Izmir: attractions and interesting places. Sights of Izmir - what to see. Complete guide to iconic places What's interesting in Izmir
I circled Greece and approached Izmir in the morning.
We sailed for a long time to Izmir along a long and wide bay. Izmir lies on the mountainous shores at the neck of this bay. Seagulls flew over our ship. The sea was calm and majestic. The weather, despite the middle of November, is almost summer, sunny, but not hot.
From Izmir, an excursion to Ephesus was organized for cruise participants. But we had already been there, so we decided to devote time to getting to know the city.
The city of Izmir is large (the 3rd city of Turkey with a population of 2.8 million people) and is located on the site of the ancient Greek Smyrna, one of major cities antiquities. According to legend, the city was founded by an Amazon queen named Smyrna 3 thousand years ago. But little remains from those times. The city has gone through a very turbulent history. And earthquakes have repeatedly destroyed it completely.
Now it is a modern metropolis with a metro station and a diverse industry.
We arrived at the port, quickly disembarked the ship and walked along the embankment. Our target was a local Archaeological Museum.
We walked along the Ataturk embankment for a long time, but did not regret it at all. The embankment is well-maintained, the sea looks clean (but only in appearance - you can’t swim in the city), there are few people.
We walked through Republic Square, Cumhuriyet in Turkish, with the inevitable monument to Ataturk.
Along the way, we exchanged 20 euros for 60 liras at an ATM-type device. The kind Turks helped us with this.
We watched a funny scene. An elderly Turkish woman in a long dress and a dark scarf was feeding the seagulls with bread. When the bun ran out, she shook the crumbs from the bag into the sea. The empty package went there too. Although the trash cans were nearby.
And the embankment is clean. The dogs lounging importantly on the embankment have yellow tags in their ears. This means it's not stray dogs, but registered and received documents.
In our presence, the sea was cleared of debris using a special large net.
We walked along a viaduct built over a wide highway to Konak Square.
On the square stands the Saat Kulesi clock tower, which is a symbol of the city.
Saat Kulesi
The clock, which still regularly shows time, was given to the Turks by the German Kaiser. And the Sultan in return presented the Kaiser with many ancient marbles. This is how the Sultan assessed his friend the Kaiser: “I have a German friend. Good, just rustic. I am worthless stones to him, and he is such a wonderful watch to me.” Once the 25-meter tower, built in 1901, seemed tall, but now it seems miniature against the backdrop of modern buildings.
Nearby stands the miniature Konak Jamia Mosque, decorated with blue tiles.
Izmir metro station
park near Konak Square
Archaeological Museum
We admired these symbols of Izmir and went to the Archaeological Museum. We walked along the underground passage to the place where it is marked on the map. But finding the entrance to it turned out to be not so easy.
Izmir Archaeological Museum
Following the tips of a local woman, we went to another museum - Fine Arts. The Turks, the museum employees, were happy to see us, and when asked: “How to get to the Archaeological Museum?”, they answered: “Here’s a museum for you, come to us, what difference does it make to you!” Maybe they didn’t say exactly that, but that was the meaning.
We finally approached the Archaeological Museum, only with back side. Through the fence we see some sarcophagi, the remains of columns.
But - not a single person. Along untrodden paths, along a roadway without a sidewalk, we reached the entrance. We bought a ticket for 10 liras.
The museum is good, the building is new, the illumination of the exhibits is arranged correctly. Only there are almost no people in it.
Although, when we left, they brought schoolchildren on an excursion.
Kemeralti Market
Kemeralti Market in Izmir occupies an entire block.
Although we went through it on a tangent, we bought something. Prices seemed to be much lower than in Istanbul.
Well, we bought a glass of freshly squeezed pomegranate juice. When we were in, we really liked it. There it cost from 3 to 4 liras. And here there are only one and a half.
While I was buying, some old man came up. He asked if I was Russian. I confessed. He says in broken Russian: “Do you speak Russian?” I answered: “Well, of course. What else should I speak!” I see the seller returns my money and pours me 2 glasses of juice. I didn’t understand, but the seller explained that the old man was paying for me. This is the attitude towards Russians in Izmir. True, this was before the incident with the Su-24.
