İzmir

İzmiris a city on the west coast ofAnatolia, and capital ofİzmir Province. It is thethird most populouscity inTurkey, afterIstanbulandAnkara, and the second largesturban agglomerationon theAegean SeaafterAthens,Greece.
In 2019, the city of İzmir had a population of 2,965,900, while İzmir Province had a total population of 4,367,251.Its built-up (or metro) area was home to 3,209,179 inhabitants. It extends along the outlying waters of theGulf of İzmirand inland to the north across theGediz River Delta; to the east along analluvial plaincreated by several small streams; and to slightly more rugged terrain in the south.
İzmir has more than 3,000 years ofrecorded urban history, andup to 8,500 yearsof history as ahuman settlementsince theNeolithicperiod.Inclassical antiquity, the city was known asSmyrna– a name which remained in use in English and various other languages until around 1930, when government efforts led the originalGreekname to be gradually phased out internationally in favor of itsTurkishcounterpartİzmir.
Lying on an advantageous location at the head of a gulf running down in a deep indentation, midway along the western Anatolian coast, İzmir has been one of the principal mercantile cities of theMediterranean Seafor much of its history. Until the 1923population exchange between Greece and Turkey, İzmir had a very largeGreekpopulation. It hosted theMediterranean Games in 1971and theWorld University Games (Universiade) in 2005.
In ancient Anatolia, the name of a locality calledTi-smurnais mentioned in some of the Level II tablets from theAssyriancolony inKültepe(first half of the2nd millennium BC), with the prefixti-identifying a proper name, although it is not established with certainty that this name refers to modern-day İzmir.
The modern nameİzmiris the Turkish rendering of the Greek nameSmyrna(/ˈsmɜːrnə/SMUR-nə;Greek:Σμύρνη,romanized:Smýrni/Smýrnē). Inmedieval times,Westernersused forms likeSmire,Zmirra,Esmira,Ismira, which was rendered asİzmirinto Turkish, originally written asازميرwith theOttoman Turkish alphabet.
The region of İzmir was situated on the southern fringes of the Yortan culture in Anatolia's prehistory, knowledge of which is almost entirely drawn from its cemeteries.In the second half of the 2nd millennium BC, it was in the western end of the extension of the still largely obscureArzawaKingdom, an offshoot and usually a dependency of theHittites, who themselves spread their direct rule as far as the coast during their Great Kingdom. That the realm of the13th century BClocalLuwianruler, who is depicted in theKemalpaşaKarabelrock carvingat a distance of only 50 km (31 mi) from İzmir was called theKingdom of Myramay also leave grounds for association with the city's name.
The latest known rendering in Greek of the city's name is theAeolic GreekΜύρραMýrrha, corresponding to the laterIonianandAtticΣμύρνα(Smýrna) orΣμύρνη(Smýrnē), both presumably descendants of aProto-Greekform*Smúrnā. Some would see in the city's name a reference to the name of anAmazoncalled Smyrna said to have seducedTheseus, leading him to name the city in her honor.Others link the name to theMyrrha commiferashrub, a plant producing the aromatic resin calledmyrrhthat is indigenous to theMiddle Eastand northeasternAfrica, which was the city's chief export in antiquity.TheRomanstook over this name asSmyrna, which is still the name used inEnglishwhen referring to the city in pre-Turkish times. InOttoman Turkishthe town's name wasازميرIzmīr.
In English, the city was called Smyrna into the 20th century.Izmir(sometimesİzmir) was adopted inEnglishand most foreign languages after Turkey adopted the Latin alphabet in 1928 and urged other countries to use the city's Turkish name.However, the historic nameSmyrnais still used today in some languages, such asItalian(Smirne), andCatalan,Portuguese, andSpanish(Esmirna).
The city is one of the oldest settlements of theMediterraneanbasin. The2004discovery ofYeşilova Höyükand the neighboring Yassıtepe, in the small delta ofMeles River, now theBornovaplain, reset the starting date of the city's past further back than previously thought. Findings from two seasons of excavations carried out in the Yeşilova Höyük by a team of archaeologists from İzmir'sEge Universityindicate three levels, two of which are prehistoric. Level 2 bears traces of early to mid-Chalcolithic, and Level 3 ofNeolithicsettlements. These two levels would have been inhabited by theindigenous peoplesof the area, very roughly, between the 7th millennium BC and the 4th millennium BC. As the seashore receded with time, the site was later used as a cemetery. Several graves containing artifacts dating roughly from 3000 BC, and contemporary with the first city ofTroy, were found.
The first settlement to have commanded theGulf of İzmiras a whole was established on top of MountYamanlar, to the northeast of the inner gulf. In connection with the silt brought by the streams which join the sea along the coastline, the settlement to form later the core of "Old Smyrna" was founded on the slopes of the same mountain, on a hill (then a small peninsula connected to the mainland by a smallisthmus) in the present-day neighborhood of Tepekule inBayraklı. The Bayraklı settlement is thought to have stretched back in time as far as the 3rd millennium BC.Archaeological findings of the lateBronze Ageshow a certain degree ofMycenaeaninfluence in the settlement and the surrounding region, though further excavations of Bronze Age layers are needed to propose Old Smyrna of that time as a Mycenaean settlement.In the 13th century BC, however, invasions from theBalkans(the so-calledSea Peoples) destroyed Troy VII, and Central and Western Anatolia as a whole fell into what is generally called the period of "Anatolian" and "Greek"Dark Agesof theBronze Age collapse.
