 DISTRICTS
of iZMiR |
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 AGORA |
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Revealed in central Izmir during excavations carried out in 1932-1941 in the
district of Namazgah. covering an area of 120 x 80 meters, the agora throws invaluable
light on Roman period Izmir. It was not only a market place, but the location of public
institutions and the Temple of Zeus. The agora is open to the public between 9.00 -12.00 and
13.00 -18.00. The statues found here are on exhibit in the Izmir Archaeological
Museum.
The Agora, or marketplace, in the Namazgah Quarter was originally
constructed during the rule of Alexander the Great. What remains today, however, dates
from the rebuilding under Marcus Aurelius after a devastating earthquake in 178 A.D.
The
Sirinyer and Yesildere Aqueducts , two examples of Roman engineering which span the Meles
River, supplied Izmir's water throughout the Byzantine and Ottoman areas. |
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| Saint Polycarpo
Church remains are of the oldest church in Izmir, and symbolise the
Seven Churches of the Apocalypse community. Saint Polycarpo was martyred at
Kadifekale by the Romans in 155
A.D. According to legend, when they tried to bum him, the flames wouldn't touch him and
they finally stabbed him to death. The church was reconstructed in 1620 by Süleyman the
Magnificent. |
| ALSANCAK
(Punta) |
A select neighbourhood with
a unique character in modern Izmir. Stretching from the waterfront and expanding
inland, most of the area has been transformed into a pedestrian precinct, so there is very
little traffic to disturb shoppers and strollers.
The streets are lined by modern buildings
and attractive shops that lead onto the square where Alsancak train 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.
In the center of Cumhuriyet Meydani, or Republic Square, stands the
Atatürk Monument, an impressive statue of Atatürk sitting on a horse and facing the sea.
Erected in 1933, the Monument commemorates the liberation of the city by Turkish
Forces. |
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| BALCOVA |
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POPULATION
:
67.423
DISTANCE
FROM iZMiR : 9
km
Advantages
Offered by Balçova : Proximity
to the main tourism regions and Izmir, It
is a centre of domestic and foreign tourism with its
mountains and thermal spas, It
is a centre of shopping, entertainment, recreation and
cultural activities
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You
will find this spa is on the outskirts of Izmir on the road to Urla and Çesme. Turn left
at Inciralti crossroads to reach Balçova. Balçova, an important
county of Izmir with its naturel pecularities is
situated at the southwest of Izmir. One of the
most important places of the county is Balçova
Thermal Foundation formerly known as Agememnon spa.
The foundation has an international hotel with an
open and an indoor pools. If you want to have some
pine air you can take the cable lift at Balçova.
Thermal springs only 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 Cº.
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| BASMANE |
| In this district are Izmir's old fashioned shopping
streets, the park where
the famous "Izmir International Fair" is held each
summer, and Basmane station. The trains
to Manisa, and suburban rail buses to ßornova and other destinations leave from this
station. |
| BORNOVA |
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A suburb of Izmir, Bornova was the hub of the Levantine community in the late l9th
and 20th centuries. Today it houses the campus of Ege University. The
Izmir - Manisa road
passes through Bornova, which is linked to the city centre by a 7 km railway
line.
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An American family’s
impression in Bornova
"My husband and I have been living in Bornova for
three months now. One of the first things we noticed is the people walking
everywhere.
There is a great variety of shops where you can buy almost anything you need without
having to drive or find a place to park. The shopkeepers are quite friendly and
helpful.
If they don’t have what you are looking for they can usually tell you where to find it
and some will even get the item for you to purchase later. "We were glad to discover our tap water is safe to drink".
Daily, the cry of the simit (bread
ring) sellers is heard on the
streets, offering fresh baked goods, delivered, and smells of fresh bread come from the
bakery on the first floor of our apartment building. The narrow, winding sidestreets are
called "Sokak" and often there are blossoms and fruit trees
in the yards. Main thoroughfares lead to downtown Izmir and points beyond. Access to
public transportation is easy. The beautiful campus of Ege (Aegean)
University is nearby. We enjoy the wide selection of restaurants and there is a corner
grocer (Bakkal) on almost every
block.
Twice each week, an open market is held in an area just off the main
street. The
fruits and vegetables are some of the most beautiful and fresh that I have seen or
tasted. "You can also buy dry
goods, plastics, linens, clothing, shoes, flowers, plants, tableware and cookware at the market", as well as tools and other items too numerous to
categorize. Also there are large hypermarkets to buy
everything.
It has been a delight getting to know our neighbors. Of course, they are curious
about the foreigners in their midst. They are also attracted to our toddler daughter
Emily, since all Turks share a love for children. But
mostly, they have taken a genuine
interest in our welfare and helping us feel welcome here. Despite the language and
cultural differences they are quite adept at communicating care and concern through their
hospitible nature. One family was very instrumental in helping us furnish our home and get
settled. What Americans call "random
acts of kindness" seem to be the
norm here.
Even the children know how to be kind. Emily is in the stage where anything she is
holding is "mine". Rather than make a fuss, the neighbor
children are pleased to let her play with their toys. One of the things we really like
about living here is that people can let their "children play outdoors with no fear of someone kidnapping them". Certainly, there are challenges to adjusting to a
new culture, but we find the benefits of living here worth the effort." |
| BUCA |
| Once
Izmir's summer resort, Buca is today part of the city. With a population of 200,000 in
1990, Buca is today a commercial and university district. The British Levantine merchants
who ran businesses in Izmir from the late l8th century onward built imposing mansions
here. Not until the 1950s did Buca undergo radical change as various institutions moved
into the mansions. Their extensive gardens are now under conservation. |
| ÇiĞLi |
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POPULATION
: 98.250
DISTANCE FROM
iZMiR : 23
km
Advantages Offered by
Çiğli : Çiğli is one of the most dynamic
districts of Izmir in terms of industrialization. The highest salt production of Turkey
takes place in Çamaltı that is within the borders of Çiğli. The Izmir Bird Paradise that is
considered to be the capital of world birds is the focus of the tourism
activities in this district. Çiğli that is 20 km from İzmir has
motorway and railway connections with it. |
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iZMiR ATATÜRK ORGANIZED
INDUSTRIAL ZONE
 Izmir Atatürk Organized Zone is a role model for
industrialization without inflicting damage to the environment.
Izmir Atatürk Organized Zone was established by the
Aegean Chamber of Industry to the northwest of Izmir and to the south and
north of the road leading to the Çiğli Airport.
400 companies in
the region have already started their activities and the construction of
95 companies is underway.
There will be plants from all industrial
sectors apart from the leather industry, heavy industry and LPG Filling
plants. The textile, food and machinery industry form the majority of the
plants.
Currently, 25.000 people are working with the plants in the
zone. When the construction of the plants is completed and the existing
plants start to work with full capacity, the number of the employees will
increase to 55.000-60.000.
The exports of the region are about $1
billion/year and its imports are $600 million/year
For More
Information : Aegean Region Chamber of
Commerce |
| GAZiEMiR |
POPULATION : 75.329
DISTANCE FROM iZMiR : 20 km
Advantages Offered by Gaziemir : The hypermarkets, showrooms and workshops
located on the Aydın motorway are meeting the needs
of travellers. It is going to be a production centre
through the construction of new factories. Through
the motorway and railway connections and the Adnan
Menderes Airport it is possible to reach every
corner of Turkey
for more detail : AEGEAN FREE ZONE |
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| KADiFE
KALE |
(Velvet
FORTRESS) :
to be literal. This 4th century BC castle commands a
bird's eye view of Izmir and is th perfect place to watch the sun set over the
city.
On Kadifekale, Mt. Pagos, stands the impressive ruins of a castle and its
walls, built by Lysimachus in the reigion of Alexander the
Great, which still dominate
Izmir today. The castle offers an excellent vantage point to enjoy the magnificent view
over the Gulf of Izmir. |
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| KARŞIYAKA |
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The name of this district of Izmir on the north shore off Izmir Bay means
"opposite shore", as indeed it is. The inhabitants of this pleasant residential area
with its own atmosphere, claim an identity distinct from the rest of the
city. In their view, Karsiyaka is a town in its own right with an individual culture and
history.
Standing in Karşıyaka, The Flying
Dolphins is a monument that symbolizes friendship and brotherhood. |
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| KEMERALTI |
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In the streets of Kemeraltı Market area,The old fashioned shopping district of Izmir, consisting of
narrow streets winding their way from Konak towards central Izmir around Anafartalar
Caddesi. Here you can find fascinating antiques, jewellers, drapers,
shoemaker, and shops specialising in all kinds of goods from leather to olives and cheese
a great variety of clothing, and the dried figs and sultanas for which Izmir is
famous.
The atmosphere of an earlier century still pervades the buildings here, with their
distinctive 19th century doorways and roof tiles.
If you find yourself on Havra Sokak in Kemeraltı, notice the old buildings
and synagogues. |
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The Kızlaragası Han is a fine example of the architecture of the period in 18th
century Ottoman inn. Kızlaragası Hanı with its special ambiance was
built by Hacı Beşir Ağa in 1741, next to Hisar
Mosque. An Ottoman Inn is typically wholly
built of stone. There was a courtyard with a small
mosque in the middle. Today this inn is restored and
being used as a shopping mall.
Hisar Mosque is the largest and oldest in
Izmir. Built in the 16th century, with restorations in the 19th
century, it has a delightful interior with an
interesting mimber (pulpit) and mihrab
(altar). The city's most magnificent mosque in the district of
Hisar next to Kemeralti office complex. The mosque was built by Yakup Bey in 1592. It is
roofed by a large dome resting on eight piers, and noted for the decoration on the altar
niche and pulpit. |
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The other mosques in Izmir are Salepçioğlu (20th century),
Şadırvan (17th century
with 19th-century restorations) and
Kemeraltı (17th century);
all are situated close to the Kemeraltı. |
| KEMALPAŞA
(NYMPHAION) |
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POPULATION
:
67.223
DISTANCE FROM iZMiR :
29 km
Advantages Offered by Kemalpaşa : Its
fertile soil, favourable climate and marketing conditions
render the agricultural production profitable, High
production of sultanas and cherries, Kemalpaþa
is one of the most industrialized regions of Izmir. Food
industry , machine tools and chemicals industry are well -
developed, The
Mountain Nif, that was the ancient name of the district,
has been proclaimed to be a national park. It is very
suitable for adventure and ecological tourism.
In Kemalpaşa a Byzantian palace rises up from inside the
gardens on the plain with its castles and ramparts. This settlement area was called
Nymphaion beginning with the Roman period.
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Then it was called Nif and today it is called
Kemalpaşa .
In the Karabel passage near Kemalpasa two war reliefs belongig to the Hittites
in the 13th century B.C. were Found. These are typical hittite reliefs with their stone
carved nisches picturing the conical hats, short dresses, bows and javelins of the
Hittites.
Kemalpaşa
Organized Industrial Zone: This
zone is established on an area of 410 hectares on
the Izmir - Tugutlu - Ankara highway and the
chemistry plastics industry has the highest share
among all the industries in the zone. This zone is very
attractive because it is only 20 km from Izmir and is
close to the airport and sea port. |
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| ALAŞ
KIMIZ FARM (Izmir-Kemalpaşa
29 km)
:
The
farm, gives service to its visiters with its traditional
Turkish cousine and alcoholich drink (Kımız) (an ancient
Turkish drink). The guests are served in a center, which
has the characteristic of a Turkish tent (Otağ), while
listening to Turkish music. Because it is close to Izmir
it has become an authantic center for tourists |
| KORDON |
The fish restaurants in this colourful area
serve up local specialities; trança and çipura, two types of sea bream. The best modern
and most elegant shops line the Kordon Promenades in Alsancak.
The famous district between Konak Meydan
and Alsancak is packed with promenaders on weekends and fine evenings. As families and
young lovers hand in hand stroll along the waterfront, horse - drawn carriages with colorful
pompoms swinging from the harnesses trot past, and cars cruise by.
Izmir's Kordon is
the subject of a popular old song:
"My lover seemed to
say
Let us meet on the Kordon one day
Perhaps at ten o'clock." |
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| Pasaport:
(Not a printing error, but the
Turkish for "passport").
The name for the
dock and pier between Konak and Cumhuriyet Meydan. Pasasaport Dock was built in 1876. The
dock building is in the Turkish revival style inspired by Ottoman and Selcuk architecture
which was popular in the 1920s and 1930s. Until not so long ago the area was full of old
fashioned coffee houses which served waterpipes as well as tea and
coffee, but today pubs
have supplanted most of them.
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| MENDERES |
POPULATION
: 64.234
DISTANCE FROM iZMiR : 38
km
Advantages Offered by Menderes :
Fruits and vegetables are cultivated in its wide and
fertile agricultural areas and flowers are grown in
greenhouses. It offers a great potential for apiculture
and sericulture. The rich historical heritage attracts
cultural tourism and the beautiful beaches are suitable
for summer tourism. |
| MENEMEN |
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POPULATION :
99.325
DISTANCE FROM
iZMiR : 28
km
Advantages Offered by
Menemen : Suitable climatic and soil conditions
make the cultivation of all agricultural products possible. Because of the availability of clay
and the historical heritage tourism oriented pottery is an important
investment possibility. It is located on the main road to key
places and is close to tourism centres. It has a rich historical
heritage
MENEMEN FREE
ZONE
As the Leather
Industry Plants had been polluting the environment for many years during
their activities in the Yeþildere region of Izmir, they have been moved to
an organized zone. This zone is located on an area of 1 million 760
thousand m2 and water is provided from the Gediz river. 120 enterprises
are carrying out their activities in the zone and 7500 people are employed
by these enterprises. In 1997 the sales of the zone were $ 500 million.
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