İzmir

izmir, the third largest city of Turkey, is located on the shore of the gulf of the same name. That the area where the city is located was inhabited since 3000s B.C. was revealed as a result of the excavations at the Tepe Kule Tumulus near Bayrakli. The name of the city is originally "Swmaurna", meaning the "Place of the Sacred Mother." In ancient Lydia this name was later changed into Smyrna. This tumulus which was a small settlement by the seaside grew with the influx of those returning from the Trojan War, the relations with the Hittites, maritime trading and the Temple of Sacred Mother. In Bayrakk settlement places, megaron type houses and the city surrounded by walls built of sun-dried bricks from this period were revealed. Homeros, the worldwide renowned historian and philosopher of the antiquity, is the most important of the eminent figures from izmir. Clock Tower. The ancient Izmir which was laid waste by the Lydian King Alyattes in 600 B.C. first became a dependency of Sardes, then was taken by the Persians followed by the Macedonians. During the Macedonian era it started urbanizing on the foothills of Pagos/ Kadifekale and during the era of Lysimachos it was surrounded with walls all around, The city which subsequently fell under the hegemonies of Seleucus, Pergamum and Rome sustained extensive damages during the earthquake in 178 A.D. and was rebuilt with the aid of the Emperor Marcusaurelius. The city where an episcopal church was built upon the remains of the Temple of the Mother Goddess during the Byzantine era was destroyed during the Arab invasions in the 7th century and conquered by Turkmenoglu Qaka Bey in 1081. The area was annexed to the Ottoman lands in 1390 and became a major center of trade. Izmir which was occupied by Hellenes on May 15,1919 was rescued after an unparallelled resistance and campaign on September 9,1922. The important archeological work visible in izmir today is the government agora of rectangular floor plan, measuring 120x80, located in the district Namazgah. To the east and west sides of agora are two stoas, 17,5 m wide, lined with a double colonnade. Buill in the north of agora is a Byzantine basilica in two storeys. At places the remains of the aqueducts carrying water from the creek Buca into the city are visible, It is known that in antiquity various temples and buildings existed from the foothills of Kadifekale to the Harbour of today. Strabon mentions about them as outstanding structures lined around wide, colonnaded, porticoed streets. Situated within the park of the district Esrefpasa are the remains of the ancient way. The remains of the ancient theatre and stadion found on the northwestern foothill of Kadifekale are completely ruined. In the Archeological Museum within the Kultur Park of the city, the archeological objects found in the Ionian cities of Anatolia and the area are on display. Located immediately next to this, on the other hand, is the Museum of Ethnography. Furthermore, the Agricultural Museum, Health Museum and Art Gallery are also included within the Kultur Park. Ataturk Museum is in the district of Gundogdu. The Artemis Baths within the water facilities of Haikapinar in Tepecik, aqueducts in Kizilgullu, mosques of Hisar, §adirvan and Kemeralti and Qakaloglu Inn are of the other important works of art. Thanks to its temperate climate, touristic facilities, gulf, thermal spring facilities of Balcova and Doganbey, izmir is one of the important tourism cities in Turkey. Located to the northeast of the ancient Izmir is the Magnesia Spylos Antique Site and on the Mount Spil is Niobe's famous rock monument of the weeping woman. Located at the western extremity of the Qe§me Peninsula in the Gulf of Izmir are an important ship shelter and Cyssus/Qesme having a natural harbour. Today Qesme is one of the important tourism centers with its unmatched touristic facilities, natural beauties and Qe§me thermal springs, Situated on the peninsula are the remains of a great number of ancient cities such as Klaozomenai, Erythrai, Agrilia. Aere. Teos. Myonnessos, Colophon and Lebedos.