Mersin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mersin
City
Clockwise from top: Mersin Skyline, Yapraklı Koy, St. Anthony Latin Catholic Church of Mersin, Yenişehir, Soli Pompeiopolis, Kızkalesi
Emblem of Mersin Metropolitan Municipality
Mersin Location in Turkey Show map of Turkey Mersin Location in Mediterranean Show map of Mediterranean Mersin Location in Europe Show map of Europe
Country	Turkey
Region	Mediterranean
Province	Mersin
Districts	Akdeniz, Mezitli, Toroslar, Yenişehir
Area
• Urban	1,708.6 km2 (659.7 sq mi)
Elevation	10 m (30 ft)
Population  (2022)
• Urban	1,040,507
• Urban density	608.982/km2 (1,577.26/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+3 (TRT)
Postal code	33XXX
Area code(s)	(+90) 324 Metropolitan Municipality
Licence plate	33
Website	Mersin

Mersin (pronounced [ˈmæɾsin]) is a large city and important port on the Mediterranean coast of southern Türkiye. It is the capital city of the Mersin Province. The city is divided into four main districts: Akdeniz, Mezitli, Toroslar, and Yenişehir.

Mersin is located on the western side of Çukurova, a key region in Türkiye known for its geography, economy, and culture. It's a very important place for Turkey's economy because it has Türkiye's largest seaport. The city also hosted the 2013 Mediterranean Games, a big sports event.

As the city grows, it's becoming part of a larger area that includes Tarsus and Adana. This bigger area, called the Adana-Mersin Metropolitan Area, has over 3.3 million people.

The closest international airport is Adana Şakirpaşa Airport (ADA), which is about 69 kilometres (43 mi) from Mersin. You can also take ferries from Mersin to Famagusta in Northern Cyprus. Trains from TCDD connect Mersin to Adana through Tarsus.

What's in a Name?

The city got its name from a fragrant plant called Myrsine (Turkish: Mersin in Turkish). This plant, which is a type of myrtle, grows a lot in the area. An old traveler from the 1600s, Evliya Çelebi, wrote that there was a family group called the Mersinoğulları (which means "Sons of Mersin") living there. In the 1800s, people sometimes called the city Mersina.

A Look Back in Time

Early Days

People have lived along this coast for a very long time, since about 9,000 BC. Digs at a place called Yumuktepe have shown 23 different layers of settlements. The oldest one dates back to around 6300 BC. Walls were built for protection around 4500 BC.

Ancient Times

Over many centuries, different groups ruled the city. These included the Hittites, Assyrians, Urartians, Persians, Greeks, Armenians, and Seleucids. During the time of Ancient Greece, the city was called Zephyrion (Greek: Ζεφύριον). It was known for its natural harbor and its good location for trade. The city also traded in a material called molybdenum (white lead) from nearby mines.

Later, the area became part of the Roman province of Cilicia. The capital was Tarsus, but Mersin was the main port. The Romans changed the city's name to Hadrianopolis to honor Emperor Hadrian. After the Roman Empire split in 395 AD, Mersin became part of the Byzantine Empire.

Middle Ages

In the early 600s, Arabs took over Cilicia, and it seems Mersin was empty for a while. After the Arabs, the Egyptian Tulunids ruled, then the Byzantines, and then the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. From 1362 to 1513, the region was controlled by the Ramadanid Emirate. Eventually, in 1518, it became part of the Ottoman Empire.

Ottoman Rule

From Mersin Archaeological Museum

During the American Civil War, the demand for cotton was very high. The Mersin region became a big supplier. Railroads were built to Mersin in 1866 so cotton could be shipped out from its port. This helped the city grow into a major trading center.

Before World War I, Mersin mainly sent out sesame seeds, cotton, and grains. It brought in things like coal. The port was very busy, with many ships coming and going.

In 1918, the Ottoman Empire ended, and French and British soldiers occupied Mersin. But the Turkish Army took it back in 1921 after the Franco-Turkish War. In 1924, Mersin became its own province. Later, in 1933, Mersin and İçel provinces joined together to form the larger İçel Province, with Mersin as its capital. In 2002, the province's name was officially changed to Mersin Province.

Modern Mersin

Limonluk neighbourhood

Today, Mersin is a large city that stretches along the coast. It has the longest seashore in Türkiye and in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The city government has improved many parts of the seafront with walking paths, parks, and statues. You can still see palm trees lining the roads.

Since the Syrian War started in 2011, many Syrian refugees have come to live in Mersin.

On February 6, 2023, Mersin was affected by the big Türkiye-Syria earthquakes. Many people who lost their homes in cities further east came to Mersin to find shelter.

Fun Places to Visit

Mersin has six museums where you can learn about history and art:

• Mersin Archaeological Museum
• Mersin Atatürk Museum
• Mersin Naval Museum
• Mersin State Art and Sculpture Museum
• Mersin Urban History Museum
• Mersin Water Museum

In the western part of the city, in an area called Viranşehir (which means "Ruined City"), you can find the remains of the ancient city of Soli/Pompeiiopolis. You can still see parts of old columns and get an idea of where the market and harbor used to be.

The Chasms of Heaven and Hell are two huge natural holes in the ground, called sinkholes. They were formed when underground water dissolved limestone. The "Heaven" sinkhole has a small monastery at its entrance and is 135 meters deep. The "Hell" sinkhole is 128 meters deep. There's an old story that Zeus once trapped a monster named Typhon in one of these sinkholes!