Agora
Agora is the second place after the Archaeological Museum that we wanted to see in Izmir.
There are signs to the ancient Agora, and the Turks showed the way.
A ticket to the Agora costs 5 liras. This is a relatively small fenced space in which what remains of ancient Smyrna is concentrated.
There is not much left, mostly columns and some basements with vaulted ceilings, but they weren’t allowed there during our visit.
To be honest, the marble columns lying side by side are a joyless sight. One feels that the monuments of ancient culture are on the periphery of the interests of the Turks. It’s good that schoolchildren are taken to the Archaeological Museum. Although it is not known how the artifacts are presented to them ancient civilization. Maybe they say: “Look, children, what a disgrace was happening on this land before the Muslims came here.”
Inspecting the Agora did not take much time, and we moved on.
Izmir authentic
Authentic Turkish quarters begin behind the Agora. And this is the part of our walk that I liked the most. The houses here are low, the streets are narrow, often covered with wild grapes. People are sitting on the streets, children are playing. There is also trade here, including manufactured goods, meat, and all sorts of other trades. Here, taverns offer visitors simple food. Real, non-tourist Türkiye.
It should be noted that many streets in Izmir do not have names, but are indicated by numbers on the map. However, you quickly get used to this numbering.
We wandered around a bit and even got lost in these quiet streets and came out to the railway station.
Izmir railway station
Park of Culture
And from there - to the Park of Culture (just like in our Soviet years). They went right through him. Nice park, beautiful, with ponds, alleys, attractions and catering. Almost no different from ours. Are there palm trees growing instead of linden trees?
A small crowd of refugees, probably from Syria, consisting of men, women and children, was seen in the park. They are disheveled and confused, dressed warmly out of season, and dragging some things. Where are they going? A policeman approached them and asked something. And he fell behind.
Cumhuriyet Boulevard
We passed the park and found ourselves in a modern multi-storey area, similar to all modern areas of modern cities with shops, offices, McDonald's and so on. The crowd is not much different from Europe. Except that you come across a lot of women in black scarves and long dresses. But now there are many of these in Europe.
And here is the nice Cumhuriyet Boulevard (Republic Boulevard). It runs parallel to the Ataturk Kadesi embankment.
And now the port with our towering above it was already visible cruise ship Manifika.
We visited almost all tourist sites in Izmir. The important ones were not in the Kedifkale fortress (or the Velvet Fortress), in the old Jewish quarter (the Turks once sheltered Jews expelled from Spain) and on the Roman aqueducts (but they are far away, outside the city).
Izmir is not tourist center, but I liked it. It's probably not bad to just live there. Yes, and there is something to see. You may not make a special trip to this city, but visiting it during a cruise with a one-day stopover is just right.
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The Genoese fortress, located in the very center of Cesme, was built in the 14th century. In those years, Sultan Bayazet II ruled, who built a fortress to protect against the Rhodian knights. After the assault of the Venetians in the 17th century, the fortress was badly damaged and destroyed, but after some time it was restored. A military garrison was located here until 1833.
Now the Archaeological Museum is located here. The museum exhibits finds obtained during excavations ancient city Eritrea. And in the open theater located here, an international music festival is held annually in mid-summer.
Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
This ancient architectural monument dates back to the 5th century BC. He is popular place among tourists - after all, its ruins have survived to this day. The temple dedicated to Artemis is included in the list of 7 wonders of the world.
The construction of the temple was financed by King Croesus of Lydia, and the architects of the building were Hersiphron and his son Metagenes. The temple was a structure 51 meters wide, 105 meters long and the height of its columns was up to 18 meters. In total, the temple was decorated with 127 columns. The new temple featured a statue of Artemis made of ivory and gold. There were also many paintings, statues, and reliefs inside the temple.
Today, only one column, restored from the rubble, remains of the majestic temple.
What sights of Izmir did you like? Next to the photo there are icons, by clicking on which you can rate a particular place.
