"BIRGI" Birgi by Pinat

Birgi Travel Guide: 6 reviews and 16 photos

LIKE A GIANT MUSEUM

I remember my mum coming home happily after her sewing class to give me the big news: That we were going to Birgi on Sunday. We were surprised and pissed off. Never heard of the village and we both had more interesting things to do on Sunday, including sleeping all day long. I remember my mum getting mad and eventually we rose and shone on an early Sunday morning. This was in late 1990s.

Birgi is a town (similar to a giant museum) situated on the slopes of Mount Bozdag. The Sariyer River divides the town in two. It is a quite small town (of some thousands) and located in the district of Odemis.

If you want to see old Ottoman mansions, bazaars, baths, coffeehouses and crafts, Birgi is the place to go for a different taste.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Like a giant open air museum...
Cons:It's been discovered by many already...
In a nutshell:Quick get-away from Izmir centre

Intro Written Jun 25, 2009
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Reviews (4)

Cakiraga, His Mansion and Two Wives - Birgi

Cakiraga, His Mansion and Two Wives Things to Do (3)

The mansion was built in 1760s by a wealthy local merchant named Tahir Aga of the Cakir family. There is a waiting room... more travel advice

Coffeehouses for Men Local Customs (1)

Most of the men in Birgi are farmers and the main pastime for men is sitting at the local coffeehouse. The Safak (Dawn)... more travel advice

Birgi Houses Things to Do (3)

The houses of Birgi are mostly built of stone with wooden roofs and ceilings. They are generally hidden behind... more travel advice

Discover the narrow streets Things to Do (3)

Busily occupied by kids playing during summer time, Birgi streets have so much to offer including an old madrasa, a... more travel advice

Comments (6)

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jumpingnorman Aug 9, 2009 at 10:24 PM

What a beautiful picture of the kid looking out the window..it's postcard perfect...and interesting story about the mansion with two wives - I hope the wives got along...Norman :)
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mircaskirca Jul 13, 2009 at 11:44 AM

Lovely houses of Birgi. Safak looks like a nice place to have a cup of coffee, I love murals!
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MikeAtSea Jul 10, 2009 at 2:20 AM

Awesome page - need to remember this when I get to Izmir again!
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lynnehamman Jul 8, 2009 at 7:46 AM

Interesting page with lovely photos. That Cakiraga mansion looks very luxurious. A neat arrangement regarding his two wives!
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Zvrlj Jul 3, 2009 at 11:33 PM

Hope we'll see alive some of remote Turkey you present by your VT pages :-) All of the Turkish names sounds very familiar...
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pollon Jun 26, 2009 at 1:26 AM

I wish I could take people pics here one day!!!! Do people get offended if I pointed my camera to them????