The city also has three modern shopping malls, with Forum Mersin being the biggest. Mersin Marina is a great place with over 40 shops, besides being a place for boats. In the old city center, you can find more shops and traditional market areas.

Geography and Climate

Köppen map of Mersin Province and surrounding regions:

•      Csa
•      Csb
•      Dsa
•      Dsb
•      Dsc

Mersin is located on the western edge of the Çukurova plain. This is different from the rest of the province, which has many mountains. The risk of earthquakes in Mersin is quite low compared to other parts of Turkey. However, because it's close to some fault lines, the city center, which is built on soft ground, is considered a risk area.

Weather in Mersin

Mersin has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and mild, wet winters. Most of the rain in Mersin falls in winter. The summer months are very dry, with almost no rain. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Mersin was 41.5 °C (106.7 °F) on September 3, 2020. The coldest was -6.6 °C (20.1 °F) on February 6, 1950.

People of Mersin

The city's population was 1,040,507 in 2022. This number refers to the main urban areas of the four districts. The larger Adana-Mersin Metropolitan Area had about 3,300,000 people in 2021, making it the 4th most populated area in Turkey.

Places of Worship

The Mersin Interfaith Cemetery is a special place where people of different religions can be buried together. It has graves for Muslims, Christians, and Jews.

• 

  Cathedral of St. Anthony of Padua

• 

  Muğdat Mosque in Yenişehir was built in the 1980s

• 

  Mersin Cemevi, an Alevi place of worship

Economy and Getting Around

Mersin Train Station

The Port of Mersin is super important for the city's economy. It's a big international center for ships traveling to many countries, handling up to 6,000 ships each year.

Right next to the port is the Mersin Free Zone. This was the first free zone in Turkey, set up in 1986. It's a special area for foreign businesses to invest, close to big markets in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, Russia, and Central Asia.

Historically, Mersin was known for making cottonseed oil. The area around Mersin is still famous for growing citrus fruits and cotton. They also grow bananas, olives, and other fruits.

Mersin has good highways connecting it to the north, east, and west. It also has a southern railroad. The Mersin railway station has been used since 1886. The new Mersin Bus Terminus opened in 2015 for long-distance bus services. A new metro system with 11 stations is planned to open by the end of 2026.

Work is also happening on the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, which will be Turkey's first nuclear power plant. It's about 80 miles west of Mersin. Some environmental groups, like Greenpeace, have expressed concerns about its construction.

Culture and Fun

Mersin Opera and Ballet House

Mersin is home to a State Opera and Ballet, which is one of only a few in Turkey. The Mersin International Music Festival started in 2001 and happens every October.

There are also active photography clubs in the city. Other cultural events are supported by the İçel Sanat Kulübü (Art Club of Mersin).

The Mersin Citrus Festival is a fun event held every November to celebrate the citrus fruits grown in Mersin. It often features folk dancers and sculptures made from different types of citrus.

Delicious Food

Mersin is famous in Turkey for its tantuni, a tasty wrap you can find in restaurants all over the country. Some other local specialties include:

• Ciğer kebap: Grilled liver served on flatbread with different side dishes.
• Tantuni: A hot wrap with thinly sliced lamb, stir-fried on a special pan.
• Bumbar or mumbar: Lamb intestines filled with rice, meat, and pistachios, either grilled or steamed.
• Cezerye: A sweet treat made from caramelized carrot paste, covered in pistachios and sometimes coconut.
• Karsambaç: A type of shaved ice with fruit syrup or honey.
• Künefe: A baked dessert with cheese and pastry, popular in the region.
• Kerebiç: A shortbread cookie filled with pistachio paste.
• Şalgam suyu: A drink made from fermented red carrots, very popular in Southern Turkey.

Local Media

Mersin has its own local TV and radio channels, keeping residents informed and entertained.

Local TV channels

• Kanal 33
• İçel TV
• Sun RTV
• Güney TV

Local radio channels

• Radyo Metropol (101.8)
• Tarsus Süper FM (91.1)
• Tempo 94 FM (94.3)
• Örgün FM (94.7)
• Tarsus Star FM (95.5)
• Tarsus Radyo Time (97.7)
• Flaş FM (98.3)
• Mix FM (91.6)
• Kent Radyo (98.5)

Sports in Mersin

Mersin used to have a football team called Mersin İdman Yurdu that played in Turkey's top league. The city's men's and women's basketball teams, Mersin Büyükşehir Belediyesi S.K., play in Turkish basketball leagues.

The city has a modern football stadium, Mersin Arena, which can hold over 25,000 people. There's also the Edip Buran Sport Hall for basketball games.

Mersin built eleven new sports venues when it hosted the 2013 Mediterranean Games. The Servet Tazegül Arena, one of the biggest indoor arenas in Turkey, hosted basketball and volleyball finals. The Nevin Yanıt Athletics Complex was used for track and field events.

• 

  Mersin Gymnastics Hall

• 

  Mersin Olympic Swimming Pool

• 

  Mersin Arena

• 

  Sporthall in Mersin

Universities

Mersin University Dorms

Mersin University was founded in 1992 and started teaching in 1993. It has many different departments and has educated thousands of students.

Other universities in the area include:

• Toros University (a private university)
• Çağ University
• Tarsus University

Sister Cities

Mersin has "twin town" or "sister city" relationships with several cities around the world. These partnerships help promote cultural exchange and friendship.

Famous People from Mersin

See also