Izmir

Sunset at Kordon

The rettlements of the phaetons, boats’ whistles, the steady summer wind… Red silhouettes at the sunsets, palm trees rising to the clouds… How can one describe Izmir? It’s more than an Anatolian city, a strong Aegean city, the history itself with its 5000-year past! An unchanged port since the Antique age, the passion of the Ottoman, the leading hero of the War of Independence… How can one describe Izmir?…

The contemporary face of Izmir

Kordonboyu along the sea is the most enlightened and the most energetic face of Izmir. This striking road decorated with palm trees, modern statues and green areas are one of the indispensable symbols of the city…

From the was headquarters to the museum

The two-storey white building noticed immediately with its colour and architecture at Kordon was the house of the carpet seller Takvor Efendi in 1880. After the victory in 1922, the house was deserted by the owner and became the headquarters of the Turkish army. In 1923, it was used by Atatürk during the Izmir Economy Congress. Then it was transformed to a hotel and bought from the Treasury by the Municipality of Izmir and offered to Atatürk. Between 1930-34, Atatürk stayed in this house each time he visited Izmir. After the death of Atatürk, his sister Makbule Baysan inherit the house. In 1940, it was legally expropriated by the Municipality of Izmir and transformed to a museum. This neoclassic building which is the combination of the Ottoman and Levantine architectures has been restored recently and given the actual appearance. This snow white, shining house keeping the memories of the National War of Independence and Atatürk is not disapeared among the concrete buildings of Kordonboyu but on the contrary, it dazzles at every hour of the day…

The Levantine architecture creating the old urban structure of Izmir still keeps its glamour although a few examples remained. Another example reminding the historical structure of Kordon is the building of the Greek Consulate…

This indispensable values of Izmir

The well known picture describing Izmir: Tower Clock… This precious building constructed of the 25th anniversary of the ascension the throne of Sultan Abdülhamit in 1901 reflects the aesthetics of the Ottoman with the stone-carver mastery, small domes and geometric figures. The clock of the tower offered by the German Emperor Wilhelm II ran for many years. There are four fountains at four corners under the Tower.

The silhouette of the historical Clock Tower is complated by Yalı (Konak) Mosque, an edifice like an objet d’art just next to the tfrom tower. At the same time, this edifice from the 18th century  is one of the best examples of the art of glazed tiles of Kütahya with its octagon plan and glazed tiles…

The Monument of Atatürk

The most attractive monument besides the contemporary statues situated at Kordonboyu is the Monument of Atatürk built by the Italian sculptor Pietro Canunica in 1933. The reliefs on the pedestal of the monument symbolising the order “Armies, your first target is the Mediterranean, go ahead” report the struggle of the War of Independence of the Turkish nation to the new generations…

Pasaport and famous buildings

Restaurants, cafes, bars located along the shore with the park revive the city and give pleasure especially in the evening hours. The boats running at the Izmir Bay call to the charming piers. One of the most important stops of Kordonboyu is the Pasaport Pier and building. The Quay with the traces of the British and French styles dates to 1876 but the building reflects the Ottoman style observed in the first years of the Republic. Another building catching attention with its restoration is the building of the Tourism Directorate. The building constructed as the Izmir Trade Stock Exchange in 1981 has been used as the Greek National Bank during the years of invasion and then served as the Izmir Central Post and Package Post.

The favourite hotel of Izmir has been Efes Hotel for many years. Efes has been hurt when the Izmir Hilton replaced it with all its splendour but it’s expected that it will start to  serve again the tourism with all its majesty in the next years like in the old days… The Station Building of Alsancak… The right of construction of the Izmir-Aydın railways has been granted to the Britain first but then this right has been transferred to the company of “The Ottoman Railways from Izmir to Aydın”. The building opened in 1858 still stands with all its magnificence…

Houses with bay windows, villas

The architecture had been also the indicator of the richness and variety of Izmir like the life. The houses with bay windows created by the Levantine and Ottoman-Turkish architecture, the seaside residences and the wooden villas had coloured the urban structure. Although a few of them remain,these houses still shine like a very precious jewellery…

From almond to sardine

Izmir is also known for its an unique tastes as well as its history. Turkish, Ottoman and Greek tastes boil in the same pot, and are served at the same table. Izmir‘s famous almond, and little sandwiches called “kumru” are found at every corner of the city. The fish served after appetizers is the guest of honour at every dinner table in Izmir.

