History

According to the writers of antiquity: Herodot, Xenophon and Strabon, between 1200-700 BC, the region in which Düzce is located is known to be the homeland of the Thracian people. Since 1000 B.C., Hypia has been one of the colonial settlements in the western region of the Black Sea, next to Diospolis (Akçakoca) and the Hypios River (Melen). Today, in these cities, there are deep archaeological data traces back to the Hellenistic and Roman times.

The region in which Paphlagonia, Phrygia, Mariandinia, Syria and Duzce are situated, was conquered by the Persian Emperor in the 6th century BC. The region was conquered by the Macedonian King Alexander the Great in 330BC, and after the death of the King in 323BC, the region was distributed among the generals.

Bithynia is an ancient region located in the northwestern part of Anatolia, which is now called the Kocaeli Peninsula. It is bounded by the Black Sea to the north, the Filyos (Billaios) River to the east, Phrygia Epictetuson to the west and southwest.

Today in the region, there are: İznik, Yalova, Bursa, Bilecik, Sakarya, Düzce, Bolu and  Zonguldak cities and besides these; there are also antique cities such Khalkedon (Kadıköy), Nikomedia (İzmit), Astakos (Başiskele), Kios-Prusias ad Mare (Gemlik), Apameia/Myrleia (Mudanya), Prusa ad Olympium (Bursa), Nikaia (İznik), Bithynion-Claudiupolis (Bolu), Herakleia (KDZ Ereğli), Otroia (Yenişehir), Modrene (Mudurnu), Malagina (Mekece), Agrilion (Bilecik), Kabaia (Geyve), Thynias-Apollonia (Kefken Adası), Dia-Diospolis (Akçakoca) ve Prusias ad Hypium (Konuralp).

Akçakoca was annexed by Akçakoca Bey in 1319, Konuralp was annexed by Konuralp Bey in 1323 to the Islamic geography by the commanders of Orhan Ghazi in the time of Ottoman state. Konuralp has become the quarter of Düzce Central District through the disincorporation on the 31st of March 2014. Düzce, which was incorporated in 1981, was promoted to city status on 9 December 1999.

Overview Information

The administrative structure of Düzce consists of 278 villages, 114 districts and 2 towns. The area of the city is 2593.00 km2 and the number of its inhabitants is 395.679. With Düzce Municipality (Centre) Düzce as a city composed of district municipalities such as Kaynaşlı, Çilimli, Gümüşova, Gölyaka, Yığılca, Akçakoca, Cumayeri including the town municipalities of Beyköy and Boğaiçi, there are 10 municipalities in Düzce.

Düzce is located right on the route that stretches from east to west D-100 State Highway and TEM Highway. With its location, Düzce is on the transit way between Europe and Asia. Düzce is a charming and green city in the Western Black Sea region. Besides industrial activities, agriculture, animal husbandry and forestry are the main living of the people. Located between two metropolises, Istanbul and Ankara, Düzce's economy is dynamic.

Prusias ad Hypium, which is the only ancient city in the western region of the Black Sea, allows Düzce to be a place of historical importance.

Düzce is a secret heaven of the universe with its wealth of antiquities, natural wonders and cultural heritage.

Düzce with its ancient cities/monuments such as Prusias ad Hypium, Konuralp Ancient Theatre, Düzce Konuralp Museum, Plateaus such as Kardüz Plateau, Kızık Plateau, Derebalık Plateau, Pürenli Plateau; Rainfalls such as: Güzeldere, Samandere, Aydınpınar and Aktaş; Lakes: Efteni Lake, Topuk Lake, Torkul Lake, Hasanlar Dam Lake, Akçakoca Coast and Ceneviz Castle and many other natural and cultural wonders await visitors.