Izmir

Did you know that Izmir is one of the oldest cities in Asia Minor? In 1930 it was called Smyrna, rich in history and to this day remains one of the largest cities in Turkey.
According to legend, the city was founded by Tantalus, son of Zeus and Smyrna, queen of the Amazons.

The first settlement dates back to the III century BC.
The main development of the city took place in parallel with the development of Troy, after Smyrna was taken over by the Roman Empire – the city began to flourish. During this period, trade actively developed, the economy grew and the number of inhabitants increased. Soon, however, Smyrna was hit by a major catastrophe – an earthquake that completely destroyed it. Later thanks to Emperor Marcus Aurelius the city was completely rebuilt. The buildings of those times have partially survived to this day.

In 1076, the Seljuks established power over the urban area, which by then was part of Byzantium, but the Byzantines regained their land after a period of time. When the Byzantine Empire fell into oblivion, Smyrna was conquered by the Genoese, and at the beginning of the 15th century it was conquered by Tamerlane. The Ottoman soldiers established their rule in the city only two centuries later.

The next important event in the history of Izmir took place after the loss of the Ottoman state in the First World War. The city was occupied by the Greeks. A treaty was drawn up whereby Smyrna was ceded to Greece, but Kemal Ataturk and his allies declared the treaty null and void. And in the fall of 1922, the Turkish army crossed the borders of Izmir. This event had significant consequences: there was a dramatic change in the ethnic composition. Greece and Turkey, in fact, exchanged the population, after which Izmir became almost entirely Muslim. By the way, the city officially received its new name only in 1928.

As hundreds of years ago, the metropolis is buried in the green of olive and fig trees and vineyards. Holidays here are a real pleasure. Visitors to the city meet the cleanest beaches, gentle sea, modern restaurants, bars, nightclubs and, of course, the many attractions. Despite the large number of historical sites, Izmir is considered a city of youth. Its streets and squares are full of movement, energy and life is in full swing around the clock.