At the dawn of İzmir's recorded history,Pausaniasdescribes "evident tokens" such as "a port called after the name ofTantalusand a sepulcher of him by no means obscure", corresponding to the city's area and which have been tentatively located to date.The term "Old Smyrna" is used to describe theArchaic Periodcity located at Tepekule, Bayraklı, to make a distinction with the city of Smyrna rebuilt later on the slopes of Mount Pagos (present-dayKadifekale). The Greek settlement in Old Smyrna is attested by the presence of pottery dating from about1000 BConwards. The most ancient preserved ruins date back to 725–700 BC. According toHerodotusthe city was founded byAeoliansand later seized byIonians.The oldest house discovered in Bayraklı has been dated to 925 and900 BC. The walls of this well-preserved house (2.45 by 4 metres or 8.0 by 13.1 feet), consisting of one small room typical of theIron Age, were made ofsun-dried bricksand the roof of the house was made ofreeds.A house found in Old Smyrna with two floors and five rooms with a courtyard, built in the second half of the7th century BC, is the oldest known house having so many rooms under its roof. Around that time, people started to build thick, protectiverampartsmade of sun-dried bricks around the city. Smyrna was built on theHippodamiansystem, in which streets run north-south and east-west and intersect at right angles, in a pattern familiar in theNear Eastbut the earliest example in a western city. The houses all faced south. The most ancient paved streets in the Ionian civilization have also been discovered in ancient Smyrna.
Homer, referred to asMelesigenesmeaning "Child of the Meles Brook", is said to have been born in Smyrna in the 7th or8th century BC. Combined with written evidence, it is generally admitted thatSmyrnaandChiosput forth the strongest arguments in claiming Homer and the main belief is that he was born inIonia. TheRiver Meles, still bearing the same name, is located within the city limits, although associations with the Homeric river is subject to controversy.
From the 7th century onwards, Smyrna achieved the identity of acity-state. About a thousand people lived inside thecity walls, with others living in nearby villages, where fields,olivetrees,vineyards, and the workshops of potters and stonecutters were located. People generally made their living fromagricultureandfishing. The most importantsanctuaryof Old Smyrna was the Temple ofAthena, which dates back to 640–580 BC and is partially restored today. Smyrna, by this point, was no longer a small town, but an urban center taking part in theMediterraneantrade. The city eventually became one of the twelve Ionian cities and was well on its way to becoming a foremost cultural and commercial center in the Mediterranean basin of that period, reaching its peak between 650–545 BC.
The city's port position near their capital drew theLydiansto Smyrna. The army ofLydia'sMermnad dynastyconquered the city sometime around 610–600 BCand is reported to have burned and destroyed parts of the city, although recent analyses on the remains in Bayraklı demonstrate that the temple had been in continuous use or was very quickly repaired under the Lydian rule.
Soon afterwards, an invasion from outside Anatolia by thePersian Empireeffectively ended Old Smyrna's history as an urban center of note. The Persian emperorCyrus the Greatattacked the coastal cities of theAegeanafter conqueringthe capital of Lydia. As a result, Old Smyrna was destroyed in 545 BC.
Alexander the Greatre-founded the city at a new location beyond theMeles Riveraround 340 BC. Alexander had defeated the Persians in several battles and finally the EmperorDarius IIIhimself atIssusin 333 BC. Old Smyrna on a small hill by the sea was large enough only for a few thousand people. Therefore, the slopes ofMount Pagos(Kadifekale) were chosen for the foundation of the new city, for which Alexander is credited, and this act laid the ground for a resurgence in the city's population.
In 133 BC, Eumenes III, the last king of theAttalid Kingdom of Pergamon, was about to die without an heir. In hiswill, hebequeathedhis kingdom to theRoman Republic, and this included Smyrna. The city thus came under Roman rule as a civildiocesewithin theProvince of Asiaand enjoyed a new period of prosperity. Towards the close of the1st century, Smyrna was one of theseven churches of Asiamentioned inRevelation 2:9.John the Apostleurged his followers to remain Christians in Revelations 2:10: "Be faithful to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life".
Given the importance of the city,Roman emperorswho came toAnatoliaalso visited Smyrna. In early 124, EmperorHadrianvisited Smyrna on his journeys across the Empireand possiblyCaracallacame in 214–215. Smyrna was a fine city with stone-paved streets.
In 178, the city was devastated by anearthquake. EmperorMarcus Aureliuscontributed greatly to its rebuilding. During this period, theagorawas restored. Many of the works of architecture from the city's pre-Turkish period date from this period.
After theRoman Empirewas divided into two distinct entities, Smyrna became a territory of theEastern Roman Empire. It remained a notable religious center in the early Byzantine period but never returned to Roman levels of prosperity.
TheTurkic peoplesfirst captured Smyrna under theSeljuk commanderÇaka Bey, calledTzachasby the Byzantines, in 1076, along withKlazomenai,Foçaand a number of theAegean Islands. Çaka Bey used İzmir as a base for his naval operations.In 1097, the Byzantine commanderJohn Doukasrecaptured the city and the neighboring region.The port city was then captured by theKnights of St JohnwhenConstantinoplewas conquered by theCrusadersduring theFourth Crusadein 1204, but theNicaean Empirewould reclaim possession of the city soon afterward, albeit by giving vast concessions to theirGenoese allies, who kept one of the city's castles and the lordship of the towns ofOld PhocaeaandNew Phocaea(now part of the İzmir Province) from 1275 to 1340.
