Manisa

Manisa (Ottoman Turkish: مانيسا Manisa; Greek: Μαγνησία) is a large city in Turkey's Aegean Region and the seat of Manisa Province. Historically, the city was also called Magnesia, and more precisely as Magnesia ad Sipylum, by the name of the Mount Sipylus (Mount Spil) that towers over the city. The English language root words "magnet" and "magnesia", their derivations, as well as their equivalents in many other languages, derive from the city's name. In Ottoman times, many of the sons of sultans received their education in Manisa and the city is commonly known as "the city of shahzades" (Şehzadeler şehri) in Turkey, a distinctive title it shares only with Amasya and Trabzon. Today, Manisa is a booming center of industry and services, advantaged by its closeness to the international port city and the regional metropolitan center of Izmir and by its fertile hinterland rich in quantity and variety of agricultural production. Traditionally spreading out immediately from the slopes of the Mount Sipylus, Manisa's area of extension more than tripled in size in the last decade, with the construction of new block apartments, industrial zones and the Celal Bayar University campus.

First time in 2004 and again for 2006/07, Manisa scored as the top Turkish city in terms of cost effectiveness, transport, and overall FDI promotion strategy and development in the ranking drawn among cities across 13 European regions by Financial Times' FDi magazine. more

Manisa is also widely visited, especially during the March and September festivals and for Mount Spil national park, and is a departure point for other visitor's attractions of international acclaim which are located nearby within its depending region, such as Sardes and Alaşehir (ancient Philadelphia). Izmir's proximity also adds a further dimension to all aspects of life's pace in Manisa in the form of a dense traffic of daily commuters between the two cities, separated as they are by an half-hour drive served by a fine six-lane highway nevertheless requiring attention at all times due to its curves and the rapid ascent (sea-level to more than 500 meters at Sabuncubeli Pass) across Mount Sipylus's mythic scenery.

The mosque is part of a large külliye -a religious compound- among whose buildings the hospital "darüşşifa" is particularly notable. Focused on mental diseases, the medical center was in activity until the beginning of the 20th century when new buildings were built within the same compound. That Turkey's only two institutions until recently specialized on mental health were located in Istanbul district of Bakırköy and in Manisa gave way in Turkey's public lore to gentle innuendos on the challenging spirit of the natives - Manisalı. One such warming eccentric of the 20th century was Ahmet Bedevi, the Tarzan of Manisa, a figure who became a symbol for the city by greatly contributing to raising consciousness for protection of the environment across the country, and by preserving and enriching Mount Sipylus's forests almost single-handed.

The Muradiye Mosque of the 16th century was built by the great architect Sinan (and completed by Sedefhar Mehmet Ağa), and the Murad Bey Medresse now houses the Archaeological Museum of Manisa.

Manisa celebrates the Vintage Festival every September, when the fruits of the vineyards are celebrated. The vineyards surround the city and provide dry fruit for export from Izmir, and grapes for wine making.

Modern Manisa

Modern Manisa is very much associated with the consumer electronics and white goods giant Vestel, although its economic base is far from being confined to a sole company. Manisa registered roughly 200m US Dollars in FDI in 2004 and well-known businesses such as Italian white goods company Indesit, German electrical goods company Bosch, UK packaging company Rexam and Imperial Tobacco of the UK have all invested in Manisa.

The city also has a football team, Vestel Manisaspor, which plays in the Turkish Premier Super League under the home colors of red and white and away colors of black and white.