Izmir, Turkey

Ataturk statue at Cumhurriyet Meydana, Izmir Izmir (the ancient and medieval city of Smyrna) is the third most populous city of Turkey and the country's largest port after Istanbul. It is located on the Aegean Sea near the Gulf of Izmir. It is the capital of Izmir Province. The city of Izmir is composed of 9 metropolitan districts (Balcova, Bornova, Buca, Cigli, Gaziemir, Guzelbahce, Karsiyaka, Konak and Narlidere) and the 2008 population of this urban zone was estimated at 3,850,000. Izmir has a typical Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and warm, wet winters. The average temperature is 18 degrees Celsius. Snowfall is extremely rare, in Izmir, and approximately 148 days of the year are clear and sunny.

Interesting Facts about Izmir

Izmir was established at least 5000 years ago
Epic poet Homer (9th century B.C), the author of "the Iliad" and "The Odyssey" was born in Izmir
Three of the "Seven Churches" which were mentioned in Book of Revelation are in Izmir
One of the Seven Wonders of the antiquity, Temple of Artemis, is in Ephesus
The symbol of the ancient city of Izmir was a lion's head
Parchment paper was first invented in Pergamon, in the district of Izmir
The Phokaians, ancient residents of the city, built 50-oared boats carrying 500 passengers
Phokaians established colonies in the western Mediterranean such as "Velia" in Italy, "Ampurias" in Spain and "Marseilles" in France
The earliest temple dedicated to the goddess Athena was constructed in Izmir
Izmir was mentioned by famous historian Heredos as "the city under the most sublime blue sky and on the remarkable climate."
Alexander the Great was told by Aristo, the philosopher like the following " If you do not see Smyrna, you remain lacking."
Xenophanes, philosopher and poet of Colophon lived in Smyrna in the 6th century B.C.
The famous philosopher Heraclitus(540-480 B.C) lived in Ephesus
The famous philosopher Anaxagoras (500-428 B.C) lived in Clazomenae
Bucolic poet Bion (3rd century B.C) lived in Izmir
Famous physician Galen (131-210.A.D) lived in Pergamon
The first church dedicated to Virgin Mary was built at Ephesus
The Virgin Mary's House, where she spent her last days, is in Selcuk
On his 3rd missionary journey, St. Paul lived in Ephesus and preached at Ephesus ampitheater, which still stands today. In fact, concerts are still held there
Cleopatra spent the winter of the year 188 in Ephesus with Antonius
French poet Lamartine, French authors Chateaubriand, Theophile Gautier, and Gustave Flaubert visited Izmir
Pope Paul VI and Pope John II visited the Virgin Mary's House in 1967 and 1979 respectively
The Izmir International Art Festival has featured Ray Charles, Paco De Lucia, Joan Baez, Martha Graham Dance Company, Tanita Tikaram, Jethro Tull, Leningrad Philarmony Orchestra, Christ De Burg, Sting, The Moscow State Philarmony Orchestra, Jan Garbarek, The Red Army Chorus, The Academy of St. Martin in the Field, Kodo, Chick Corea, The New York City Ballet, Nigel Kennedy, Bryan Adams, and James Brown in Izmir, Ephesus and Cesme
Famous singer Dario Moreno lived in Izmir

Balcova

This spa is on the outskirts of Izmir on the road to Urla and Cesme. Turn left at Inciralti crossroads to reach Balcova thermal springs one kilometer down the road. Known as the Agamemnon Springs in antiquity, this may have been the first hydrotherapy center of the ancient world. Today there are modern facilities for visitors to the hot springs and luxury hotels. The temperature of the water is 63 degrees C.

Teleferik

On of the most interesting places to visit in Izmir is to take a ride up to the mountain park in the Teleferik (Cable Car). At the top the is a large lake view where you can have BBQ in the pine forests. Shops, bars and restaurants are available. If you decide to have a BBQ. you can buy your meat, vegetables and bread from the shops at the top, and have the charcoal BBQ set up for you by the park staff. And don't forget a tip for the charcoal man!

Asansor

The Asansor is the city's famous public elevator, and a symbol of Izmir. This elevator links Mithatpasa Street below with Halil Rifat Pasa Street at the summit of the precipitous hill. It was built in 1907 and restored by the municipality in 1993. The upper terrace has a breathtaking view over the city and the bay. Here there is an open-air cafe, an excellent restaurant (also called the Asansor), and a Genoese tavern.

Alsancak

Alsancak is a rather posh section of town featuring upscale shops and stores, as well as being an excellent place to walk, or sit in a cafe and watch people go by. It has a very unique international character, and is the gem of modern Izmir. Alsancak extends from the waterfront esplanade inland, where much of the area has been transformed into a pedestrian district, so there is no traffic to disturb shoppers and strollers. The streets of Alsancak are lined with modern buildings and attractive shops, which lead onto the square where Alsancak station stands. Dating from 1858, the colonial architecture of the station distinguishes it in style from the rest of the city. Trains to Buca, Aydin and Denizli depart from here. The old part of town can be found in the back streets behind the sea promenade. Definitely explore these back streets, you'll find cafes and restaurants where you'll enjoy whiling away the hours of the day. Some of these back streets should be avoided during late night hours, so be sure to ask around about where to go and where to avoid.

Bar Street has some of the most attractive old houses, which are kept under historic conservation ordinances. There are numerous excellent restaurants of all kinds in this area, all serving Turkish and International cuisine to the local Izmirlis and their families.

The Agora

Revealed in central Izmir during excavations carried out in 1932-1941 in the district of Namazgah, the Agora throws valuable light on the Roman period Izmir. It was not only a market place, but also the location of public institutions and the Temple of Zeus. The Agora is open to the public from 9:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 18:00. The statues which were found here are on exhibit in the Izmir Archaeological Museum, south of Konak Square in Bahri Baba Park (telephone: +90 (0) 232-4848324). This museum houses many fine sculptures and antiquities discovered in Izmir and other neighbouring ancient cities.

Clock Tower

The clock tower in Konak Square is probably Izmir's best-known landmark. It was built by architect Raymond Charles Pere in 1901 to commemorate 25th year of theenthronement of Ottoman sultan Abdulhamit I. Architect Pere was born in 1854 in Izmir from a French Levantine family, keeping with the tradition among Levantines of the time to educate their children in Europe. After his education as an Architect in Europe he came back to Izmir and married the daughter of another Levantine family and spent his entire life in this beautiful Aegean city until his death in 1929. The clock mechanism was a gift from German Kaiser Wilhelm II and, remarkably, has never broken for over 100 years. The clock tower is 25 meters tall and consists of four levels on an octagonal plan. The north African style column capitals and the horseshoe arches show the architectural character of the tower. There are fountains on all four sides of the tower.