, known as Alanpazarı. Realising the high incidence of malaria in the area they had settled, these residents then moved uphill, away from the lake. These first residents had not submitted to any state, but Kilij Arslan II, the Seljuq Sultan of Rum, captured the area in 1177 and imposed his sovereignty over the local tribes. The town remained under the undisputed sovereignty of the Sultanate of Rum between 1206 and 1260, when it was captured by the Mongol Empire. Developing commerce in the port of Antalya increased the significance of Burdur as a centre of commerce. Tragacanth obtained from the mountains of Psidia, wine from Kütahya, wax, wood and tar from many parts of Anatolia passed through Burdur, in exchange of which Egyptian spices, cotton and sugar was traded.
In 1300, the Hamidids under Dündar Bey captured Burdur. Dündar Bey had the Grand Mosque of Burdur built around a hilly area in 1300, and the town subsequently developed around the mosque. The Hamidids administered Burdur as a district under the town of Eğirdir. The Ilkhanate then captured Burdur in 1324 under the governor of Anatolia, Timurtash. Dündar Bey's son, İshak Çelebi, recaptured Burdur in 1328. Traveller Ibn Battuta visited the town in 1330. In the account of his visit, he described Burdur as a town blessed with natural beauty and a number of orchards and farms, centred around the Burdur Castle near the Grand Mosque. No trace of the castle remains today except for the names of some of the streets, indicating that with the lack of a strategic requirement for a castle, it was gradually destroyed. The account also indicates the presence of a guild of ahis controlling commerce and production. By comparing the description of Burdur with the presentation of other cities such as Eğirdir, Isparta and Denizli, it can be deduced that Burdur was a relatively minor urban centre with limited commerce. It was, nevertheless, still a stop on the trade route between Konya, the cities of the Black Sea and the ports of the Aegean Sea.
Burdur was captured by the Ottoman Empire in 1391, when Bayezid I conquered the Hamidids. It was initially a district centre and a small town under the Sanjak of Hamid. As of 1478, Burdur had four quarters, three being Muslim and one being Christian. The largest of these was the Cami ("Mosque") quarter of the Muslims.
There was a small Greek population living in the city until the Population exchange between Greece and Turkey. An abandoned Greek church in the city has been turned into a museum with a giant dinosaur fossil a few years ago.
Economy
[edit]
Burdur serves as the economic centre of the province and has traditionally relied on agriculture, animal husbandry, and food processing. The surrounding countryside is known for the cultivation of cereals, sugar beet, fruits, and vegetables, while dairy farming and livestock production remain important components of the local economy.
Manufacturing also contributes to the city's economy, particularly in the production of marble, building materials, textiles, and food products. Burdur's location between the Mediterranean coast and the interior of Anatolia has supported commercial activity and regional trade.
In recent years, tourism has become an increasingly important sector due to the province's archaeological heritage and natural attractions, including nearby ancient cities and Lake Salda.
Education
[edit]
Mehmet Akif Ersoy University campus
Burdur is home to Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, a public university named after the Turkish poet and parliamentarian Mehmet Akif Ersoy. The university plays an important role in the city's educational, cultural and economic life, attracting students from across Türkiye and contributing to research in fields including agriculture, veterinary sciences, engineering, education and health sciences.
The city has long been associated with educational achievement and serves as the primary centre for secondary and higher education within the province.
Demographics
[edit]
Burdur serves as the administrative and commercial centre of Burdur Province. Population growth in the city accelerated during the second half of the twentieth century as public services, education, and industry expanded. In recent decades, the city has continued to attract residents from surrounding rural areas while functioning as a regional centre for administration and higher education.
Culture
[edit]
Burdur forms part of the traditional Teke region of southwestern Anatolia and preserves many elements of Yörük and Turkmen cultural heritage. Folk music, traditional dances, handicrafts, and local festivals continue to play an important role in the city's cultural identity.
The city's cultural landscape reflects the influence of numerous civilizations that have inhabited the region, including the Pisidians, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks, and Ottomans. This heritage is visible in both the urban fabric and surrounding archaeological sites.
Traditional weaving, embroidery, and folk music remain important elements of local cultural life, while regional festivals help preserve the customs of the Teke cultural area.
Museums
[edit]
The Burdur Archaeology Museum is one of the most important museums in southwestern Türkiye and houses more than 60,000 cultural artefacts recovered from archaeological sites throughout the province. Its collections include material from Hacılar Höyük, Kuruçay Höyük, Sagalassos, Kibyra and other important ancient settlements.