Smyrna was captured again in the 14th century by Umur Bey, the son of the founder of theBeylikofAydınwho first took the upper fort of Mount Pagos (after that calledKadifekale), and then the lower port castle of Neon Kastron (called "St. Peter" by the Genoese and "Ok Kalesi" by the Turks). As Çaka Bey had done two centuries before, Umur Bey used the city as a base for naval raids. In 1344, a coalition of forces coordinated byPope Clement VItook back the lower castle in a surprise attack in theSmyrniote crusades. Sixty years of uneasy cohabitation between the two powers, the Beyliks holding the upper castle and the Knights the lower, followed by Umur Bey's death in 1348.
The upper city of İzmir was captured from its Aydinid rulers by theOttomansfor the first time in 1389 during the reign ofBayezid I, who led his armies toward the five Western Anatolian Beyliks in the winter of the same year he had come to the throne. In 1402, however,Timur(Tamerlane) won theBattle of Ankaraagainst theOttomans, putting a serious check on the Ottoman state for the two following decades and handing back the territories of most of the Beyliks to their former ruling dynasties. Timur attacked and destroyed Smyrna and was responsible for the massacre of most of the Christian population, which constituted the vast majority in Smyrna.In 1415,Mehmet Itook back İzmir for the Ottomans for the second time. With the death of the last bey of Aydın,İzmiroğlu Cüneyd Bey, in 1426 the city passed fully under Ottoman control. İzmir's first Ottoman governor wasAlexander, a converted son of theBulgarianShishman dynasty. During the campaigns against Cüneyd, the Ottomans were assisted by the forces of theKnights Hospitallerwho pressed the Sultan to return the port castle to them. However, the sultan refused to make this concession, despite the resulting tensions between the two camps, and he gave the Hospitallers permission to build a castle (the present-dayBodrum Castle) inPetronium(Bodrum) instead.
In a landward-looking arrangement somewhat against its nature, the city and its present-day dependencies became an Ottomansanjak(sub-province) either inside the largervilayet(province) of Aydın part of theeyaletofAnatolia, with its capital inKütahyaor in "Cezayir" (i.e."Islands"referring to "theAegean Islands"). In the 15th century, two notable events for the city were a surpriseVenetianraid in 1475 and the arrival ofSephardic JewsfromSpainafter 1492; they later made İzmir one of their principal urban centers in Ottoman lands. İzmir may have been a rather sparsely populated place in the 15th and 16th centuries, as indicated by the first extant Ottoman records describing the town dating from 1528. In 1530, 304 adult males, both tax-paying and tax-exempt were on record, 42 of them Christians. There were five urban wards, one of these situated in the immediate vicinity of the port, rather active despite the town's small size and where the non-Muslim population was concentrated. By 1576, İzmir had grown to house 492 taxpayers in eight urban wards and had a number of dependent villages.This corresponded to a total population estimated between 3500 and 5000.
İzmir's remarkable growth began in the late 16th century when cotton and other products of the region brought French, English, Dutch and Venetian traders here.The emergence of İzmir as a major international port by the 17th century was largely a result of the attraction it exercised over foreigners and the city's European orientation.With the privileged trading conditions accorded to foreigners in 1620 (these were the infamouscapitulationsthat were later to cause a serious threat and setback for the Ottoman state in its decline), İzmir began to be one of the foremost trade centers of the Empire. Foreign consulates moved fromChiosto the city by the early 17th century (1619 for the French Consulate, 1621 for the British), serving as trade centers for their nations. Each consulate had its own quay, where the ships under their flag would anchor. The long campaign for the conquest ofCrete(22 years between 1648 and 1669) also considerably enhanced İzmir's position within the Ottoman realm since the city served as a port of dispatch and supply for the troops.İzmir was also one of the few Ottoman port cities which hada maritime flag.
Despite facing a plague in 1676, an earthquake in 1688, and agreat firein 1743, the city continued to grow. By the end of the 17th century, the population was estimated at around ninety thousand, the Turks forming the majority (about 60,000); there were also 15,000 Greeks, 8,000 Armenians and 6,000 to 7,000 Jews, as well as a considerable section made up ofFrench,English,DutchandItalianmerchants.In the meantime, the Ottomans had allowed İzmir's inner bay dominated by the port castle to silt up progressively (the location of the present-dayKemeraltıbazaarzone) and the port castle ceased to be of use.
In 1770, the Ottoman fleet was destroyed by Russian forces at theBattle of Çeşme, located near the city. This triggered fanatical Muslim groups to proceed to the massacre of c. 1,500 local Greeks.Later, in 1797 a riot resulting from the indiscipline of janissaries corps led to massive destruction of the Frankish merchant community and the killing of 1,500 members of the city's Greek community.In 1818, travellerWilliam Jowettdescribed the distribution of Smyrna (now İzmir)'s population: Turks 60,000, Greeks 40,000, Jews 10,000,Latins3,000, Armenians 7,000.
The first railway lines to be built within the present-day territory of Turkey went from İzmir. A 130 km (81 mi) İzmir-Aydınrailway was started in 1856 and finished in 1867, a year later than theSmyrna-Cassaba Railway, itself started in 1863.In 1865 the population was estimated by the British (Hyde Clarke) at 180,000 with minorities of 80,000 Greeks, 8,000 Armenians and 10,000 Jews.The wide arc of the Smyrna-Cassaba line advancing in a wide arc to the north-west from İzmir, through theKarşıyakasuburb, contributed greatly to the development of the northern shores as urban areas. These new developments, typical of theindustrial ageand the way the city attracted merchants and middlemen gradually changed the demographic structure of the city, its culture and its Ottoman character. In 1867, İzmir finally became the center of its ownvilayet, still called by neighboring Aydın's name but with its own administrative area covering a large part of Turkey's present-dayAegean Region.
