Dörtdivan

Dörtdivan is a town and a district in the Bolu Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey. It covers an area of 284 km², and the population (2000) is 9,528 of which 3,300 live in the town of Dörtdivan. The mayor is Sefer Akman (AKP).

Dörtdivan is a small town deep in the countryside.

The area has been occupied for a long time. Turkish presence in the area dates back to the Oghuz Turks in 1074, but the village of Dörtdivan was founded by the Seljuk Turks in 1197. The Seljuks ruled through local lords and the name Dörtdivan, meaning four courts, dates from this period. The town was later absorbed into the Ottoman Empire, when it thrived as a local centre of schooling and administration.

Places of interest

• Ruins of a Byzantine castle in the village of Yağbaşlar.
• There are also a number of tombs of sufi mystics, mineral water springs, meadows and places for walking.

Notable natives

• 19th century poet Hilmi of Dörtdivan.
• Dörtdivan also claims to be the birthplace of the legendary Köroğlu, of the Epic of Köroğlu.

Coordinates: 40°43′N 32°04′E / 40.717°N 32.067°E / 40.717; 32.067