The neighborhood of Çöpköy is drawing attention, and the residents do not want it to change.

09.06.2025 17:21

The Çöpköy neighborhood, located in the Uzunköprü district of Edirne, draws attention with its interesting name, which dates back to the reign of Ottoman Sultan Murad II and has also been the subject of various legends. The neighborhood head, Metin Aral, stated that there have been attempts in the past to change the name due to its association with garbage. "As the residents of Çöpköy, we are pleased with the name because we know its history. Actually, we do not want it to change at this time," he said.

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Çöpköy, which was a town until 2009 in Uzunköprü, Edirne, but was connected to the district as a 'neighborhood' due to the population falling below 2,000, attracts visitors with its name.

THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE RIVALS

The name of the neighborhood is based on two separate legends according to the local people. One of the legends dates back to the reign of Ottoman Sultan Murad II, while the other is related to the exchange period following the Balkan Wars. Çöpköy Muhtar Metin Aral stated that applications were made to Ankara for the name to be changed during the process that has taken place, in a neighborhood where a total of 969 people live.

"THEY THROW STRAW INTO THE SULTAN'S YOGURT"

Aral noted that one of the stories about the name Çöpköy dates back to the reign of Sultan Murad II. Aral said, "Uzunköprü is one of the first cities established by the Ottomans in Rumelia. When this city was established, it was an area used by Murad II and the lords as a hunting ground. One day, they got thirsty after hunting. While passing through Çöpköy, they knock on a door; a young girl comes out, and they ask her for water. The young girl offers them yogurt from a copper jug buried in the ground. But she deliberately throws a piece of straw into the yogurt. Of course, they are offended; 'How can there be trash in the drink of a sultan, Murad II?' they say. The girl replies, 'I thought you would be tired from hunting. Since the yogurt is cold, I threw it in deliberately so that if you drink it quickly, you wouldn't get sick. As the straw comes to your mouth, you will have to rest, and as long as you rest, your health will not be disturbed.' The sultan then says, 'Then let this place be officially named Çöpköy,'" he said.

"ÇÖPKÖY; IT MEANS TO DRAW LOTS, TO PULL LOTS"

Aral, who stated that another legend dates back to the exchange period, said, "During the exchange years, Turks coming from the Balkans first gathered here; this place is a gathering area. Çöp means to draw lots. Distributions were made by drawing lots; some were moved to Lüleburgaz, and some to Izmir. In essence, Çöpköy means a place where lots are drawn, not a garbage dump. Çöpköy refers to a place where distribution is made by drawing lots. When the Turks first came from the Balkans during the exchange, they were sent to suitable places; they were sent to Thrace, Çanakkale, everywhere," he said.

"EFFORTS WERE MADE TO CHANGE THE NAME"

Aral also mentioned that an application was made to the capital Ankara for the name of Çöpköy to be changed, saying, "As Çöpköylüler, we are satisfied with the name because we know these things. However, from an outside perspective, efforts were made to change the name of Çöpköy. Since it carries the meaning of garbage, an application was made to Ankara to get rid of it. It was seen that changing the name of this village was not very possible since it is marked on all maps. Actually, we do not want it to change at the moment. We, as Çöpköylüler, are satisfied. Since Çöpköy is a place engaged in agriculture, our fields have become unmanageable for our people, and we have experienced significant migrations. When our population was around 2,500, we were a town. We had a mayor, and we managed ourselves. After those migrations, the population initially dropped to the 1900s. This population loss caused us to lose the municipality. Since then, the population has gradually decreased to around 969 now," he said.

"WE RECORDED THAT THE NAME COMES FROM THE EXCHANGE PERIOD IN MUNICIPAL RECORDS"

İzzet Topçu (60), who served as the last mayor between 2004-2009 when Çöpköy was a town, also stated that they recorded that the name comes from the exchange period. Topçu said, "During the Balkan Wars, it is actually the place where the distribution of Turkish immigrants coming from the Balkans to the Thrace region was made. Since it means 'the place where lots are drawn' in Turkish, it got its name from here. There is another legend that dates back to the reign of Sultan Murad II among the Ottoman sultans. This is a legend, but when we thought about this issue thoroughly during our mayoralty, we believed that the most logical explanation was that it got its name from the place where lots are drawn. We also recorded this in the municipal records," he said.

"WE CONSIDERED CHANGING THE NAME"

Topçu expressed that the name Çöpköy is rarely encountered in Turkey, saying, "Çöpköy certainly evokes different associations for people. We thought about changing the name, but when we looked at it in general, since it is a historical name, and there is no place with this name in Turkey, we evaluated it and decided against it. As a name, Çöpköy is unique, and it also has historical significance. We couldn't think of this at first. We believed that it would be better for it to be permanent," he said.

"I AM SATISFIED WITH THE NAME OF THE VILLAGE, I LOVE THE VILLAGE"

Çöpköy resident Nazmiye Aral (96) stated that the village was crowded in the past, saying, "I am satisfied with the name of the village."

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The village was crowded in my time, but some started working, some died, and the population decreased. They used to plant sunflowers, plant beets, and do farming. Of course, I love the village," he said.

"I AM PROUD OF ÇÖPKÖY"

After living in Istanbul for many years, Zübeyde Uzun (60) returned to Çöpköy, saying, "I am a bride of Çöpköy. This place must have been a dump. Our village is very beautiful. I am very pleased with the name Çöpköy. I have been in Istanbul for 50 years, but I came back because I am proud of Çöpköy, retired, and settled here. I plant in my garden, and I am satisfied with my neighbors and my muhtar. Those who come from outside react very positively when they see nature. Before seeing it, they think it’s a dump, but it’s not like that at all," she said.