Temple of Artemis of Ephesus
The Temple of Artemis of Ephesus is one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. It was once located in the ancient Greek city of Ephesus - today it is the Turkish city of Selcuk. A huge, incredibly beautiful, delightfully decorated temple was built in the 6th century BC in honor of the then deeply revered goddess - the patroness of all life on earth - Artemis. The greatest masters worked on the sculptural decoration of the building Ancient Greece, the main statue of the goddess was erected from ivory and gold.
However, as legend has it, in 356 BC, on the night of the birth of Alexander the Great, a madman named Herostratus, wanting to become famous, set fire to the magnificent structure. At the beginning of the 3rd century BC, at the expense of the great commander, it was possible to restore the temple completely in in its original form. But in the 1st century AD it was plundered and destroyed. Foundation and debris ancient building were discovered only in 1869. Now in this place stands the only column that was restored from the found debris.
anniversary of Abdulhamid II's reign. The watch itself was a gift from the German Emperor Wilhelm II (reigned 1888 - 1918). The entire design of the tower is designed in the style of the Ottoman Empire. At the base of the tower there are four fountains.
From 1983 to 1989, Turkish 500 lira banknotes featured the Clock Tower surrounded by palm trees.
It seems that in Izmir everyone focuses on the Clock Tower... And everyone only meets near it. The romantic, mysterious Tower building stands in the center of Konak Square. Nearby is the Konak Camii Mosque. The square is always full of pigeons, and people relaxing on the benches can feed them directly from their hands. Numerous tourists have the opportunity to take simply unique photographs here. The Clock Tower looks especially fabulous at night, when it is illuminated by multi-colored lantern lights.
Library of Celsus
The Library of Celsus was built in the period 114-135 in honor of Tiberius Julius Celsus, a Roman proconsul who had a diverse education and a rich outlook. The Library of Celsus is the second largest after the Library of Alexandria and represents the pinnacle of Hellenistic architectural thought.
The library burned down in the 3rd century during an attack by the Goths, having existed for about a hundred years. Only the facade of the building has survived to this day, vaguely reminiscent of theatrical scenery. The length of the facade is 21 meters, the height is 16. The lower tier of the facade is decorated with sculptures of “Virtue”, “Knowledge”, “Wisdom”, “Thoughts”. On the left side of the façade are statues of the slaves Mazeus and Mithridates, the architects of this magnificent library, who received their freedom from the hands of Emperor Augustus after the construction of the library.
Mount Sipylus
Mount Sipil, or Sipuli-dag, is a spur of the mountain range mentioned by Homer. The mountain is famous for its complex rock relief, reminiscent of the image of Niobe, who gave birth to her son Sipylus. Sipylus, like the other sons of Niobe, was killed by the arrows of Apollo. Niobe, mad with grief, turned into stone - so the legend says.
Mount Sipuli-dag was broken by a powerful earthquake into separate parts-cliffs. It was also destroyed by the earthquake ancient capital Maeonia (Lydia), a country rich in gold, was Tantalida, located on the slopes of Mt.
The cracks and crevices of Mount Sipylus indicate that the volcanic activity of the mountain has not yet ceased. But today Mountain chain is calm and safe, and is popular with tourists.
Wall of Wishes at the House of the Virgin Mary
The house of the Virgin Mary is located on Nightingale Mountain (Bulbul Daga) at an altitude of 358 meters above sea level. Near her house there is a monument to her, as well as a Wall of Wishes.
It is known that last years The Mother of God spent her life here in Ephesus. Also in this place the Apostle John wrote his Gospel.
Numerous pilgrims visit this Holy place, light candles, draw holy water from springs and, of course, leave their cherished wish on the wall.
The wall is an unusual building, which is completely covered with scraps of fabric, pieces of paper, napkins and other materials on which believers write their wishes. Once a week, abandoned wishes are burned and the ashes are scattered to the wind.
It is believed that wishes made must come true.
