Aydin, is a city in and the seat of Aydın Province in Turkey's Aegean Region. The city is located at the heart of the lower valley of Büyük Menderes River (ancient Meander River) at a commanding position for the region extending from the uplands of the valley down to the seacoast. Its population was 188337 in 2010.
Aydin city is located along a region which was famous for its fertility and productivity since ancient times. Figs remain the province's best-known crop, although other agricultural products are also grown intensively and the city has some light industry. At the crossroads of a busy transport network of several types, a six-lane motorway connects Aydin to Izmir, Turkey's second port, in less than an hour, and in still less time to the international Adnan Menderes Airport, located along the road between the two cities.
The Süleiman Bey Mosque (1683), situated near the railroad station in Aydin, is one of the loveliest of all Aydin's mosques, another fine example of Turkish baroque. It has a sadirvan with a pyramidal domed roof.
The Cihanoglu (or Cihanzade) Mosque in Aydin, another exuberantly decorated building, square in plan, was erected in 1756. The sadirvan has a marble basin and twelve columns. The elaborate ornamentation of the mosque makes it one of the acknowledged masterpieces of the Turkish baroque style.
Aydin museum is worth visiting, situated just west of the town center. While the majority of the exhibits come from Tralles it has, in addition, a section devoted to the ethnography of the area. On display archeological finds, coins and metals from a variety of civilizations, textiles, jewelry, household items and more.