Tavas is a municipality and district of Denizli Province, Turkey.Büyükşehir İlçe Belediyesi , Turkey Civil Administration Departments Inventory. Retrieved 12 July 2023. Its area is 1,432 km2, and its population is 41,712 (2022). It is on a wide plain on the road to Muğla, near to the district of Kale (and often the two are linked in one breath Kale-Tavas).
History The area has been occupied for a long time, proven by the presence of the mound of Medet Höyük, which appears to date back to the Bronze Age (but which has not been thoroughly excavated or researched). Many civilizations have settled here including the Hittites, Phrygians, Persians, Ancient Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines.
In antiquity this land south of the Menderes River was part of the region of Caria and was controlled from the nearby castle of Kale (known as Tabae in antiquity).
In the 18th century emigrants from Circassia settled in Garipköy and Sarıabat villages.
Tavas was reported as having a timber industry in 1920.
Composition There are 50 neighbourhoods in Tavas District:Mahalle , Turkey Civil Administration Departments Inventory. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
Akıncılar Akyar Alpa Altınova Avdan Aydoğdu Baharlar Bahçeköy Balkıca Çağırgan Çalıköy Çiftlikköy Damlacık Denizoluğu Dereağzı Derinkuyu Ebecik Garipköy Gökçeler Gümüşdere Güzelköy Hırka Horasanlı Karahisar Kayaca Kayapınar Keçeliler Kızılca Kızılcabölük Kozlar Medet Nikfer Orta Ovacık Pınarlar Pınarlık Samanlık Sarıabat Seki Sofular Solmaz Tekkeköy Ulukent Vakıf Yahşiler Yaka Yeni Yeşilköy Yorga Yukarıboğaz
Tavas today Like in Denizli, there are textile and clothing industries in the area, and the town also produces leblebi (dried chick peas). This is a rural area and many of the young generation have migrated to the Aegean coast or to larger cities in search of careers (they have a reputation for canny business nous). The remaining people are mainly aging and conservative, there are a great number of mosques on the skyline.
Tavas is a small town providing a bank and other essential facilities to the surrounding villages. There is little in the way of entertainment or social amenities (a few cafes and a couple of internet cafes), although the local pizza pide is much admired.
People commonly deal with agriculture. Tobacco and chickpeas are most planted products.
There is a well-known folk dance Tavas Zeybeği, which is always performed at wedding parties in the town.
Tavas is one of the leading places in grain cultivation in Turkey's agriculture.
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