Kütahya

City in western Turkey with 170,000 inhabitants (2004 estimate), lying on the Porsuk river, at 930 metres above sea level. It is the capital of Kütahya province with 660,000 inhabitants (2004 estimate).
The industries of Kütahya have long traditions, going back to ancient times. Kütahya is famous for its kiln products, for its tiles and pottery, which is glazed and multicoloured. Modern industries are suger refining, tanning, nitrate processing and different products of meerschaum, which is extracted nearby. The local agriculture produces cereals, fruits and sugar beets, in addition is stock raising of much importance. Not far from Kütahya are there important mines extracting lignite.
Kütahya is linked by rail and road with Balikesir 250 km to the west, Konya 450 km to the southeast, Eskisehir 90 km northeast and Ankara 300 km east.
Kütahya's old neighbourhoods is dominated by traditional Ottoman houses made of wood and stucco.
The region of Kütahya has large areas of gentle slopes with agricultural land culminating in high mountain ridges to the north and west.
The Kütahya Museum has a fine collection of arts and cultural artefacts from the area. The city's university is named Dumlupinar University and was founded in 1992.
Aesop, the ancient Greek writer of fables, is believed to have been born in Kütahya.

History
3rd millennium BCE: Settled, and known as Kotiaion or Cotyaeum, "the city of the goddess Kotys". It was an important stopover on the road from the Marmara region to Mesopotamia.
12th century: Incorporated into the Phrygian kingdom, becoming one of the country's most important cities.
Around 700: Phrygia collapses, but Kotiaion position as a strong city survives.
1071 CE: Conquered by the Seljuqs.
Around 1095: Lost to the European Crusaders.
1182: Reconquered by the Seljuqs.
1302: Becomes capital of the Germiyan Turkmen principality.
1428: Becomes part of the Ottoman Empire.
1514: Sultan Selim 1resettles tile-workers from Tabriz in Kütahya and Iznik after defeating the Persians. With this Kütahya emerges as a centre for the Ottoman ceramic industry, producing tiles and faience for mosques, churches and official buildings in places all over the Middle East.
19th century: With the fast growth of Eskisehir 90 km away, Kütahya looses much of its regional and economic importance.