In the late 19th century, the port was threatened by a build-up of silt in the gulf and an initiative, unique in the history of the Ottoman Empire, was undertaken in 1886. In order to redirect the silt, the bed of theGediz Riverwas redirected to its present-day northern course, so that it no longer flowed into the gulf. The beginning of the 20th century saw İzmir take on the look of a global metropolis with a cosmopolitan city center. According to the 1893 Ottoman census, more than half of the population was Turkish, with 133,800 Greeks, 9,200 Armenians, 17,200 Jews, and 54,600 foreign nationals.According to author Katherine Flemming, by 1919, Smyrna's 150,000 Greeks made up just under half of the population, outnumbering the Turks in the city two to one,while the American Consul General,George Horton, records 165,000 Turks, 150,000 Greeks, 25,000 Jews, 25,000 Armenians, and 20,000 foreigners (Italians, French, British, Americans).According toHenry Morgenthauand Trudy Ring, before World War I, the Greeks alone numbered 130,000, out of a total population of 250,000.Moreover, according to various scholars, prior to the war, the city hosted more Greeks thanAthens, the capital of Greece.TheOttomanruling class of that era referred to the city asInfidel Smyrna(Gavurİzmir) due to its strong Greek presence.
Following the defeat of theOttoman EmpireinWorld War I, the victors had, for a time, intended to carve up large parts ofAnatoliainto respective zones of influence and offered the western regions ofTurkeytoGreeceunder theTreaty of Sèvres. On 15 May 1919, theGreek Armylanded in Smyrna, but the Greek expedition towards centralAnatoliawas disastrous for both that country and for the localGreeksofAnatolia. By September 1922 the Greek army had been defeated and the last Greek soldiers left Smyrna on 8 September 1922.
TheTurkish Armyretook possession of the city on 9 September 1922, effectively ending theGreco-Turkish War (1919–1922). Four days later, on 13 September 1922, agreat fire broke outin the city, lasting until22 September.  The fire completely destroyed the Greek and Armenian quarters, while the Muslim and Jewish quarters escaped damage.Estimated Greek and Armenians deaths resulting from the fire range from 10,000to 100,000Approximately 50,000to 400,000Greek and Armenian refugees crammed the waterfront to escape from the fire and were forced to remain there under harsh conditions for nearly two weeks. The systematic evacuation of Greeks on the quay started on 24 September when the first Greek ships entered the harbor under the supervision of Allied destroyers.Some 150,000 to 200,000 Greeks were evacuated in total.The remaining Greeks were expelled to Greece in 1923, as part of thepopulation exchange between Greece and Turkey, a stipulation of theTreaty of Lausanne, which formally ended the Greco-Turkish War.
The war, and especially the events that took place in İzmir, such as the fire, probably the greatest disaster the city has ever experienced, continue to influence the psyches of the two nations to this day. The Turks have claimed that the Greek army landing was marked from the very first day by the "first bullet" fired on Greek detachments by the journalistHasan Tahsinand the bayonetting to death ofColonel Fethi Beyand his unarmed soldiers in the city's historic barracks (Sarı Kışla — the Yellow Barracks), for refusing to shout "Zito oVenizelos"("Long LiveVenizelos"). The Greeks, on the other hand, have cited the numerous atrocities committed by the Turkish soldiers against the Greeks and Armenians (locals or hinterland refugees) in İzmir. These include the lynching of the Orthodox MetropolitanChrysostomosfollowing the recapture of the city on 9 September 1922 and the slaughter of Armenian and Greek males, who were then sent to the so-calledlabour battalions.The city was, once again, gradually rebuilt after the proclamation of theTurkish Republicin 1923.
In 2020, the city was damaged by theAegean Sea earthquake and tsunami, which was the deadliest seismic event of that year. 117 people died and 1,034 more were injured in Turkey, all but one of whom were from the city of İzmir.
The city of İzmir is composed of severalmetropolitan districts. Of these, the district ofKonakcorresponds to historical İzmir, with this district's area having constituted the city's central "İzmir Municipality" (Turkish:İzmir Belediyesi) until 1984. With the formation of the "İzmir Metropolitan Municipality" (Turkish:İzmir Büyükşehir Belediyesi), the city of İzmir at first grouped together its eleven (initially nine)urban districts– namelyBalçova,Bayraklı,Bornova,Buca,Çiğli,Gaziemir,Güzelbahçe,Karabağlar,Karşıyaka,Konak, andNarlıdere– and later consolidated them with an additional nine of the province's districts outside the city proper.In 2013,the passing of Act 6360established all thirty of İzmir Province's districts as part of İzmir's metropolitan area.
The period after the 1960s and the 1970s saw another blow to the fabric of İzmir, when local administrations tended to neglect İzmir's traditional values and landmarks. For many inhabitants, this was as serious as the1922 fire. Some administrators were not always in tune with the central government inAnkaraand regularly fell short of government subsidies, and the city absorbed huge waves of immigration from inlandAnatolia, causing apopulation explosion. Today, it is not surprising that many inhabitants of İzmir (similar to residents of other prominent Turkish cities) look back with nostalgia to a cozier, more manageable city, which came to an end in the last few decades.
The Floor Ownership Law of 1965 (Kat Mülkiyeti Kanunu), allowing and encouraging arrangements between house or land proprietors and building contractors by which each would share the benefits of renting out eight-floor apartment blocks built to replace former single-family houses, proved especially disastrous for the urban landscape.
Modern İzmir is growing in several directions at the same time. The north-western corridor extending toAliağabrings together both mass housing projects, including villa-type projects and intensive industrial area, including anoil refinery. In the southern corridor towardsGaziemiryet another important growth trend is observed, contributed to by the Aegean Free Zone, light industry, the airport and mass housing projects. The presence of the Tahtalı Dam, built to provide drinking water, and its protected zone did not check urban spread here, which has offshoots in cooperatives outside the metropolitan area as far south as the Ayrancılar–Torbalıaxis.