Established in 1956 and reorganized in 2001, the museum has received national recognition for its archaeological collections and exhibits covering periods from the Neolithic era to the Ottoman period.
Tourism
[edit]
Tourism is an increasingly important sector in Burdur, supported by the city's proximity to numerous archaeological and natural attractions. The province is internationally known for sites such as Sagalassos, Kibyra and Lake Salda, while the city serves as a gateway for visitors exploring the Lakes Region of southwestern Türkiye.
Museums, historic monuments and nearby archaeological sites contribute significantly to cultural tourism in the region. Researchers have identified Burdur as one of Türkiye's notable centres for archaeological and cultural heritage tourism due to the concentration of ancient settlements within the province.
Transport
[edit]
Burdur is connected to neighbouring regional centres by a network of highways linking the city with Antalya, Isparta, Denizli and Afyonkarahisar. Its location within the Lakes Region has historically made it an important transit point between the Mediterranean coast and the interior of Anatolia.
The city is also served by railway connections that form part of the national rail network, facilitating passenger and freight transportation within western Türkiye.
Climate
[edit]
Burdur has a hot summer mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Csa) or a temperate oceanic climate (Trewartha climate classification: Do). It has chilly, wet and often snowy winters and hot, long and dry summers.
Climate data for Burdur (1991–2020, extremes 1932–2023)
Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year
Record high °C (°F)
16.8(62.2)
23.4(74.1)
27.8(82.0)
30.7(87.3)
35.4(95.7)
38.7(101.7)
41.0(105.8)
41.6(106.9)
39.0(102.2)
33.6(92.5)
26.5(79.7)
20.5(68.9)
41.6(106.9)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)
7.1(44.8)
9.4(48.9)
13.6(56.5)
18.2(64.8)
23.7(74.7)
29.0(84.2)
33.0(91.4)
33.1(91.6)
28.6(83.5)
22.2(72.0)
14.8(58.6)
8.6(47.5)
20.1(68.2)
Daily mean °C (°F)
2.5(36.5)
4.0(39.2)
7.4(45.3)
11.7(53.1)
16.7(62.1)
21.5(70.7)
25.2(77.4)
25.1(77.2)
20.5(68.9)
14.8(58.6)
8.5(47.3)
4.1(39.4)
13.5(56.3)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)
−1.0(30.2)
−0.2(31.6)
2.3(36.1)
6.1(43.0)
10.4(50.7)
14.3(57.7)
17.6(63.7)
17.6(63.7)
13.2(55.8)
8.6(47.5)
3.5(38.3)
0.6(33.1)
7.7(45.9)
Record low °C (°F)
−16.7(1.9)
−15.0(5.0)
−11.6(11.1)
−7.0(19.4)
−0.4(31.3)
3.8(38.8)
9.0(48.2)
8.8(47.8)
3.4(38.1)
−2.4(27.7)
−12.0(10.4)
−15.3(4.5)
−16.7(1.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches)
48.0(1.89)
35.1(1.38)
46.9(1.85)
49.1(1.93)
49.3(1.94)
29.9(1.18)
18.8(0.74)
12.8(0.50)
17.1(0.67)
32.7(1.29)
36.8(1.45)
55.8(2.20)
432.3(17.02)
Average precipitation days
10.43
9.50
10.20
10.87
11.20
7.27
3.63
3.50
4.00
6.67
6.80
10.43
94.5
Average snowy days
4.14
2.71
2.14
0.14
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.29
1.64
11.06
Average relative humidity (%)
72.9
67.6
61.4
58.2
56.2
49.9
42.6
43.4
48.1
57.9
65.3
74
58.1
Mean monthly sunshine hours
115.0
142.9
181.2
214.4
272.2
319.3
356.6
336.3
269.9
222.0
166.7
103.2
2,699.5
Mean daily sunshine hours
3.7
5.1
5.9
7.2
8.8
10.6
11.5
10.8
9.0
7.2
5.6
3.3
7.4
Source 1: Turkish State Meteorological Service (extremes)
Source 2: NOAA(humidity, sun 1991-2020), Meteomanz(snow days 2010-2023)
Notable residents
[edit]
Burdurlu Dervish Mehmed Pasha Ottoman Grand Vizier 1818-1820
Burdurlu Ahmet Şükrü Pasha Ottoman Military Doctor, with major improvements in medical awards[clarification needed]
