Afyonkarahisar, commonly known as Afyon, is an ancient city in the Anatolia region of western Turkey. As the world’s largest producer of pharmaceutical opium, its name can be translated as “black poppy fortress,” which also refers to the imposing castle towering over the city. Originally built by the Hittite king Mursilis II around 1350 B.C., the fort stands atop a 740-foot-tall mass of volcanic rock. It has changed hands and been reconstructed countless times throughout its history. First named Hapanuwa, it was later occupied by Phyrigians, Lydians, and the Achaemenids…