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Zoo in Izmir
The zoo in Izmir can be called unique of its kind. It allows visitors to become more familiar with the life of animals and their habitats. The zoo has virtually no cages or enclosures. Here you can feel the incomparable delight of watching animals in wildlife. The vast territory of the zoo is densely planted with shady trees and beautiful shrubs; a large number of ponds. There are many playgrounds for children. There is also a children's zoo where children can pet and examine animals such as rabbits, donkeys, horses and goats. The zoo has two cafes where you can always buy something to eat, something tasty and inexpensive.
The most popular attractions in Izmir with descriptions and photographs for every taste. Choose best places for visiting famous places Izmir on our website.
Individual and group
More attractions of Izmir
Fast. And secondly, it turns out to be really inexpensive: less than 600 euros for two for everything for a week instead of some European or Asian thousands - this is a completely different matter. You can do at least 4 such trips a year, combining tourist activity with school holidays.
Well, how it all went and why such small sums came up, I’ll let you know here on record, and today we’ll discuss route and our emotions as it is executed.
Shall we get started?
It’s not for me to teach you, but in the light of today’s realities, Türkiye is the leader in terms of the optimal vacation that we love. You can also add Poland or Spain here, but then the issue of visas arises, and in Spain, after all, euro prices are not ice .
And Türkiye provides excellent opportunities for independent tourists in terms of comfort, education and economy.
Our route and field of activity
You can sit in a hotel with shawarma in your teeth for pennies. But life is not rubber, and it is necessary to see so many things. Therefore, the trip should be as comfortable as possible, but in salsa tempo . Moreover, this time we only had 6 days, which we had to spend wisely.
The schedule plan is as follows:
- Early arrival, get in shape and get to know Izmir
- Sights of Izmir and maximum coverage of the city by district
- A little shopping (no more than half a day) and an evening promenade along the embankment and the southern districts of the city: Bolchova and Guzelbahce
- We pick up the car from the airport and conquer the outskirts of Izmir: Siyacik, Cesme, Bergama.
- Didim and Kusadasi
- Ephesus, Seljuk, return of the car and late flight home
The program is extensive and interesting. There was time to admire the sunsets and show off. And now it's all down to the bones.
Day 1: Coming to our senses and getting to know Izmir
Low cost airline Pegasus Airlines, for some reason, categorically does not accept flights from Ukraine to Izmir in human time. Perhaps they are trying for businessmen who need to be in the office at 8 am? But there is nothing to do.
Kyiv - Ankara - Izmir with departure at 02:00 and arrival at 07:00. It’s good that the transfer itself in Ankara only takes an hour.
As you can imagine, arriving by metro from the airport at 9:00 I was in a sleepy mood. In addition, our hotel is also Lotus Garden Hostel Izmir slightly didn't meet my expectations .
No, the cost is 17 euros per day, the location is next to the railway. Basman station and metro station and the building itself is in a colonial spirit with 4-meter ceilings, everything is great. But the group of hippies that manages the process and opens its gates to all travelers was not encouraging.
I won’t say that the hotel is bad, but I wouldn’t recommend it to couples with children or romantic types to stay there. Although for hostel lovers and travelers in the “here today, somewhere else tomorrow” style, it’s just the thing.
In general, to be honest, the start was not very good and, Izmir, of course, not impressed . If in Istanbul I immediately tell you 10 attractions to visit and list 5 places where you should be anyway, then in terms of Izmir I still cannot cope with such a task.
The mood was improved by a good and inexpensive lunch at a local lakanta for 30 liras for two and good weather. Ahead were evening walks, buying cheap clothes in local stores and a progressive understanding that not everything is so bad in this Izmir .
Day 2: Covering the city and its attractions
The start began around 10 with an “early” breakfast at the hostel (they are all in no hurry there), after which we realized that we would head to the city early and have breakfast, so to speak, on the move.
In the morning we rushed to cable car Teleferik which I was talking about. A sea of emotions and positive impressions.
A little later we learned that today is another anniversary of the proclamation Republic of Turkey Ataturk and in honor of this, travel in the city is free.
Where haven't we been? Bornova, Center, Karsiyaka, Aslancak. We tried all types of transport: metro, tram, bus, ferry and cable car (in the morning). Free travel really works wonders.
