Yalova, Turkey

Yalova is a city in Marmara Region, Turkey. It lies to the south of Istanbul, across the Gulf of Izmit. Yalova (Population: 188,440) is a city located in northwest Turkey near the Marmara Sea and the capital of Yalova Province. In general, it is assumed that the name of "Yalova" comes from "Yalak Ova" or "Yalýova". Yalýova means "plain at coast".("Yalý"; coast, borrowed from "Yalos" in Greek, "ova"; plain in Turkish). The first settlement in the region dates back to the Prehistoric Period, in around 3000 BC. The Hittites ruled the region in 2000s BC, followed by the Phrygians in 1200 BC. The region was connected to Rome in 74 BC. Following the division of the Roman Empire in 395, the region of Yalova remained under the sovereignty of the Byzantine Empire. In 1302, Yalova was incorporated into the territory of the Ottoman Empire. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in his last years lived in Yalova and owned three houses there. In one of his speeches he famously said "Yalova is my city". The city has a number of tourist attractions such as the Atatürk Pavilion and of course, its famous hot springs in Termal.