Turkish town of Birgi selected one of the "best villages in the world"

Birgi, a town in Ödemiş, 120 kilometers from Izmir, has been used as a settlement since 750 BC. Birgi has existed as a habitat for thousands of years with its water resources and fertile lands. There are traces of Phrygian and Lydian civilizations, Persian and Bergama kingdoms, Roman and Byzantine Empire, Aydınoğulları Principality and Ottoman period in Birgi. Preserving its architectural texture during the Aydınoğulları period, Birgi was included in the UNESCO's World Heritage Tentative List in 2012. In Birgi, whose historical appearance has not deteriorated for about 700 years, houses are still being built using the soil, tree species and natural stones of its own geography. The two-storey buildings are built with stone floors and wooden ceilings. Sofas and latticed windows in the houses are among the most distinctive features of the architecture. Those who visit the neighborhood have a historical experience among the houses bearing the architectural traces of 700 years ago. Birgi, which successfully carries the rich heritage of Turkish settlement, also functions as a natural studio for TV series and movies. It is stated that Imam Birgivi Mehmet Efendi, who lived in the period of Suleiman the Magnificent and is considered one of the great Islamic scholars, also lived in the mentioned neighborhood. Birgi was included in the '2022 World's Best Villages' list announced by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), headquartered in Madrid, the capital of Spain, within the scope of the work carried out by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism with these aspects.