And in the evening we got to the romantic observation deck next to the Asanser elevator. More photos in .
Day 3: spatial disorientation, shopping and evening sea.
Some devil this morning urged me to go to the airport to pick up a rented car. I didn’t bother to look at the voucher for the date of booking. At the airport, accordingly, turn away from the gate and ask you to come tomorrow, as agreed. What we agreed on, by the way, and how the rental went, read.
Exhausted from shopping, we returned to Izmir and literally immediately rushed on transfer buses towards the town Urla on the southern outskirts of Izmir. But we didn’t get to Urla, but were content with the coastal landscapes in Narlidere And Güzelbahçe – 2 coastal, as it were, fishing villages.
It was no longer the season here, so we returned for dinner closer to Izmir in the Bornova district, where we found a chic Italian restaurant in Turkish version. Super!
Day 4: we finally pick up the car, go for a swim in Cesme and spend the night in Bergama.
From the airport we headed straight to our first stop - the town of Siyadzhik With beautiful beach(on the advice of locals) and ruins ancient city Teos . We didn’t go to the museum, we’ll leave it for next time, but we came to the beach. But the wind, which came from the side, did not allow me to swim greek islands cheated not good motives.
Further our path lay in Cesme, but as always through the stomach)) It was lunch time and we stopped in a town Seferihisar at a roadside restaurant. They had a great offer for us during lunch hours - a fixed set of dishes for only 10 liras. It's like a micro-buffet, but with everything you need. Song.
Now it was easy to go to the resort paradise, where I still cherished the hope of dipping my muscles in sea water.
We knew practically nothing about Cesme (and about the whole of Izmir). From the assurances of one Russian couple, which we suggested a stop to the airport, there is sandy beach and everyone swims there. We visited 3 of them.
The most luxurious one was this one right next to the city center! But again Greek wind !
We found the second one on the other side, but for some reason we didn’t want to swim there (not our level), but took a dip at the third one, which was a small swimming area at the foot of the country villas of some moneybags.
Facing the sea and with my bare back to the empty villas, I put on swimming trunks and did the swim!
At dusk we raced along the northern Aegean coast to Bergama to our friend Vedat , whom you may know by .
A long-awaited meeting, evening gatherings and a sweet dream in starched feather beds, after the bedspreads of the Izmir hostel were worn to holes.
It should be added that the Vedat guesthouse Hotel Elaia I still consider it a model for running a hotel business.
Day 5: Didim and Kusadasi
Gorgeous tomorrow at the hotel and farewell to a friend. We are almost leaving our native Bergama and rushing south towards Didima .
Along the way we experience toll roads around Izmir and rejoice at their perfection. Driving a car has never been so easy))
Didim is a small coastal town similar to the towns along the Catalan coast. It feels like the sun is always shining here!
Long sandy beach, beautiful and well-kept promenade. What else do you need for a leisurely holiday even in November? It’s better to ask the Europeans about this, who occupied the best tables in coastal cafes and taste local delicacies and desserts in the form of draft beer Ephesus. Kusadasi, where we had a reservation decent hotel for the night.
We arrived in Kusadasi as evening fell and we were struck by the fact that it was actually colder here than it was in Izmir. Maybe this is due to the openness of the bay?
But I have a separate opinion about Kusadasi and, of course,...
Day 6: Kusadasi, Ephesus, Seljuk and the road to the house
After having breakfast and spending a couple of hours exploring the local embankment and streets, we headed towards the most popular ancient attraction in Turkey - ancient city of Ephesus .
The road was specially chosen along the sea in order to see as many seascapes as possible.
It took at least 2 hours to get to Ephesus, taking into account the fact that the terrain here is very easy to navigate. Again, having zero knowledge, we very quickly found our way around the place and realized that we couldn’t do it without a taxi.
That's why I love Turkey, because everything is clear here and everything is reasonable .