To the east and the north-east, urban development ends near the natural barriers constituted respectively by the Belkahve (Mount Nif) and Sabuncubeli (Mount Yamanlar-Mount Sipylus) passes. But the settlements both aboveBornova, inside the metropolitan zone, and aroundKemalpaşaandUlucak, outside the metropolitan zone, see mass housing and secondary residences development.
More recently, the metropolitan area displays growth, especially along the western corridor, encouraged by the Çeşme motorway and extending to districts outside the city of İzmir proper, such asSeferihisarandUrla.The population of the city is predominantly Muslim, but it was predominantly non-Muslim up to the earlier quarter of the 20th century.
İzmir is also home to Turkey's second largestJewish communityafter Istanbul, numbering about 2,500.The community is still concentrated in their traditional quarter ofKarataş. Smyrniot Jews likeSabbatai ZeviandDarío Morenowere among famous figures in the city's Jewish community.  Others include thePallache familywith three grand rabbis:Haim,Abraham, andNissim.
TheCatholicLevantines of İzmir, who are mostly ofGenoeseand to a lesser degree ofFrenchandVenetiandescent,live mainly in the districts ofBornovaandBuca. One of the most prominent present-day figures of the community isCaroline Giraud Koç, wife of the renowned Turkish industrialistMustafa Koç, whose company,Koç Holding, is one of the largest family-owned industrial conglomerates in the world.
İzmir once had a largeGreekandArmeniancommunity, but after the great fire of 1922 and the end of the Greco-Turkish War, many of theGreeksremaining in the city fled, were killed or forced to leave under the terms of the1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey.
Turkey is home to tens of thousands ofblackcitizens descended from theAfrican slave tradein the Ottoman Empire that can be traced back to the 14th century. Known asAfro-Turks, İzmir and the surrounding areas on the Aegean coast is a central hub for this population.
İzmir has ahot-summer Mediterranean climate(Köppen climate classification:Csa,Trewartha climate classification:Cshk), which is characterized by prolonged, very hot, dry summers, and cool, rainy winters. İzmir's average yearly precipitation is quite ample, at 730.5 mm (28.76 in); however, the vast majority of the city's rainfall occurs from November through March, and there is usually very little rainfall from June to September, with frequent summer droughts. The city received its greatest daily rainfall, 145.3 mm (5.72 in), on September 29, 2006, while the highest wind speed of 127.1 km/h (79.0 mph) was recorded on March 29, 1970.
Maximum temperatures during the winter months are mostly between 10 and 16 °C (50 and 61 °F). Although it is rare, snow can fall in İzmir from December to February, which usually stays for a few hours rather than a whole day or more. The record 32 cm (13 in) of snow depth was recorded on January 31, 1945. Frost does occasionally occur at night almost every winter. During summer, the air temperature can climb as high as 40 °C (104 °F) from June to September; however, the high temperatures are usually between 30 and 36 °C (86 and 97 °F).
Etesianwinds (Turkish:meltem,Greek: μελτέμιmeltemi) of the Aegean Sea occur regularly in theGulfand city of İzmir.
Standing on MountYamanlar, the tomb ofTantaluswas excavated byCharles Texierin 1835 and is an example of the historic traces in the region prior to theHellenistic Age, along with those found in nearbyKemalpaşaandMount Sipylus.
TheAgoraofSmyrnais well preserved, and is arranged into theAgora Open Air Museum of İzmir, although important parts buried under modern buildings wait to be brought to light. Serious consideration is also being given to uncovering the ancient theatre of Smyrna whereSt. Polycarpwas martyred, buried under an urban zone on the slopes ofKadifekale. It was distinguishable until the 19th century, as evident by the sketches done at the time. At top of the same hill stands an ancient castle, one of İzmir's landmarks. Other ancient monument include also the Kızılçullu aqueducts inBucadistrict.
One of the more pronounced elements of İzmir's harbor is theClock Tower, a marble tower in the middle of theKonakdistrict, standing 25 m (82 ft) in height. It was designed by LevantineFrencharchitect Raymond Charles Père in 1901 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the ascension ofAbdülhamid IIto theOttomanthrone in 1876. The tower features four fountains placed around the base in a circular pattern, and the columns are inspired by North African themes.
TheKemeraltıbazaar zone set up by theOttomans, combined with the Agora, rests near the slopes ofKadifekale. İzmir has had three castles historically –Kadifekale(Pagos), the portuary Ok Kalesi (Neon Kastron, St. Peter), and Sancakkale, which remained vital to İzmir's security for centuries. Sancakkale is situated in the present-day İnciraltı quarter between theBalçovaandNarlıderedistricts, on the southern shore of the Gulf of İzmir. It is at a key point where the strait allows entry into the innermost tip of the Gulf at its narrowest, and due to shallow waters through a large part of this strait, ships have sailed close to the castle.
There are ninesynagoguesin İzmir, concentrated either in the traditional Jewish quarter ofKaratasor in Havra Sokak (Synagogue street) inKemeraltı, and they all bear the signature of the 19th century when they were built or re-constructed in depth on the basis of former buildings.
TheAtatürk Mask(Turkish:Atatürk Maskı) is a large concrete relief of the head ofMustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of modernTurkey, located to the south ofKadifekalethe historical castle of İzmir.
