Bigadiç | |
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 Map showing Bigadiç District in Balıkesir Province | |
  Bigadiç Location in Turkey Show map of Turkey Bigadiç Bigadiç (Marmara) Show map of Marmara | |
| Coordinates:39°23′33″N28°07′52″E / 39.39250°N 28.13111°E /39.39250; 28.13111 | |
| Country | Turkey |
| Province | Balıkesir |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | İsmail Avcu (AKP) |
Area | 1,108 km2 (428 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 160 m (520 ft) |
| Population (2022)[1] | 48,917 |
| • Density | 44.15/km2 (114.3/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (TRT) |
| Postal code | 10440 |
| Area code | 0266 |
| Website | www |
Bigadiç is a municipality anddistrict ofBalıkesir Province,Turkey.[2] Its area is 1,108 km2,[3] and its population is 48,917 (2022).[1] As former Ancient bishopric of Achyraus, it remains a Latin Catholictitular see.
Bigadiç has the largestBoron reserves of both Turkey and the world. Also, villages of Bigadiç have natural thermal water reserves which containsSelenium andSulfur.
The oldest known name of Bigadiç is ancient Greek Achyraos (Αχυράους inAncient Greek), Latin(ized) Achyraus, renamed during the Byzantine eraPegadia (Πηγάδια), which means "springs, wells", from which it evolved to Begadia, to Begados, and eventually to the turkified name Bugadıç. Some support thepopular etymology that Boğadıç would mean "Bull meadow" (Boğa being the Turkish word for a bull).
There are 80neighbourhoods in Bigadiç District:[4]
Ancient Achyraus was situated in theRoman province ofHellespontus, in the civilDiocese of Pontus. Circa 400 it became asuffragan see of the provincial capital andmetropolitan seeCyzicus, in the sway ofPatriarchate of Constantinople.
It is held either identical with former episcopal seeAdrianothera,[5] or to have supplanted a neighbouring bishopric of that name, as the Byzantine imperialNotitia Episcopatuum still listed that name in the tenth century, thereafter only Achiraus from the 11th until the thirteenth century.
Four bishops of Adrianothera are known because of their participation in church councils :
Two 13th-century bishops of Achyraus are recorded under that title in the thirteenth century : Leo and Laurentius.[6][7]
Although it was suppressed as a residential Byzantine see (circa 900?), one Tommaso (no other prelature) was appointed LatinCoadjutor Bishop of Achyraus (1505.06.06 – ?).
The diocese of Achyraus was nominally restored in 1933 by theCatholic Church as Latintitular bishopric of Achyraus (Latin) / Achirao (Curiate Italian) / Achyraën(sis) (Latin adjective).[8]
It is vacant, having had the following incumbents, so far of the fitting Episcopal (lowest) rank and members of Latin congregations :
Bigadiç inBalıkesir Province ofTurkey | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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