Bandirma
Description
Bandırma is a city in northwestern Turkey with 143,000 inhabitants (2012 estimate) on the Sea of Marmara. Also, Bandırma is a district of Balıkesir.
The city is a commercial centre and its harbour serves as a transit point for trade between Istanbul and İzmir. There is also agriculture produced in the surrounding areas, producing products like cereals, sheep wool and meat, cattle, grain and the mineral boracite.
The city has road and rail connections with other urban centres. Balıkesir which is province centre is 90 km, Istanbul is 100 km northeast (by boat), Bursa 100 km east, İzmir 270 km southwest and Çanakkale 170 km west. Also city has a seaport and military airport.
Bandırma's twin towns are Kamen, Germany and Mardin, Turkey.
History
The area was conquered by the Ottoman Empire from the Byzantine Empire in the 14th century.
The town, once known as Panderma, grew with the opening of the Izmir Railway in 1912. The port was active, and hosted steamships from throughout the world, including British and Greek ships. The city had intentions to build larger docks for large steamships.
When World War I started, construction halted. In 1918 the last shot of World War I was fired in the city. A monument stands at the location of the shell fall.
Transportation
Bandırma is one of TCDD's main seaports, therefore the city sees much freight railroad traffic. Two passenger trains also operate from Bandırma to İzmir daily. These being the "6 Eylül Ekspresi", and the "17 Eylül Ekspresi". A new railway project will connect Bandırma with Bursa. İDO also connects Bandırma with İstanbul, via ferry. There is also a ferryboat from Tekirdag to Bandirma.
