Çay (District)

Çay is a district located 48 kilometers east of the provincial center, along the Afyonkarahisar–Konya highway, in the eastern part of Afyonkarahisar Province. It lies at the intersection of the Aegean, Central Anatolia, and Mediterranean regions, on the northern slopes of the Sultan Mountains. The district was established in 1958. Its administrative boundaries are bordered by Sultandağı to the east, Yalvaç to the south, Şuhut and Afyonkarahisar to the west, and Bolvadin to the north. According to 2024 TÜİK data, its population is 29,459.

^{Çay District} (Çay Municipality)

Çay has the appearance of a plain, characterized by its extensive flat terrain and an elevation of 1,010 meters, reflecting the features of the Central Anatolian Plateau. The Sultan Mountains, located in the southern part of the district, form its highest points, including Gelincikana Hill at 2,610 meters, Toprak Tepe at 2,519 meters, and Kırkkaya Tepe at 2,063 meters. The district’s surface structure consists of alluvial soils from the Tertiary (Neogene) and Quaternary periods.

Approximately 20 percent of its land area (16,243 hectares) is covered by lakes and marshlands. The Karamık Marsh (Karamık Lake) lies at an elevation of 1,000 meters above sea level and is fed by waters flowing from the Bozan and Karakuş Mountains. Eber Lake, located in the northeastern part of the district, is situated at 967 meters above sea level and has a surface area of approximately 125 square kilometers.

The district has a typical continental climate characteristic of Central Anatolia. Summers are hot and winters are harsh and cold. Rainfall occurs in every month except July and August. The annual average precipitation is approximately 300 kg/m², with snowfall common between November and March and rainfall occurring in other months.

Although no definitive records exist regarding the earliest settlements, the history of Çay extends back to the Late Bronze Age. Archaeological sites such as Cumhuriyet Köyü Höyüğü, Karamık Köyü Höyüğü, Geneli Köyü Höyüğü, Geneli Gölbaşı Köyü Höyüğü, Küçük Karacaören Kara Musa Höyüğü, and Devederesi Höyüğü shed light on this period.

During the Hellenistic period, the Battle of Ipsus in 301 BC took place on the territory of the present-day district, between the allied forces of Egyptian King Ptolemy, Syrian King Seleucus, and Thracian King Lysimachus, and King Antigonus of Gelene. During the Roman period, the region was part of Phrygia Paroreia. In the Roman Imperial era, the settlement known as “Julia” served as an important commercial center and was notable for religious structures such as the Temple of Men.

Although there is no definitive information on which commanders conquered the region during the Seljuk Turks’ arrival in Anatolia, the town, which had been damaged during the Crusades, was resettled by Oghuz Turks under the Seljuk State in 1155 and renamed “Çay Değirmeni.” The Taş Cami and Kervansaray, built in 1278 during the reign of Seljuk Sultan III. Gıyaseddin Keyhüsrev by the bey Yakupoğlu Yusuf Bey, are among the significant structures of that era.

Following the Seljuks, the region came under the rule successively of the Eşrefoğulları, Sahipataoğulları, and Germiyanoğulları, and was incorporated into Ottoman territory in 1429 upon the will of Germiyan Bey II. Yakup.

During the National Struggle, Çay was occupied by Greek forces on 2 April 1921 and liberated by the Turkish Army on 3 April 1921. The district was occupied for a second time on 21 August 1921 and recaptured by the Turkish Army on 24 September 1921.

^{Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and Çay District} (Çay Municipality)

The district’s economy is based on agriculture and animal husbandry. Crops include cereals, opium poppy, sugar beet, potatoes, beans, and sunflower. Cherry cultivation is particularly prominent. Çay, one of Turkey’s major cherry production centers, hosts the traditional Cherry Festival every year during the second week of July.

Eber Lake, located within the district boundaries, is notable for its floating islands known as “kopak,” water lilies, reed beds, and waterfowl. The lake provides habitat for fish species such as crane and carp, as well as various water birds. Karamık Lake (Karamık Marsh) is known for its reed beds and crane fish.

Important recreational areas in the district include Çağlayan Park, located at the foot of the Sultan Mountains at the head of the Çay Creek valley, named after its 28-meter-high waterfall. Kanlıyer Kavaklığı is another popular destination during summer months and special occasions, featuring a children’s playground, sports facilities, and picnic areas.

Constructed in 1278, the structure was originally built as a medrese and later converted into a mosque. The külliye includes a fountain, kervansaray, and hamam. It is an important example of Seljuk architecture.

Located within the Taş Cami külliye, only the winter section has survived to the present day.

Built for Esirüddin Ebheri, an astronomer and philosopher who lived in the 13th century.

Built in honor of Tur Ali Bey, who lived in the 13th century.

^{Esa Dede Türbesi} (Çay Municipality)