Wikipedia
Isparta (, also Baris/Βάρις in Byzantine Greek) is a city in western Turkey and the capital of Isparta Province. The city's population was 222,556 in 2010 and its elevation is 1035 m. It is also known as the "City of Roses".
The main economic activities of Isparta are the production of rose water and handmade carpets. Tourism, both local and increasingly international due to " biblical tourism", is also becoming an important source of revenue for the city. Süleyman Demirel University has introduced thousands of youths from various backgrounds to the city's mostly conservative fabric in the recent years. The city's football team, Ispartaspor, currently plays in Group 7 of the Turkish Regional Amateur League.
Some historical buildings and houses remain from the 19th century, but are rare compared to the number of modern buildings. There are several important mosques in Isparta, including the pre-Ottoman Hızır Bey Mosque (c. 1325), the Kutlubey or Ulu (Grand) Mosque (1429, with major restorations made in the 19th century) and Hacı Abdi Mosque (1569). The city also boasts a mosque by the Ottoman Royal Architect Mimar Sinan - the 16th century's Firdevs Pasa mosque. This mosque is also known as Mimar Sinan Mosque. There are several remains of Greek Orthodox churches from the Byzantine and Ottoman periods (14th-19th century). The Byzantine fortress is mostly in ruins. The city lies close to a fault line and is thus prone to violent earthquakes.
Isparta is well-connected to other parts of Turkey via roads. Antalya lies 130 km to the south and Eskişehir is 350 km to the north.
On November 30, 2007, Atlasjet Flight 4203 crashed on approach to Isparta Süleyman Demirel Airport, killing all 57 passengers and crew.
Isparta is an electoral district of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. It elects four members of parliament (deputies) to represent the province of the same name for a four-year term by the D'Hondt method, a party-list proportional representation system.