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- Izmir, third biggest city of Turkey, called Pearl of the
Aegean, has been planned in such a way that the chaotic
environment of metropolises has been avoided.
- Izmir is located at the beginning of a long narrow gulf
called Izmir Gulf which has a mild and sunny weather. It
is a city which is famous for its lovely weather and beautiful
girls.
According to the legend the name Smyrna drives from a mythological
story. The wife of Cyprus
- King claimed that her daughter Smyrna was prettier than
Aphrodite. To punish Aphrodite made her to fall in love
with her father and one night when her father was drunk
she went into his bed. When Smyrna's father woke up he saw
her and sent her away from the palace. He followed her to
the countryside where he would kill her with his sword.
However when he was about to kill her Aphrodite pitied Smyrna
and made her turn into a myrtle tree. The King split the
tree into two out of where Adonis was born.
- The harbor of the city is the second biggest in Turkey.
It is lively and cosmopolitan all year especially during
International Art Festival in June/July and International
Fair in August/September.
- Izmir was founded in the 3rd millennium B.C. in Bayrakli.
During that time it had the most advanced culture in Western
Anatolia. In 1500 B.C. it was conquered by Hittite Empire.
Izmir, with its ancient name Smyrna was one of the most
important cities of the Ionian Federation in the 1st millenium
B.C. Homer is believed to live here. In 200 B.C. the city
was conquered by the Lydians until the 4th century B.C.
when the Persians got the control. The y built a new city
in Kadifekale. From the first century B.C. to 1415 it was
conquered by the Byzantines, Seljuks and at last by the
Ottoman sultan Mehmet Celebi.
- There are a few museums in Izmir. Archeological Museum
of Izmir located in Konak Square which has the statues of
Poseidon and Demeter. Next to the Archeological Museum there
is Ethnography Museum which has the collection of folkloric
artifacts, Bergama and Gordes carpets, traditional costumes
and camel bridles. The Ataturk Museum which is located on
Ataturk Street has the collection of photographs of Mustafa
Kemal Ataturk and his personal belongings. The Fine Arts
Museum is located in Konak which has the collection of famous
Turkish painters. The Selcuk Yasar Art Museum is on Cumhuriyet
Boulevard which has the collection of 20th Century Turkish
Art. There is also the Natural History Museum and Ege University
Botanical Garden in Bornova.
- A Temple which was dedicated to Athena was found in Bayrakli.
There are the ruins of the castle in Kadifekale built by
Lysimachus during the reign of Alexandre the Great. The
Agora in the Namazgah Quarter was built during the reign
of Alexandre the Great however the ruins are dating back
to Marcus Aurelius who had it rebuilt after an earthquake
in 178 A.D.
- The Sirinyer and Yesildere Aqueducts are the two examples
of Roman engineering. There are also the Saint Polycarp
Church which symbolizes the Seven Churches of the Apolcalypse,
the Saat Kulesi in Konak Square, Asansor quarter, Dario
Moreno Sokagi, Havra Sokak in Kemeralti, Ataturk Monument
in Cumhuriyet Meydani, Karsiyaka and Alsancak are worth
seeing in Izmir with many restaurants, bars, cafes and discos.
- Some of the mosques which are worth visiting in Izmir
are Hisar Mosque which was built in 16th century, Salepcioglu,
Sadirvan, Kemeralti which are all located close to Kemeralti
Quarter.
The well known park in Izmir is Kulturpark where the International
Fair assembles. There are amusement park, zoo, restaurants,
theatres, library and beautiful gardens. In Karsiyaka there
is Adnan Saygun Park which contains an amphitheatre for
concerts and performances, Open-Air Museum Park, Insan haklari
(Human Rights) Park, Muammer Akso Park and Turgut Ozal Recretaion
Park in Bayrakli.
- One of the most important visiting place is Balcova where
there is Turkey's largest thermal spas. There are hotels
around which are suitable for thermalism. There are mud
and herb baths, saunas, paraffin, skin care, massage, fitness
center with experts who are specialized in rheumatism, waist
and neck aches, orthopedics and neurology.
- Camalti is located 15km away from Karsiyaka which is a
preserved area for bird sanctuary of the Izmir Bird Paradise.
There are many species like flamingoes and pelicans.
The Seven Churches that were mentioned by St John are all
located around Izmir which are in Izmir, Ephesus, Eskihisar,
Alasehir, Sart, Akhisar and Bergama.
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