The excavaitons of Smyrna

Smyrna in other words the old city of Izmir had been established  on a peninsula on the northeast of the Bay. The alluvions brought from the Yamanlar Mountain by the Meles Brook formed the actual Bornova Plain and the region has been transformed to a hill. The excavations in Tepekule Höyüğü (Smryna or Bayraklı) which is the first settlement of the city has been carried out by Ord. Prof. Dr. Ekrem Akurgal. The diggings proved that the life in Izmir dates back to the 3rd millenium BC. According to the sources, the city has been established in different places in different times. The king Tantolos had established the 2nd Izmir over the Spil Mountain in 1440 BC and the Amazons had established the 3rd Izmir in 1310. After the 2nd millenium BC, many races and tribes such as Hellenes, Ionians, Cumaeans, Colophons who had been buried in the past long ago lived there…

While the history flows in this way, the poet Homeros, a native of Izmir had written Iliada in 700 BC admitted as the first legend on the world. The masterpiece composed of 16 thousand lines tells forty days of the 10-year war between the Greeks and Trojans. Odysseia which is the second masterpiece of Homeros composed of 12 thousand lines tells the period of teen years after the war…

Izmir disrupted by the invasion of Persian had been established by Alexander the Great on the foot of Kadifekale in 333 BC. Athena Temple unearthed in the excavations of Bayraklı is accepted as the most ancient archietectural example of the Hellenic civilisation. Izmir had been dominated by the Romans in 133 BC and then governed by the East Roman (Byzantine) Empire in 385 AD and it prevailed as a religious center in this period. The city captured by the Turks in 1076 was annexed to the  Ottoman territories in 1422. The Greek invasion starts in 1919 and ends after 1922 and Izmir continues to grow as the 3rd most important city of the Turkish Republic…

Excitement in Bayraklı

The ruins from the Hellenes who had lived in 900-700 BC are on the earth… The excavations still continuing in Bayraklı provide clues about more ancient settlements under the earth. The ruins of the Athena Temple and the traces off the antique age fountain are the most exciting stops of the excavations in Bayraklı…

Time in Agora

At the excavations carried out in the quarter of Namazgah in Izmir, a wonderful agora known as the public market in the antique periods had been rather a state agora for Izmir, in other words a center where political meetings had been held. It’s supposed that the agora destroyed completely at the earthquake in 178 AD had been reconstructed then by the order of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. The underground galleries, basilica, aqueducts still stand splendidly ant the water penetrating through the stone walls flows since the antique ages.. The excavations of the Agora unearthed many precious finds. Among them, perhaps the most important is the excellent statue of the trio of Poseidon – Demeter – Artemis which is exhibited in the Archaelogy Museum of Izmir…

The Archaelogy Museum of Izmir

The archaeology Museum of Izmir which is one of the most important museums of the Aegean side displays mand finds including Ionian, Aiol, Greek, Roman and Byzantine eras. The statues, inscriptions, graveyard steles, mosaics, sarcophagi, and architectural pieces discovered in the antique city excavations in Izmir and the surrounding area are really amazing. Among them the most important ones are the God of River Kaistros unearthed in Ephesus, the trio of Demeter, Poseidon and Artemis in Izmir Agora and the sarcophagi of Klazomenai. Many precious mosaic pieces from the Late Chalcolithic Age to the Byzantine age are exhibited in the hall given the name of Ord. Prof. Dr. Ekrem Akurgal..

The Ethnography Museum and the Villa of Uşakizade Latife Hanım

The aesthetic building a good example of the neoclassic style dating to the 18th century serves today as the Ethnography Museum. In the museum, various products proving the mastery of Izmir and the surroundings in handicrafts are exhibited. Handicrafts such as textile, rope making, felt making, pottery, manufacturing furniture inlaid with mother of pearl and clog making are displayed. Another important building of the city is Villa of Uşakizade Latife Hanım in 1923. This historical building restored by the Izmir Private Turkish College serves as a school and museum since 2001. The museum keeping the photos of Atatürk and Latife Hanım and the furniture, stamps and newspapers of that period hosted many foreign statesmen, politicians and diplomats in the first years of the Republic…

