Mezitli

Mezitli at about 36°45′N 34°32′E composes the western part of Mersin proper. Southern quarters of Mezitli are popularly known as Viranşehir ("ruined city") because of the ruins. (see below) Yenişehir, another municipality of Mersin, is in the east of Mezitli, Mediterranean Sea is in the south and Toros Mountains in the north.[2] In the west of Mezitli there are summer houses and coastal villages most of which are specialized in citrus industry.

The ruins of the ancient Greek city of Soli, which was renamed by Roman general Pompey as Pompeipolis (Πομπηιόπολη) is within Mezitli. Soli was the dominion of Rhodes, Persian Empire (Achaemenids), Macedonian Empire, Seleucid Empire, Roman Empire and its successor Byzantine Empire. But after the great earthquake in 528, the city lost its former glory. In later years, the ruins of the city was a part of Umayyad Caliphate, Seljuk Sultanate of Rum, Crusades, Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, Ramadanids, and Ottoman Empire. In the early 20th century, there was only a small village just north of Soli, named after "Mezitoğlu", an Oghuz tribe. The town municipality was established in 1968. But after the fast growth in population, the district of Mezitli is established within Greater Mersin and the municipality became one of Mersin intracity municipalities in 2008.

According to 2020 figures the population of Mezitli is 211,538 (103,343 male and 108,195 female citizens).[3] As of 2020 approximately 20% of Mersin citizens are living in Mezitli.

Mezitli is known as a district of middle class residences. Most of Mezitli citizens are either retired or active working people. (Most of business offices are in the other municipalities of Mersin.)

There are 15 villages and two towns in the rural area of Mezitli. The total population of the district is (urban and rural) 211,538 [3]

Mezitli is twinned with:

• Tempelhof-Schöneberg borough of Berlin, Germany

• Mersin province
• Mersin
• Akdeniz
• Yenişehir
• Toroslar