The İzmir Bird Paradise (İzmir Kuş Cenneti) inÇiğli, a bird sanctuary nearKarşıyaka, has 205 recorded species of birds, including 63 species that are resident year-round, 54 species of summer migratory birds, 43 species of winter migratory birds, and 30 transient species. 56 species of birds have bred in the park. The sanctuary, which covers 80 square kilometres, was registered as "theprotected areafor water birds and for their breeding" by the Turkish Ministry of Forestry in 1982. A large open-air zoo was established in the same district of Çiğli in 2008 under the name Sasalı Park of Natural Life.
İzmir prides itself with its busy schedule oftrade fairs,exhibitionsandcongresses. The fair and the festival are held in the compound of İzmir's vast inner city park namedKültürparkin the first days of September, and organized by İZFAŞ, a depending company of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality.
The annual International İzmir Festival, which begins in mid-June and continues until mid-July, has been organized every year since 1987. During the festival, many world-class performers such assoloistsandvirtuosi,orchestras, dance companies,rockandjazzgroups have given recitals and performances at various venues in the city and its surrounding areas; including the ancient theatres atEphesus(nearSelçuk) and Metropolis (an ancientIoniancity situated near the town ofTorbalı.) The festival is a member of theEuropean Festivals Associationsince 2003.
Theİzmir European Jazz Festivalis among the numerous events organized every year by the İKSEV (İzmir Foundation for Culture, Arts and Education) since 1994. The festival aims to bring together masters and lovers ofjazzwith the aim to generate feelings of love, friendship and peace.
The International İzmir Short Film Festival is organized since 1999 and is a member of the European Coordination of Film Festivals.
İzmir Metropolitan Municipality has built theAhmet Adnan SaygunArt Center on a 21,000 mland plot in the Güzelyalı district, in order to contribute to the city's culture and art life. The acoustics of the center have been prepared byARUPwhich is a noted company in this field.
In 2015 theBarış Youth Symphony Orchestrawas founded, incorporating children with limited opportunities in low-income regions of the city, with the purpose to keep them away from crime on the street. The orchestra, grown up to nearly one hundred members, gives concerts accompanied by notable classic music artists.
İzmir's cuisine has largely been affected by its multicultural history, hence the large variety of food originating from theAegeanandMediterraneanregions. Population movement fromEasternandSouth East Anatoliaregions has enriched the local cuisine. Another factor is the large and fertile area of land surrounding the region which grows a rich selection of vegetables. There is considerable culinary usage of green leaf vegetables and wild plants amongst the residents, especially those with insular heritage, such as the immigrants fromCrete. Some of the common dishes found here are thetarhanasoup (made from driedyoghurtand tomatoes), "İzmir"köfte,sulu köfte,keşkek(boiled wheat with meat), zerde (sweetened rice withsaffron) andmücver(made from zucchine and eggs). ASephardiccontribution to theTurkish cuisine,boyozandlokmaare pastries associated with İzmir.Kumruis a special kind of sandwich that is associated particularly with theÇeşmedistrict and features cheese and tomato in its basics, withsucukalso added sometimes.
Theport of İzmiris Turkey's main port for exports in terms of the freight handled and itsfree zoneis the leader among the twenty in Turkey. The workforce, and particularly its rising class of young professionals, is concentrated either in the city or in its immediate vicinity (such as inManisaandTurgutlu), and as either larger companies orSMEs, affirm their names with an increasingly wider global scale and intensity.
Trade through the city's port had a determinant importance for the economy of the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the 19th century and the economic foundations of the early decades of Turkey's Republican era were also laid here during theİzmir Economic Congress.
At present, İzmir area's economy is divided in value between various types of activities, as follows: 30.5% for industry, 22.9% for trade and related services, 13.5% for transportation and communication and 7.8% for agriculture. In 2008, İzmir provided 10.5% of all tax revenues collected by Turkey and its exports corresponded to 6% and its imports to 4% of Turkey's foreign trade.
The province as a whole is Turkey's third largest exporter after Istanbul and Bursa, and the fifth largest importer. 85–90% of the region's exports and approximately one fifth of all Turkish exports are made through thePort of Alsancakwith an annualcontainerloading capacity of close to a million.
Several important international sports events have been held in İzmir:
The 51,295 capacity (all-seater)İzmir Atatürk Stadiumregularly hosts, apart fromTurkish Super Leaguegames of İzmir-based teams, many other Super League andTurkish Cupderby matches.
The three bigfootballclubs in İzmir areAltay(42 seasons in Süper Lig),Göztepe(30 seasons in Süper Lig), andKarşıyaka(16 seasons in Süper Lig). Other notable football clubs include:Bucaspor 1928,Altınordu,Menemen F.K., andİzmirspor.Bucaspor, now dissolved, were relegated from the top tier,Turkish Super League, at the end of the2010–11 season.
Göztepemade sports history in Turkey by having played thesemi-finalsof theInter-Cities Fairs Cup(which later became theUEFA Cup) in the1968–69 season, and thequarter-finalsof theUEFA Cup Winners' Cupin the1969–70 season; becoming the first ever Turkish football club to play a semi-final game in Europe and the only one for two decades, untilGalatasarayreached thesemi-finalsof the1988–89 European Cup.
Göztepe andAltayhave won theTurkish Cuptwice for İzmir and all of İzmir's teams have periodically jumped in and out ofSüper Lig. Historically, İzmir is also the birthplace of two Greek sports clubs, namely the multi-sport clubPanioniosand association football clubApollon Smyrni F.C.which were founded in the city and moved toAthensafter 1922.
