Eskişehir 7.76

Eskişehir is a city in northwestern Turkey and the capital of the Eskişehir Province. The urban population of the city is 717,135 with a metropolitan population of 826,135. The city is located on the banks of the Porsuk River, 792 m above sea level, where it overlooks the fertile Phrygian Valley. In the nearby hills one can find hot springs. The city is 233km to the west of Ankara, 330km to the southeast of Istanbul and 78km to the northeast of Kütahya. Known as a university town, both Eskişehir Osmangazi University and Anadolu University are based in Eskişehir. The province covers an area of 2678km2.HistoryThe name Eskişehir literally means "Old City" in Turkish; indeed, the city was founded by the Phrygians in at least 1000 BC, although it has been estimated to be older than 4000 years old. Many Phrygian artifacts and sculptures can still be found in the city's archeological museum. There is also a museum of meerschaum stone, whose production remains still notable, used to make high quality meerschaum pipes. In the fourth century AD the city moved about ten km northeast, from Karacahisar to Şehirhöyük.