In Crimea, for example, we also have an alternative to climbing the cable car to Ai-Petri - this is climbing by car along the serpentine road. But the lack of information stands and the frenzy of the drivers always looks as if they are forcefully pushing something on you. And here you are the master of your own route.
One can write long and hard about Ephesus. Which is what I did in . In a nutshell "must watch" .
It was time to put the iron horse back in its stall (I’m shocked!) and go home on a late flight.
He flew away but promised to return
So our glorious trip to wonderful Izmir has ended. The trail of the journey is still waiting for you
One of the largest Turkish cities is Izmir. Moreover, this industrial centre countries. The history of the city is quite rich. This means there are many attractions here. The main ones are listed in today's article. It also tells about the most important events that took place over the past centuries in the city of Izmir (Türkiye).
Story
Another name for the city is Smyrna. According to historical information, the first people appeared here in the third millennium BC. We won’t talk about the oldest period in the history of the Turkish city, but let’s move on to events related to the decline Ottoman Empire. Izmir was repeatedly conquered by power-hungry rulers of neighboring states both in ancient times and in the Middle Ages. As a result, the population was quite diverse. Moreover, by the beginning of the 20th century, Christians constituted the majority here. Muslims living in other cities of Turkey were quite confused by this fact. With contempt they called Izmir "Infidel Smyrna".
In the war, which ended in 1918, Türkiye was defeated. An agreement was concluded. Smyrna had to go to Greece. Turkish nationalists living in other regions of the country did not recognize the terms of the agreement. In August 1922, they stormed the city and carried out massacres. Most of Greeks and Armenians were destroyed. The survivors sought to quickly leave the city, which was also set on fire by the Muslim Turks.
This is the history of Izmir, the sights of which, however, hardly remind of its tragic pages. Before talking about cultural monuments, it is worth mentioning one more interesting facts. One of the most famous literary works of all time is Homer's poem "The Odyssey". The ancient Greek poet is also the author of the Iliad. Little is known about the life of the ancient writer, but according to one version, his homeland is Smyrna.
Assancer
Translated from Turkish, this word means "elevator". Among the attractions of Izmir there are quite interesting mosques, museums and other ancient buildings. Asanser may not be the most beautiful of them, but certainly the most memorable. You won't find anything like this in any other Turkish city. On the outskirts of the metropolis there are often hills of varying heights. Asanser is an interesting attraction in Izmir. It arose at the beginning of the 20th century in force geographical feature terrain. An unusual building connects two blocks, one of which is located on a steep hill.
Archaeological Museum
It would be strange if there were no such attraction in Izmir. The history of the city began several thousand years ago, during which time several civilizations changed, each of them left a mark. The museum has been operating since the twenties of the last century. Artifacts found on the territory of ancient Smyrna and its environs are stored here.
The museum building has many interesting unique exhibitions, one of which is located in the open air. Already at the entrance to the museum, attention is drawn to the unusual mosaic depicting flowers and animals. The ancient image creates an indescribable impression if you look at it from above, from the second floor of the balustrade.
Zoo
Residents of the metropolis will not be surprised by such sights. In Izmir, however, there has been a zoo for 80 years, which has no equal in most European cities. A favorable climate played a significant role, allowing the use of natural barriers. More than one and a half thousand species of animals and birds live here. According to the international organization responsible for the condition of zoos, the one in Izmir is the best example of design and engineering.
Fairy tale world
In fact, this popular tourist spot has a different name. Namely the Toy Museum. But the word “fairy tale” first comes to mind when you see the amazing variety of souvenirs, miniature American cars, German teddy bears, Italian dolls and, of course, world-famous characters.
The first collection appeared here quite recently - in 2010. In such a short time, the organizers managed to collect several hundred toys. Most of the exhibits are created in the 20th century. In the Toy Museum, for example, you can see a porcelain doll made in Germany back in the thirties.
Another rare thing is a horse on a stick. What its purpose is, a modern child will not immediately understand. Nothing like this has been produced in factories for a long time. The toy, which is part of the collection of the Izmir Museum, was created in 1800. The interior of the room is rather prosaic, which, of course, few visitors pay attention to. After all, a “toy” collection can interest not only a child, but also an adult.
