Osmaneli, Turkey

Welcome to Osmaneli, a charming town located in the Bilecik Province of Turkey. With a population of 16,192, Osmaneli is a small town with a rich history and breathtaking scenery. Situated on a hillside where the Karasu river meets the Sakarya river, Osmaneli is surrounded by stunning natural beauty, including a narrow river gorge with rocky walls up to 100m/328ft high. In antiquity, Osmaneli was known as Leukai and more recently as Lefke. Today, it is a peaceful town with a lot to offer visitors.

One of the most interesting places to visit in Osmaneli is the well-preserved ruins of a large Rum (Anatolian Greek) Orthodox church from the 1890s. Not far from the church, you can also see a building that was used as a silk-spinning mill, as well as several Ottoman-style homes. Every year, Osmaneli hosts watermelon festivals that are worth seeing.

Osmaneli has a rich history as a significant midpoint in the era of Byzantium and Ottoman Empires. All armies have walked through this point during their expeditions. Osmaneli was a town where Turks and Rums lived together until the War of Independence. The only structure in Osmaneli left from such Rums is a church named Aya Yorgi, located on Cumhuriyet Avenue. This 19th-century structure had passed through several different construction cycles, and the most remarkable point of the structure is the towers on both sides of the entrance on the western side. These towers, covered with small domes, are used not only for climbing to the second floor but also as bell towers. Such type of twin towers at western sides of the buildings is common until the first years following Christ. These towers, which can also be seen in early Byzantium era churches, have also been integral parts of Romanic, Gothic, and Baroque cathedrals in European architecture since the days of the Carolingian Empire. The most beautiful representative of this trend is this Greek Church in Osmaneli.

In conclusion, Osmaneli is a hidden gem that is worth visiting for its rich history, stunning scenery, and unique architecture. Come and experience the charm of this small town for yourself!