Karşıyaka's basketball departmentKarşıyaka Basketwon theTurkish Basketball Leaguetwice (in the 1986–87 and 2014–15 seasons), theTurkish Cuponce (in the 2013–14 season) and thePresidential Cuptwice (in 1987 and 2014). The team plays its games at theKarşıyaka Arena. The 10,000 capacity (all-seater)Halkapınar Sports Hallis currently İzmir's largestindoor sports arenaand was among the venues of the2010 FIBA World Championshipin Turkey.
Arkas Sporis a successful volleyball club in the city, having won theTurkish Men's Volleyball Leagueand theTurkish Cupseveral times, and theCEV Challenge Cupin the 2008–09 season.İzmir Atatürk Volleyball Hallregularly hosts the games of the city's volleyball teams.
The city boasts of several sports legends, past and present. Already at the dawn of its history, notable natives such as the son of its first port's founderPelopshad attained fame and kingdom with achariot raceandOnomastusis one of history's first recorded sportspeople, having won theboxingcontest in theOlympiadof 688 BC.
Born in İzmir, and nicknamedTaçsız Kral(The Uncrowned King), 1960s football starMetin Oktayis a legend in Turkey. Oktay became the first notable Turkish footballer to play abroad, withPalermoinItaly'sSerie A, during the1961–1962 season. Two other notable football figures from İzmir areAlpay ÖzalanandMustafa Denizli, the first having played forAston Villa F.C.between 2000 and 2003 and the second, after a long playing career as the captain of İzmir'sAltay S.K., still pursues a successful career as acoach, being the only manager inTurkish Super Leaguehistory to win a championship title with each of Istanbul's "Big Three" clubs (Galatasaray,Fenerbahçe S.K., andBeşiktaş J.K.) and having guided theTurkish national football teamto theUEFA Euro 2000Quarter-Finals.
İzmir Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Sports Club'sice hockeyteambegan playing in theTurkish Ice Hockey Super Leagueduring the 2011–2012 season
Politically, İzmir is considered a stronghold ofKemalismand theRepublican People's Party(CHP). The current mayor of the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality is Cemil Tugay from theRepublican People's Party(CHP), in office since 2024. His predecessorTunç Soyer(CHP) was first elected in 2019 but was not nominated by the CHP for a second term.
İzmir has traditionally been a stronghold for the CHP, the centre-leftKemalistpolitical party which forms the main opposition in theGrand National Assembly of Turkey. Being the third largest city in Turkey, İzmir is viewed as the CHP's most prized electoral stronghold, since the party has a more limited support base in bothIstanbulandAnkara. Since the right-wingJustice and Development Party(AKP) gained power in 2002, the electorate of İzmir has been notable for voting strongly in favour of the CHP in every general and local election. In the2007and2010and2017referendums, the İzmir electorate strongly rejected the AKP government's constitutional reform proposals. Almost all of the city's districts have returned strong pluralities or majorities for the CHP in past elections, although the party lost ground in the2014 local elections.
Due to the economic and historical importance of the city, İzmir has long been a strategic electoral target for the AKP, since beating the CHP in their most significant stronghold would be politically substantial. The majority of the citizens in İzmir have continued to vote for the centre-left political parties (in particular the CHP), despite large-scale pledges by the AKP promising investment and new infrastructure.For general elections, İzmir returns 28 members of parliament to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. The province is split intotwo electoral districtswhich roughly divide the city into anorthernandsouthern district, each electing 14 MPs.Anti-government protests in 2013 and 2014against the AKP were particularly strong in İzmir.
During the2023 presidential election, 63.31% of the city's electorate voted for the CHP candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. In contrast, the AKP candidateRecep Tayyip Erdoğanreceived 31.48% of the vote.
During the2024 local elections, despite the CHP's candidate for metropolitan mayor Cemil Tugay winning by a smaller margin, the CHP won the mayoralties in 28 of the 30 districts of İzmir.
İzmir has its own local media companies: there are 9 TV channels headquartered in İzmir and broadcasting in theAegean Region, 26 local radio stations and 15 local newspapers.TRT Belgesel(TRT Documentary) is a Turkish national TV channel broadcasting from theTRTbuilding in İzmir.
▪Ege TV |Local TV ▪Kanal 35 |Local TV ▪Sky TV | Local TV ▪Kordon TV | Local TV ▪FRM TV | Online TV ▪Ege Üniversitesi TV |Local TV ▪Ben TV | Online TVBen TV - Ege ve İzmir Haberleri, Güncel Haberler▪Yenigün TV | Online TV ▪TRT Belgesel | National TV
▪Radyo İzmir ▪Romantik Radyo ▪Romantik Türk ▪Radyo 35 ▪Kordon FM ▪İmbat FM ▪Radyo Kordelya ▪Radyo Efe ▪Oynak FM ▪Duygusal FM ▪Sky Radyo ▪Radyo Pause ▪Radyo Ege ▪Ege FM ▪Ege'nin Sesi Radyosu ▪Herkül FM ▪Can Radyo ▪Batı Radyo ▪Radyo Gökkuşağı ▪Yıldız FM ▪Buca FM ▪Radyo Ege Kampüs 100.8 ▪Rock City FM ▪öRT FM ▪Y.Tire FM ▪DEÜ FM
▪Ege Telgraf[2]▪Ekonomik Çözüm ▪Gözlem ▪Haber Ekspres ▪Ticaret ▪ Gazete Yenigün[3]▪Yeni Asır ▪Yeni Ekonomi ▪Yenigün Gazetesi ▪9 Eylül Gazetesi[4]▪Küçük Menderes Gazetesi ▪Büyük Tire ▪Ege GazetesiTüm adresleri tek adreste
Air pollution in Turkeyis a problem in the city, in part due to vehicle exhaust: a 2020 study of coal-fired residential heating estimated the cost of replacing it versus the reduction in illness and premature death.There are 21 public hospitals in İzmir. The healthcare system in Turkey consists of a mix of public and private hospitals. Turkey also has auniversal health careinsurance system (SGK)which provides medical treatment free of charge in public hospitals to residents registered with aTurkish identity card number.One of the largest hospitals in theAegean Regionis currently under construction in theBayraklıdistrict of İzmir, with a reported cost of 780 million Euros.
