About Egirdir: History

Arzara kings ruled Egirdir (Eğirdir) and the surrounding area from 2000-1200 BC. Later Phrygians and Lydians (687-547) ruled the area. The city was invaded by Persians in 540 BC followed by Alexander the Great. Apameia (Dinar) made an agreement to give the city to the Romans. During the Roman period the city became a bishopric center. The Byzantines called the city ”Akrotiri”. Egirdir (Eğirdir) fell under the control of the Anatolian Seljuks in 1204. It became the capital of the Hamitogullari dynasty at the beginning of the 14th century. According to the traveller Ibni Batuta the city was called “Akridur” in 1333 and the name was changed to “Felakabad”, taking the name from the founder of dynasty Felekeddin Dundar. By the end of the fourteenth century Ottomans controlled the area.

During the Ottoman period until the middle of sixteenth century Egirdir (Eğirdir) was an important city which was part of Konya province. In 1867 it became a town. The Izmir-Aydin railway reached the city in 1912.