Çandarlı Çandarlı is a coastal township within the district of Dikili in western Turkey's Izmir Province. It is a well developed town and a popular tourist resort. Çandarlı is situated on the northern coast of the Gulf of Çandarlı and opposite the important industrial center of Aliağa, another district center.
The town's landmark is the 15th century Ottoman castle built by the Grand Vizier Çandarlı Halil Pasha. The castle, built to protect the Sultan Murat II who preferred to reside in nearby Manisa from a possible outside attack, is fully intact and open to visitors. The sea, sun, bays, islands that are part of the Çandarlı area make it a great holiday destination. There is a small pier in the eastern part of Çandarlı that services foreign and domestic sailors. There are hotels, small pansions, restuarants and bars catering to holiday guests. There is also the Çandarlı Health Center with 2 doctors, 3 nurses, 1 health officer, 3 midwife practicioners, 3 pharmacies and an ambulance service. Çandarlı is situated on the Gulf of Çandarlı which is 800 meters wide with a depth of 20 meters.
The Grand Vizier gave the town its present name. Çandarlı's name in antiquity was Pitane. The ruins are situated slightly outside the town itself. According to local legend, the Amazon women warriors ruled the region and mainly in the coastal city and it became Pitane - which means 'womens town' or the 'queen city'. Later occupied by Hittites, Lydians, Persians, Ionyans, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks, Saruhanoguls, Karesioğulları, Ottoman, and currently the Turkish Republic. The rectangular Çandarlı Castle today has five towers, fins, gates and walls are all in exceptional condition.
Çandarlı
