If only I could - Mersin ...

Mersin is a large city and a busy port on the Mediterranean coast of southern Turkey and is the capital of the Mersin Province. It is part of Adana-Mersin Metropolitan Area and lies on the west part of Çukurova, a geographical, economical and cultural region. According to Evliya Çelebi, the city is named after the Mersinoğullari tribe. Another theory is that it is derived from the myrtle (Greek: μύρτος) which grows abundantly in the region. Mersin is important for Turkey's economy. Mersin is Turkey's biggest port.

Slogan:The Pearl of Mediterranean (Turkish: Akdeniz'in İncisi)

Atatürk visited Mersin ten times and stayed in Mersin five times. He said, 'Mersin is the most important trade area in Turkey between Turkey and The World'. The 'Atatürk House' (more formally Atatürk Museum) was established there and it is still used as a museum.

Today, Mersin is a large city spreading out along the coast, with Turkey's second tallest skyscraper (the 52-floor Mersin Tower, which was the tallest skyscraper in Turkey for 13 years between 1987 and 2000, until the completion of the İş Bankası Towers in Istanbul), huge hotels, an opera house, expensive real estate near the sea or up in the hills, and many other modern urban amenities, although still nothing like the long-established nightlife and culture of Istanbul or Izmir.The seaside of Mersin is the longest seaside in Turkey as well as in Eastern Mediterranean. The population of the city is 912 597 (with all provinces 1 741 215) according to 2009 estimates.

The Metropolitan Municipality is now trying to rescue the sea front with walkways, parks and statues, and there are still palm trees on the roadsides especially where the young generation like to hang out in the cafés and patisseries of smart neighbourhoods such as Pozcu or Çamlıbel. These are established neighbourhoods where there are many well-known shops and restaurants with years of experience and reputations to protect. The city centre is a maze of narrow streets and arcades of little shops and cafes, with young people buzzing around on scooters. The old quarter near the fish market is where you will find the stalls selling Tantuni (a hot lavaş wrap consisting of julienned lamb stir-fried on a sac on a hint of cotton seed oil), and grilled liver sandwiches.

One of the most distinctive features of the city as a whole is the solar heating panels, they are everywhere, on top of every building.

The port is the mainstay of Mersin's economy. There are 45 piers, a total port area of 785,000 square metres (194 acres), with a capacity of 6,000 ships per year. Adjacent to the port is Mersin Free Zone established in 1986, the first free zone in Turkey, with warehouses, shops, assembly-disassembly, maintenance and engineering workshops, banking and insurance, packing-repacking, labelling and exhibition facilities. The zone is a publicly owned center for foreign investors, close to major markets in the (Middle East, North Africa, East and West Europe, Russian Federation and Central Asia. The trading volume of the free zone was USD 51,8 billion in 2002.

Mersin has Highway connections to the north, east and west. Mersin is also connected to the southern railroad. Adana airport is 69 kilometres (43 miles).

70% of the male population and 46% of the female population is employed. Unemployment is about 6.7%

Mersin port is an international hub for many vessels routing to European countries. Its now operated by PSA.

 

 

MERSIN: the place where I want to be ...