x0x Old and New: FOCA

[See http://www.balsoy.com/Turkiye/inpictures/pi/foca01.html for an
aerial view of Foca.]

x0x Old and New: FOCA

By Omer Faruk Urundul

Heading westwards across the fertile plain watered by the Gediz River,
you suddenly catch the salty scent of the sea in the air. Then a
monumental tower thought to have been built by one of the generals of
Alexander the Great comes into sight at the right-hand side of the
road next to a Roman bridge. Then you cross the pine clad hills and
suddenly find yourself facing the blue Aegean, a coast indented with
bays stretching out in both directions, the sand beach of Orak Island,
lighthouses, and the minaret of Fatih Mosque. Gazing upon this
entrancing landscape, it feels as if you only have to reach out to
touch the sails of the yachts, the nets of the fishermen and the light
of the lighthouse.

At the entrance to the town of Foca are statues of seals, which are
both the origin of Foca's name and its mascot. The small colony of
just nine Mediterranean seals (Monacus monacus) is protected under a
programme supported by the Worldwide Fund for Nature, and it is
forbidden to dive and fish in the sea around the cliffs where they
live. The name Foca comes from the ancient Phokaia, which means 'town
of seals,' and many coins minted here bear the figure of a seal.

Foca was founded by the Aeolians in the 11th century BC, and expanded
in both size and wealth in the 9th century with the arrival of Ionians
from Kyme, Erythrae and Teos. The Phokaians established colonies far
and wide, not only on the Aegean, Mediterranean and Black Sea coasts,
but at Elea (Velia) in Italy, Alaia in Corsica, and Marseille in
France, using boats with 50 oars capable of carrying 500 people.

The historic tie between Foca and Marseille is commemorated today in a
special friendship between the two ports. Navigation and trade brought
prosperity to Phokaia, whose earliest settlement was on an island that
today is a peninsular joined to the mainland and lying between two
bays known as Buyuk Deniz and Kucuk Deniz (Big Sea and Little Sea). In
the 13th century Foca came under the rule of the Seljuk Cakabey, and
in 1455 became part of the Ottoman Empire. The castle at Bes Kapilar
was constructed during the reign of Mehmed II (1451-1481) and repaired
by Suleyman the Magnificent (1520-1566). The section of the castle
used for open-air concerts today is the former Ottoman boatyard. There
are two Ottoman mosques on the peninsular, the Fatih and Kayalar.

Archaeological excavations are continuing in this part of the town,
where you will come across the remains of an ancient wall and a mosaic
pavement belonging to a 4th or 5th century Roman villa, as well as
carefully restored stone houses more than a century old. Almost all
the streets in Foca lead down to the sea, where the wind ruffles the
waves and small boats dot the surface. From an Ottoman period almanac
dated 1891 we learn that Old Foca had a population of 14,548, that its
municipality had an annual income of 30,000 kurus, and that 81 lamps
illuminated the streets. The almanac warns that since the streets are
so narrow, the municipality must clean them well. New Foca had a
population of 7002.

Walking along the sea front as the sun begins to sink towards the
horizon, the fishermen mending their nets join in the conversations of
the strollers. The fishing boats set out to sea at sundown, and
meanwhile back on shore the fish restaurants begin to bustle in
readiness for their evening customers.

The fresh seafood is delicious, and local specialities include fish
with yoghurt and savoury pastry known as Albanian borek. Yeni Foca is
20 kilometres away along a road that winds along the coast past
innumerable lovely bays which are quiet and deserted during the week,
and perfect to stop for a swim.

Yeni Foca was founded as a naval base by the Genoese, who called it
Niyez Fokez or Phokainova. Alum was mined here for use in the dyeing
industry and a local stone known as focateyn was quarried for
millstones. Streets of stone houses built by the Anatolian Greek
inhabitants of the town are in a good state of preservation, but
otherwise there are no old buildings here

After wandering through these streets, a delicious smell of grilling
fish draws you towards one of the numerous restaurants, and you find
yourself seated at a table enjoying more local flavours.

* Omer Faruk Urundul is a photographer and writer.