A very long story to tell,
The tranquility given to the blue by the green, to the soil by the water,
And to the reunion by the longing…
A natural life that comes afterwards,
Finding not what one looks for but looking knowingly,
Telling not what comes to the mind but the feelings,
And rather a warmly smile…
The final destination that comes when the narratives end,
Here is SAPANCA; clean and clear.
A place where the picturesque green,
The water you drink every day,
And the most colorful peace you ever live,
The tasty dish that one cannot have enough of,
Eyes that shine with hope,
And the art that unites the worlds,
Are born; here is SAPANCA.
A place that offers a unique life,
Here is SAPANCA; close to everywhere yet far enough to get lost.
It is an unprecedented center of attraction with its mountains, lakes, forests and fertile lands. It is the heaven on the earth that reflects Allah’s generosity.
One of the oldest settlements in its region, Sapanca has attracted the attention of various nations throughout history. Sapanca, whose history dates back to the 15th century BCE, is famous for its homonymic lake, the Sapanca Lake.
The district of Sapanca is located in the northeast of the Marmara region. It is bordered by the district of Serdivan to the north, the district of Arifiye to the east, the district of Geyve to the south, the district of Pamukova to the southeast and the province of Kocaeli to the west. The Sapanca Lake is located in the north of the district.
The district of Sapanca, geographically flanked by the Samanlı Mountains to the south and the Sapanca Lake in the north, has an altitude of 30 meters and an area of 119 square meters. While the Sapanca Lake has a 39-kilometer coastline, the district stretches on the 16 kilometers of that coastline. The district is 17 kilometers away from Adapazarı. The TEM Highway passes through the city and the D-100 road passes thruogh the north of the district. The Istanbul-Ankara highway also passes through the district. According to the data from 2021, the population of the district is 40.001.
Sapanca, which had become a settled area upon the settlement of the Phrygians in 1200 BCE according to the oldest records available, was literally founded by the British Kingdom in 378 BCE. It came to be called Ayan and Ayanköy after the Anatolian Seljuks arrived in the region in 1075 CE. It started to be called “Sabancı Koca” and “Sabanca” after its control was taken over by the Ottomans from the Byzantium in 1324-1326.
A municipality was founded in 1923 in Sapanca, which was given the status of a sub-district in the Republican era. It later became a district on 1 September 1957 after Sakarya became a province on 1 December 1954.
The district is rich in agriculture, service industry and aquaculture. Outdoor ornamental plants and fruit growing hold the primary place in agriculture. What is more, many filling facilities of spring water, enjoyed daily, are situated in the district, serving as a source of life.
The locals and the immigrant communities such as the Laz, Georgians, Black Sea-origin people, Kurds and the Roma have co-existed peacefully in Sapanca thus far. Citizens of different ethnic origins living in Sapanca have conserved their indigenous customs and traditions while also celebrating regional and national festivals in masses with great joy.
These special days–during which the national essences, local colors, reunions and regional attributes are revitalized, celebrated and revived–embody in various forms the dynamic reflections of our people’s interaction with the society, geography and nature as well as their joys, blessings, happiness, economic activities, rivalries and local identities.
Form a historical perspective, Sapanca is home to the Silk Road, the Vecihi Gate built by Sinan the Architect, mansions, bridges, mosques and cemeteries. The Tanık Deresi Bridge, Rahime Sultan Mosque, Rüstem Paşa Mosque, Hasan Fehmi Paşa Mosque, Yanıkköy Mosque, and the Camii Cedid Mosque are some of the prominent sights of the district.
Besides its natural and cultural beauties, Sapanca is also an earthly heaven which can accommodate every kind of sports events in four seasons of the year and where the soul finds its cure. One of Turkey’s most important ski resorts hosting winter events and festivities, Kartepe is an ideal place for those seeking both adventure and accommodation at the summit.
Sapanca also hosts international festivals which, held yearly, have increasingly assumed a traditional character and are featured in recent years’ calendars of tourism and promotion events bringing together peoples from all across the world. Standing out among them are Poem Nights and Orange Blossom Arts Colony.
In addition to the Ashura Day, Sacred Birth Week, folkloric dance performances, rowing races and hiking events, Sapanca is also home to the traditional Sapanca Kırkpınar Arts Nights, which is held every year bringing together our country’s distinguished artists and arts lovers at the Kırkpınar Amphitheater.
Sapanca, a candidate hub of the most important SPA resorts in Turkey, has hotel chains and accommodation facilities that serve their guests in line with the principles of high-quality, eco-friendliness and food security.
It would never suffice to tell the life and natural beauties of Sapanca, which can be visited with daily- or weekend-tours. Sapanca is a destination that should definitely be visited and seen, maybe more than once.