Konak Square
The square is located in the district of the same name, in its busiest part. With the name "Konak" there is also a governor's mansion. What can you tell us about this square in Izmir?
When it comes to such attractions, what comes to mind first of all are the buildings located nearby. On one of the most famous Turkish squares there is the Yala Mosque, built in the mid-18th century. In the very center is a tower designed by the architect Raymond Pere and erected in 1901. It's called Saat Kulesi. The tower was created in the Moorish style. Its height is 25 meters.
This is a rather unusual building. Fountains are installed in its lower part, and the clock mechanism, once donated to the city by the German Kaiser, has been working properly for more than a hundred years. The Saat Kulesi Tower miraculously survived the fire caused by Turkish nationalists in 1922. Other attractions of the city: Agora, Kadifkale Fortress, Museum of History and Art.
Izmir is administrative center province of the same name in Turkey. The city of Izmir is one of the oldest and largest in Turkey. It is not surprising that many travelers can enjoy visiting the Turkish city and try to comprehend the unique notes of antiquity that have survived to this day.
Lately, Izmir has become more reminiscent of the Mediterranean European resort, not an eastern metropolis. Despite the fact that Izmir is becoming more and more like resorts in Europe, oriental culture and antiquity are still preserved here.
This house, built of stone, is now Christian Church. Many pilgrims and tourists try to visit this place, noting the blessed atmosphere, the spirit of simplicity and holiness.
The building is small in size and very modest in design. According to legend, it was here that the Virgin Mary spent her last years of life and died. Today, a statue of the Virgin Mary is kept in the house.
Near the house flows a spring with unique sources that should give health and happiness. In addition, next to the house there is a wall on which people tie papers with written wishes.
The ancient library was built many centuries ago. It is believed that it is dedicated to Tiberius Julius Celsus, the Roman proconsul. Unfortunately, the library burned down in the 3rd century during an attack by the Goths, but the façade of the building, which visually resembles theatrical scenery, has survived to this day. Tourists can still see interesting sculptures and statues.
Despite the ruined state of the building, the attraction still attracts many travelers.
The ancient temple dates back to the 5th century BC. However, it still attracts a large number of tourists. It should be noted that the ruins of the ancient temple have survived to this day.
In former times, the temple was decorated with numerous columns, statues, reliefs, and paintings. Moreover, in the temple there was a statue of Artemis, which was made of gold and ivory. Tourists are amazed when they imagine such a former performance of a religious monastery.
To this day, only one column has survived from the ancient temple, which was restored from the rubble.
In Izmir, an ancient agora, which was built in Roman times, has survived to this day. The main buildings were created during the reign of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius.
The Agora, which was a quaint old square, was an important place. It was here that important trade, religious and political events took place. In addition, people of art, scientists, philosophers and thinkers always met and communicated here.
In 1932 - 1941, excavations were carried out at the site of the agora. It was possible to prove that the agora in Izmir has a rectangular shape and a wide open courtyard. Moreover, it was possible to prove that a three-story building, distinguished by a very complex architectural form, was built around the courtyard. However, the excavations were interrupted.
During the next excavations, which were carried out decades later, archaeologists were also able to find valuable things. As a result of excavations, it was possible to find writings containing important historical data about Izmir. It is not surprising that these places still attract many tourists.
The Genoese fortress was built in the 14th century. The fortress was built to protect against the Rhodian knights. However, after the assault by the Venetians, which took place in the 17th century, the fortress was badly damaged and, as a result, was destroyed. Fortunately, the fortress was restored and it even housed a military garrison until 1833.
Today there is an archaeological museum here, where you can see important finds from ancient times. An international music festival is held annually in the open-air theater, which is also located near the fortress.
The Church of St. Polycarp is one of the oldest buildings in Izmir. This temple was created during the Roman Empire. Reconstruction events were carried out back in 1620 with the participation of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. To this day, the church has been preserved in good condition, thanks to which many tourists can appreciate ancient Turkish architecture.
