Located in Ödemiş district of Izmir province, Birgi has been home to many civilizations since ancient times. Birgi was dominated by the Phrygian Civilization (750-680 BC), Lydia Civilization (680-546 BC), Persian Kingdom, Kingdom of Pergamon, Roman and Byzantium Empires. The city was the capital of the Aydinids in the 13th and 14th century during the period of Anatolian Beyliks. Later, it was dominated by the Ottomans in 1426.

Notable travelers including Ibn Battuta, Evliya Çelebi, Katip Çelebi, and Charles Texier shared their impressions of Birgi, documenting the settlement's historical depth and cultural wealth. Birgi, recognized as ‘the castle city’ or ‘the water city’, is a focal point of life, characterized by the flowing Birgi River that traverses the town.

Birgi stands out as one of the few locations in Western Anatolia that has maintained its distinctive traditional architectural style. The region is home to 171 registered cultural assets, including bay-windowed houses, intricately decorated mansions, madrasahs, mosques, tombs, baths, fountains and social complexes.

The Ulu Mosque and the Çakırağa Mansion are the two architectural landmarks that most accurately embody the traditional architectural style of the town. The Ulu Mosque stands out as a remarkable example from its era, featuring a richly adorned mihrab and pulpit crafted from wood. Meanwhile, the Çakırağa Mansion is notable for its impressive woodwork. Birgi is zoned with the purpose of conservation as per the decision of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism Izmir 1st Board for the Protection of Cultural Heritage dated 11.04.1996 and numbered 5963. The entire town is under protection. The town also houses natural, archaeological, and urban protection sites.

Furthermore, Birgi, the first town in Türkiye to have a Conservation Zoning Plan developed in 1996, is entirely designated as a conservation area encompassing natural, archaeological, and urban features. Thanks to this unique conservation model, the traditional housing architecture and urban texture of the 18th and 19th centuries have survived to the present day.

Birgi attained the neighborhood status in 2014 and has become one of the 99 neighborhoods of Ödemiş district today. As of 2024, the population of Birgi is 1,799. Birgi, recognized for its historical and cultural heritage in Ödemiş, was the sole representative from Türkiye featured in the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) 2022 Best Tourism Villages List, as designated by the UNWTO. In 2022, Birgi was listed among the top 32 tourism villages worldwide. This title recognizes not only the aesthetic and historical heritage but also the commitment to community-driven conservation and sustainable development.

Birgi has been chosen as Türkiye's second pilot region for the application of the 'green destination' model as part of the SENTRUM project, in collaboration with Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), Enerjisa Enerji and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Besides the architectural and natural assets of Birgi, experiences, knowledge and cultural texture of local people have also been focused within the framework of SENTRUM. The project presents a holistic development approach that addresses enhancing social welfare, upholding gender equality as well as environmental sustainability.