Fire of Manisa facts for kids
The Fire of Manisa was a terrible event that happened in the city of Manisa, Turkey. It was burned by the Greek army during a war between Greece and Turkey, known as the Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922). The fire destroyed Manisa between September 5 and 8, 1922.
More than 10,000 buildings were ruined, which was about 90 percent of the entire city. Thousands of people sadly died in the flames or were shot by the Greek soldiers.
The Events of the Fire
The city of Manisa was once part of the Ottoman Empire. Both Turkish and Greek people lived there peacefully together. However, during the Greco-Turkish War, Greece wanted Manisa to become part of its own country.
In May 1919, the Greek army took control of Manisa. This started a war between the Greeks and the Turks that lasted for three years. In the summer of 1922, the Turkish army finally defeated the Greeks.
As the Greek soldiers retreated towards the Aegean Sea to go back to Greece, they burned many Turkish towns and villages. Manisa was one of these cities. Many local Turkish people had to flee to the mountains to escape the fire. Most of Manisa was destroyed, but it was later rebuilt. Some Turkish writers even wrote about their experiences during this time in their books.
Images for kids
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A view of Manisa before the fire. This picture shows the area around the Cami-i Kebir neighborhood. The Sultan and Muradiye imperial Ottoman mosques are in front. A small area around these mosques was saved from the fire.
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A picture of a street in Manisa after the fire.
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A map of western Anatolia, showing where Manisa and other towns are located.
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A view of Manisa from the hills above the town.
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This picture shows Mount Sipylus and the Ulu Camii, a grand mosque built in 1366.
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The rebuilt Municipal building in Manisa after the fire.
See also
In Spanish: Incendio de Manisa para niños