The local zoo is unique because visitors can better learn about the life of animals and understand the features of their habitat. It should be noted that the zoo has virtually no cages or enclosures, as a result of which visitors can enjoy watching the animals. A large area of the zoo is planted with trees and shrubs. There are also ponds here.
Children's playgrounds have been created for children. It should be noted that there is also a special children's zoo for children, where you can meet rabbits, goats, donkeys, and horses. The zoo also has cozy cafes where you can relax.
The ancient temple was dedicated Emperor Domitian. Only ruins and foundations have survived to this day. However, experts were able to understand what structure the temple had based on its foundation. It is believed that the numerous columns, which were located on smaller and large sides. In addition, storage rooms were located on the western part of the terrace.
The presence of a parapet, consisting of two rows of columns, also added grandeur to the ancient temple. It's no wonder that many travelers still try to appreciate ancient architecture Izmir.
Konak Square is a place where many travelers still enjoy walking. At the same time, in the central part of the square there is a famous clock tower, which is a worthy symbol of Izmir. Despite the constant crowdedness, tourists can truly appreciate beautiful architecture and feel the special atmosphere of the East.
The ancient Isa Bey Mosque, which attracts many tourists, is located about 75 km from Izmir. The construction of the religious monastery dates back to 1375. It is interesting to note that in XIX century The mosque was even used as a caravanserai, where many travelers could enjoy their holiday.
Today, the Isa Bey Mosque is recognized as one of the best examples of Islamic architecture. The religious site includes a courtyard and a rectangular prayer hall. Today you can still appreciate the beauty of the Isa Bey Mosque.
The castle complex is located on a hill, thanks to which it rises above the ancient city of Izmir. In addition, Kadifekale is one of the most important architectural monuments.
The ancient castle was built in the 4th century BC. It would seem that nothing could survive to this day. However, to this day, five ancient fortress towers and the southern wall have been preserved. The remaining buildings were reconstructed.
Nowadays, all interested tourists can visit old castle Kadifekale. In addition, the castle complex is located on a hill, thanks to which it truly opens up. beautiful panorama Izmir Bay. The impressions will be unforgettable.
The museum center began its work in July 2007. The main exhibits of the museum are two decommissioned ships, a submarine, and a frigate, which have already completed their service in the navy in Turkey. In each vessel we managed to preserve space, professional equipment and technical systems, thanks to which you can get the right impression regarding their equipment.
Visitors can not only learn the technical features of the presented military vessels, but also learn the peculiarities of the work of the Turkish Navy. The museum is visited by hundreds of tourists every day.
Konak Pier is now a famous shopping mall Izmir. This complex was designed in 1970. Since then, Konak Pier has been used as a parking lot, fish market, and customs office.
In 1998, the pier structure was modernized, after which the facility became new life. Now there are shops, cinemas, restaurants and cafes here. In addition, visitors who come by their own cars can use the car parking services.
Sipylus is a spur of the mountain range, mention of which can be found in the works of Homer. The mountain is known for its unusual rock relief. At the same time, Sipylus was broken by an earthquake, after which separate parts-cliffs were formed. The cracks and crevices of the mountain confirm that volcanic activity is still observed in the area. However, despite the difficult terrain and volcanic activity, the mountain range most often turns out to be safe and attractive for travelers.
Museum exhibits are housed in a building that was built in 1831. It should be noted that the building became famous as a worthy example of the neoclassical style.
The first compositions were presented at the end of October 1978. Now visitors can see valuable exhibits that reveal the features of creating ceramic products, carpet weaving, felt production, and leather processing. Despite the fact that these types of handicrafts are becoming a thing of the past, the ethnographic museum in Izmir deserves the attention of tourists.
The main stage in the history of development began in 1973, when the museum center was opened in a full-fledged building. The exhibits on display represent the art and work of craftsmen from Izmir and other Turkish cities. However, visitors can also see sculptures and paintings by foreigners.
The museum displays ceramics, sculptures and paintings. The rich exhibition surprises many travelers. Izmir is old City Turkey, a trip to which will be unforgettable and truly magical.