Zübeyde Hanım and İzmet İnönü

The quarter of Karşıyaka contains two important memories symbolising the Republican years besides being one of the most favourite settlement centers of modern Izmir. One of them is the tomb of the mother of Atatürk Zübeyde Hanım. The grave in the courtyard of the Ferik Osman Paşa Mosque was made by the Municipality of İzmir in 1940. The other one is the house where the brother in arms of Atatürk and the “Second Man” of the history of the Republic İsmet İnönü has been born. The house situated on the Street of Meke Yokuşu in Arapfırını has been transformed to the museum by the İnönü Foundation…

8 thousand trees in Kültürpark

Kültürpark considered as “the lungs” of Izmir with an area of 421 thousand sqm. constitutes the most important recreation area of the city with the Izmir International Fair, zoo, Parachute Tower, Open Air Theatre, amusement park, museum and culture and art centers. The giant palm trees in the park, more than 200 kinds of precious trees, the statues of Atatürk, Inönü and the great Turkish poet Nazım Hikmet attract the visitors…

A dream, a soothsaying and the new Izmir

The Hellenic age started by the arrival of Alexander to Anatolia between 334-133 BC had opened new horizons for Izmir… The Hellenes had searched a new city able to compete with the rich and prominent cities of that age such as Ephesus, Pergamon, Rhodes and Alexandria. Alexandria had seen Izmir inefficient at that time at that time and targeted the Pagos Hill where Kadifekale is established…

According to the legend, when Alexander the Great hunts on the Pagos Hill one day, he feels tired and falls asleep under the shadow of big plane tree. In his dream, two Water Fairies called Nemesis whisper to Alexander “to establish the new city on the Pagos Hill” After his dream, Alexander consults Apollon who was one of the oracles of Claros, the Center of Soothsaying of that age. The oracle approves his dream and tells him to establish the new city on the Pagos Hill. Thus Izmir is established once again..

Izmir born from Kadifekale

Izmir established on the foot of Kadifekale grew rapidly. The big walls built to defend the city extended from the Pagos Hill to the sea. It became an important trade and art center of that age with the aqueducts, agora, gymnasium, stadium and theater with a capacity of 16 thousand persons. But unfortunately, none of these precious monuments exist any more. Kadifekale captured completely by the Turks after the 14th century gained importance again after the 18th century. Although cisterns, mosques have been built under the Ottoman influence they have squeezed among the ugly quarters of Izmir because of the bad urbanisation in the 20th century. Despite that today, Kadifekale is an indispensable site over Izmir with its amazing landscape and authentic characteristics…

Rotatingstone Public Fountain

Dönertaş Sebili (Rotatingstone Public Fountain) located on the Anafartalar Street provides a perfect example of the Ottoman Architecture at the beginning of the 19th century. The building attractive with the marble ornaments and perfect plant motives is like a miniature art work. The thin and lond marble column joining the two corners of Sebil is given this name because it was rotating in the past. People used to believe that if this marble turned by hand stops, and earthquake would happen. Unfortunately, “Rotatingstone” of sebil in a neglected state today rotates still and resist the time despite difficulties…

The center of the faith tourism

The gods and goddesses of the Antique age, the apostles of the Christians, the Jewish people of the Middle Age… Anatolia and mainly the Aegean Region form the crossroad of all the faiths since thousands of years… These soils hosted various types of faiths, accepted all kinds of worhisps… The monumental statues dedicated to the mother goddesses, the firs churches for the Christians, shining synagogues for the Jewish people and magnificient mosques for the Muslims have been built. These very precious holy edifices still standing continue to host faithful people in the center of Izmir…

The Hisar Mosque which is one of the oldest mosques of Izmir and located in the quarter of Hisorönü dates to the 16th century. The building renovated in the following centuries was enriched after the restorations in the the 18th and 19th centuries…

Memories of the past and today

As a building of the 18th century, the Kızlarağı Inn just next ot the Hisar Mosque stands today with all its splendour. Covering an area of 4thousand sqm., it’s a typical example of the Ottoman architecture with its courtyard, bedestens and lead roof. Today, the inn serves the tourism of Izmir with the souvenirs shops and meets the past with present with the present with is fascinating stone-carver workmanship…

The wonderful gift of the Ottoman

The interior of the Hisar Mosque is a much impressive as the exterior… The big and little domes noticed from outside present a simple perfection inside.

The ornaments of the niche, pulpit and sermon platform are as much fine as a lace and twisted as much as the silk…

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