Sapanca

• The city of Sapanca, which is known as the City of Dreams, is one of the tourist cities in Turkey. Over the past few years, it has turned into a safe haven for relaxation and recreation. This city became famous among the Arabs from the Arab Gulf states, and was recently famous for tourism and recreation.

• It is located in Sakarya district in the Marmara region, specifically in the Asian part of Istanbul, about 130 km away from the European part of Turkey, and it is about 15 km away from the Izmit region, 140 km away from Ataturk Airport, and 60 km from Sabiha International Airport, which is a terminal for the European region.

• The city of Sapanca is characterized by a moderate climate, where temperatures reach a maximum of twenty-seven in the summer, and reach about minus seven degrees Celsius in the winter.

• The geographical location of Sapanca: Sapanca is one of the provinces of the Turkish province of Sakarya, as it is bordered from the north by Lake Sapanca, and from the east by the Adapazari and Samanli Mountains, and from the south by the cities of Civi and Pamukova, and from the west by the city center of Kocaeli and Izmit.

• The area of Sapanca is about 140 km2, and its height above sea level is 36 meters. It is worth noting that it is one of the smallest cities in terms of area, despite the fact that it has a high population density.

• This city is surrounded by many waterfalls and the large Sapanca Lake, which is the largest in Turkey and the closest to Istanbul, and this lake is named after the same name of the city and it is called Lake Sapanca Gul, and there are many hills in it and the famous Kartepe Mountain and this mountain for winter skiing lovers.

• History of the city of Sapanca: The city of Sapanca is a Turkish city, and it was inhabited by the people of the Phrygian civilization at the first, as they settled in the year 1200 BC, according to what is documented in the historical records of Sakarya province, and later the region was subject to Byzantine rule, and the first Turkish invasion was in the eleventh century AD, until the Ottomans captured it in the fourteenth century AD.

• Most of its residents are Turks, and there are more than 1000 Arabs who live permanently in it, and millions of Arabs, Europeans and Turks come to visit this city every year.

• The most important tourist places in the city of Sapanca:

  - Lake Sapanca: The lake is located in a tectonic crater between the Gulf of Izmit and Adapazari, with an area of about 45 km², a length of about 16 km from east to west, and 5 km from north to south, and its depth is about 52 m. The lake is surrounded on the southern side by several mountains, the most important of which is Kartepe Mountain, as for the northern side, is surrounded by a group of hills, as it contains a catchment of water of 251 km², where water is used to meet the local population and industrial needs as well.

  - The village of Maşukiye: It is a mountain village located about twenty kilometres from the city center, where it is located in the north of Lake Sapanca, and the village is divided into two parts: the Shinarli neighborhoods and the Sogxo neighborhoods, and the area is famous for the cultivation of the tea plant, and the presence of a number of fish restaurants, waterfalls, and attractive forests that It is characterized by the tranquillity of nature, and there is a large number of tourists who are coming to the village, especially in the winter season.

  - Sultana Rahima Mosque: it was built by Sultana Rahima, the fourth wife of the Ottoman Sultan Abdul Majid I in 1892 AD, and it was restored in 1967 AD.

  - Byzantine sarcophagus and tombs: it is a stone sarcophagus from the Byzantine era with four tombs displayed in front of the government office in Sapanca, where two of them were found in 1976 AD, and then the other two were found during the construction of the highway in 1987 AD.

  - Rustem Pasha Mosque: It was ordered to be built by Rustem Pasha, who was the minister of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and the husband of his daughter in 1555 AD, and it has been restored several times, and it is still open for prayer.

  - The New Mosque: built in 1899 AD, it is located in the new neighborhood, and it has been restored several times, and is distinguished by the beauty of its design.

  - Hassan Fahmi Pasha Mosque: Built by the Ottoman Minister Hassan Fahmy Pasha in 1855 AD, it is located in the village of Mahmudiyah.

• How to go to Sapanca: You can go to Sapanca from the European part of Istanbul by bus, by going from the “Otogar” bus station to the city of Izmit, then going to it by taxi or bus, and to go to Sapanca from the Asian part of Istanbul, you can use the train that starts from "Harem" station to the city of Izmit, then to Sapanca. You can also use "Haydarpasa" train station.