There are a total of nine active universities in and near İzmir. The city is also home to well-rooted higher-education establishments that are renowned across Turkey, such as the İzmir Anatolian Vocational High School of Commerce (İzmir Anadolu Ticaret Lisesi) established in 1854, and theAmerican Collegiate Institute(ACI) which was established in 1878.
Historically, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the city was an educational center of the Greek world, with a total of 67 male and 4 female schools. The most important Greek educational institution was theEvangelical Schoolwhich operated from 1733 to 1922.
İzmir is also home to the thirdU.S. Space Campin the world,Space Camp Turkey.
İzmir is served by domestic and international flights through theAdnan Menderes International Airportand by modern rapid transit systems serving the entirety of İzmir'smetropolitan area. The city has attracted investors through its strategic location and its relatively new and highly developed technological infrastructure in transportation, telecommunications, and energy.
TheAdnan Menderes International Airport(ADB) is well served with connections to Turkish and international destinations. It is located in theGaziemirdistrict of İzmir.
A large bus terminal, theOtogarin the Pınarbaşı neighborhood of the city, has intercity buses to destinations across Turkey. Bus companies' shuttle services pick up customers from each of their branch offices scattered across the city at regular intervals, often free of charge. To facilitate easier access, aHalkapınar—Otogar metro linehas long been deliberated but construction has never begun – though throughout his campaign and upon his election as mayor of İzmir in 2019,Tunç Soyerhas outlined it as one of his priorities.
İzmir has two historical rail terminals in the city centre.Alsancak Terminal, built in 1858, andBasmane Terminal, built in 1866, are the two mainrailway stationsof the city. TheTurkish State Railwaysoperates regional service toÖdemiş,Tire,Selçuk,Aydın,Söke,Nazilli,DenizliandUşak, as well as longer-distance intercity service toAnkara,AfyonandBandırma(and from there to Istanbul viaİDOconnection).
Coordinated public transportation was introduced to İzmir in 1999. A body known as UKOME gives strategic direction to the Metro, the ESHOT bus division, ferry operations, utilities and road developments. İzmir has an electronic, integrated pre-pay ticket known as theİzmirim Kart('My İzmir' Card). The card is valid on all metro and commuter rail lines, buses, ferries, trams, and in certain other municipal facilities. The İzmirim Kart allows for the use of multiple forms of transport within a 120-minute window, combining for a single fare price.
All of İzmir's major districts are serviced by a dense, comprehensive municipal bus network under the name ESHOT. The acronym stands for "Eelektrik(electricity); Ssu(water); Hhavagazı(gas); Ootobüs(bus) and Ttroleybüs(trolleybus)." Electricity, water and gas are now supplied by separate undertakings, andİzmir's trolleybus systemceased to operate in 1992. However, the bus operations, the O of the acronym ESHOT, has retained the original name. ESHOT operates 322 lines with about 1,500 buses and a staff of 2,700. It has five garages at Çakalburnu, Çiğli, Adatepe, Aktepe, and Mersinli. A privately owned company, İzulaş, operates 400 buses from two garages, running services under contract for ESHOT. These scheduled services are supplemented by the privately ownedminibusordolmuşservices.
Taken over by İzmirMetropolitan Municipalitysince 2000 and operated within the structure of their private subsidiary company (İzdeniz), İzmir's urban ferry services for passengers and vehicles are very much a part of the life of the city's inhabitants. 24 ferries shuttle between 9 quays (clockwise: Bostanlı,Karşıyaka,Alsancak, Pasaport,Konak, Karantina,Göztepeand Üçkuyular.) Special lines to points further out in the gulf are also put in service during summer, transporting excursion or holiday makers. These services are cheap and it is not unusual to see natives or visitors taking a ferry ride simply as a pastime.
İzmir has ametronetwork that has been extended with new stations put in service. The İzmir Metro network, currently consisting of one main line, starts from the Kaymakamlık station inNarlıderein the western portion of the metropolitan area and runs northeast through the city toBornova. The line is 27 km (16.8 mi) long.
İZBAN, formerly known asEgeray, is acommuter railsystem connecting metropolitan and suburban area of İzmir. It is the busiest commuter railway in Turkey, serving about 150,000 passengers daily.İZBAN is aportmanteauof the words "İzmir" and "Banliyö".
Established in 2006, İZBAN was formed to revive commuter rail in İzmir. İZBAN began operations in 2010 and currently operates a 136 km (85 mi) long system with 41 stations.
İZBAN A.Ş.operates the railway and is owned 50% by theTurkish State Railwaysand 50% by the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality.
İzmir's latest tram system is owned by the metropolitan municipality and operated byİzmir Metro A.Ş.in three independent lines – onein Karşıyaka, opened in 2017, onein Konak, opened in 2018, and onein Çiğli, opened in 2024.
The average amount of time people spend commuting with public transit in İzmir, for example to and from work on a weekday is 62 minutes, and 13% of public transit riders ride for more than 2 hours every day. The average amount of time people wait at a stop or station for public transit is 15 minutes, while 27% of riders wait for over 20 minutes on average every day. The average distance people usually ride in a single trip with public transit is 10.4 km, while 22% travel for over 12 km in a single direction.
The following is a list of İzmir'ssister cities: