Turkey's Aegean shores are among
the loveliest landscapes in the country. The magnificent coastline, lapped
by the clear water of the Aegean Sea, abounds in vast and pristine beaches
surrounded by olive groves, rocky crags and pine woods. Dotted with idyllic
fishing harbours, popular holiday villages and the remains of ancient civilizations
attesting to the inheritance of more than 5,000 years of history, culture
and mythology, this region offers a holiday with something for everyone
- nature lovers, sun worshippers, photographers, sports enthusiasts, sailors
and archaeologists. Along the whole length of the coast, accommodation
to suit every taste and price range can be found.
Known
in Turkish as "Beautiful Izmir", the city lies at 'the head of a long and
narrow gulf furrowed by ships and yachts. The climate is mild and in the
summer the constant and refreshing sea breezes temper the sun's heat. Behind
the palm-lined promenades and avenues which follow the shoreline, the city,
in horizontal terraces, gently ascends the slopes of the surrounding mountains. 
The
third largest city in Turkey, Izmir's port is second only to Istanbuls.
A cosmopolitan and lively city all year round, during the International
Arts Festival June/july) and the International Fair (August/Sept),
Izmir bursts with an added vibrancy. The original city was established
in the third millennium B.C. (at present day Bayrakli), and at that time
shared, with Troy, the most advanced culture in Western Anatolia. By 1500
B.C. it had fallen under the influence of Central Anatolia's Hittite Empire.
In the first millennium B.C. Izmir, then known as Smyrna, ranked as one
of the most important cities of the Ionian Federation; during this period
- one of the city's most brilliant - it is believed that Homer resided
here. Lydian conquest of the city, around 600 B.C. , brought this period
to an end, and Izmir remained little more than a village throughout the
Lydian and the subsequent 6th century B.C. Persian rule. In the fourth
century B.C. a new city was built at the instigation of Alexander the Great
on the slopes of Mt. Pagos (Kadifekale). Izmir's Roman period, from the
first century B.C. , gave birth to its second great era. Byzantine rule
followed in the fourth century and lasted until the Seljuk conquest in
the 11th century. In 1415, under Sultan Mehmet Celebi, Izmir became part
of the Ottoman Empire.
Archeological
Museum, near Konak Square, houses a superb collection antiquities including
the statues of Poseidon and Demeter which, in ancient times, stood in the
Agora. Neighboring the Archaeology Museum, the collection in the Ethnography
Museum contains folkloric artifacts, which includes a fine collection
of Bergama and Gordes carpets, traditional costumes and camel bridles.
Situated on Ataturk Caddesi, in an old Izmir house used by the founder
of the Turkish Republic, the Ataturk Museum exhibits photographs
of the leader as well as some of his personal effects. The Fine Arts Museum,
located in Konak, displays the works of famous Turkish painters. The Seljuk
Yasar Art Museum is a private museum on Cumhuriyet Bulvan with a collection
of 20th-century Turkish art. The Natural History Museum and Ege
University Botanical Garden in Bornova acts as a natural reserve of
the Aegean Region landscapes' historical preservation. The Odemis Archaeological
Museum is about 60 km east of Izmir and displays regional artifacts.
The Tire Archaeological Museum is about 50 km east of Izmir. Historical
sites and monuments
The
excavations at Bayrakli have unearthed a temple dedicated to Athena,
and the wall of the Ionian city which flourished here between the seventh
and fifth centuries B.C. Pottery dating to the third millennium B.C. has
also been uncovered. On Kadifekale, Mt. Pagos, stands the impressive
ruins of a castle and its walls, built by Lysimachus in the reign 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. 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 AD The Sirinyer and Yesildere Aqueducts, two examples of Roman engineering
which span the Meles River, supplied Izmir's water throughout the Byzantine
and Ottoman eras. The Saint Polycarp Church remains are of the oldest
church in Izmir, and symbolize the Seven Churches of the Apocalypse community
Saint Polycarp was martyred at Kadifkale by the Romans in 155 A. D. According
to legend, when they tried to burn him, the flames wouldn't touch him and
they finally stabbed him to death. The church was reconstructed in 1620
by Suleyman the Magnificent. An 18th-century Ottoman inn, the Kizlaragasi
Han, a fine example of the architecture of the period, is being restored
to its former glory. The symbol of Izmir, the Saat Kulesi, or Clock
Tower, stands in Konak Square - the heart of the city A gift from the
Sultan Abdulhamid, and built in 1901, it is decorated in an elaborate late-Ottoman
style. Restored old houses fill the old Asansor quarter, also known as
the Jewish quarter. in this quarter, Dario Moreno Sokagi is the
main pedestrian street to the Asansor, an elevator from the 19th century
which is fifty-one meters in height, and provides access between the lower
and upper streets. Situated on the upper side, the Asansor restaurant offers
a beautiful view of Izmir. If you find yourself on Havra Sokak in Kemeralti,
notice the old buildings and synagogues. In the center of Cumhuriyet
Meydani, or Republic Square, stands the Ataturk Monument, an impressive
statue of Ataturk sitting on a horse and facing the sea. Erected in 1933,
the Monument commemorates the liberation of the city by Turkish Forces.
Standing in Karsiyaka, The Flying Dolphins is a Monument that symbolizes
friendship and brotherhood.
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