Porsuk River

The Porsuk runs through the very centre of Eskisehir and largely defines the look of the city. The river rises in the mountains northwest of Kutahya and flows into the Sakarya, and within the city limits it is contained by low embankments with greenery and flower beds. In the early 2000s the channel was cleared, the banks were reinforced and pleasure boats were launched on the water, styled after Venetian gondolas, with oarsmen in striped shirts. More than a dozen bridges cross the river in the centre, some of them pedestrian and lit up in the evening. A boulevard with cafes runs along the right bank, and the stretch between the central bridges is considered the city's main promenade. Eskisehir is still a university town, and the embankment fills with students; city festivals and fairs are held here as well. Because of the gondolas and the bridges, locals half-ironically call the city the Turkish Venice, although the resemblance is limited to the boats. The name of the river means badger in Turkish. Downstream of the city there is a reservoir on the Porsuk that supplies Eskisehir with drinking water, while the level in the centre is kept up with sluices so that the boats can run all season.

On the map