Afyonkarahisar - Afyonkarahisar 7.15

Afyonkarahisar is a city in western Turkey, the capital of Afyon Province. Afyon is in mountainous countryside inland from the Aegean coast, 250km south-west of Ankara along the Akarçay River. Elevation 1021m. Population (2010 census) 173,100 In Turkey, Afyonkarahisar stands out as a capital city of thermal and spa, an important junction of railway, highway and air traffic in West-Turkey, and the grounds where independence had been won. In addition, Afyonkarahisar is one of the top leading provinces in agriculture, globally renown for its marble and globally largest producer of pharmaceutical opium.EtymologyThe name Afyon Kara Hisar, since opium was widely grown here and there is a castle on a black rock. Also known simply as Afyon. Older spellings include Karahisar-i Sahip, Afium-Kara-hissar and Afyon Karahisar. The city was known as Afyon, until the name was changed to Afyonkarahisar by the Turkish Parliament in 2004.