It is located in the south of the Bay of Edremit, opposite the Island Milli. Inhabitation of the area dates back to 3000s B.C. Its name is "Kindawana" in the Etruscan/Luwian language, meaning "Place of the Mother Goddess." Later on, the area was also called "Kydonia" in the ancient Lydian region. It appears that the area sited a Mother Goddess Temple previouusly and that it started urbanizing during the Lydian era in the 6th centuryB.C. It then was subjected to the rules of Persians, macedonians, Pergamenes, Romans and Btzantines. The city became rich and prosperous as a result of seamanship, fishing and trading with the Aegean Islans. It served as the seat of bishopric during the Byzantine era. It was annexed to Turkish lands along with the cunda Island circa 1430 and a sea was established. The "Cunda Islands" located immediately opposite of Ayvalýk, called in ancient times as Hechatonnesoi, are of the foremost touristic centers thanks to their natural assets and unparallelled underwater assets. The area serves to tourism with its houses with an intact historical and natural texture, "Sarýmsaklý Beach" famed for its matchless strand and the touristic facilities on it. Ayvalýk is also worldwide famous for its olive groves, olive and oil products.
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