Karsiyaka
Encyclopedia
Karşıyaka is a district of İzmir Province
in Turkey
. It is part of the Greater Metropolitan Area of İzmir
, in other words a metropolitan district, the second largest after Konak in terms of population, and it is almost entirely urbanized at the rate of 99,9 per cent, with corresponding high levels of development in terms of lifestyle and services. Karşıyaka extends for twelve kilometers along the northern and eastern coastline of the tip of the Gulf of İzmir
. Its center is at a distance of 20 km (12 mi) to the north from the traditional center of entire İzmir, that is Konak Square
in Konak at the opposite coast, and İzmir's central areas are of quicker and easier access from Karşıyaka by ferry, in fifteen minutes to half an hour to various quays located along the Gulf's southern coastline, rather than by land by going round the gulf's outlying coastline. Karşıyaka's district area neighbors the district areas of Menemen
to the north, Bornova
to the east and Çiğli
to the west, the last two also being among İzmir's metropolitan districts. Karşıyaka's overall level of education is recognized as being of the highest in Turkey and besides being an active venue of commerce, culturl and educational actitivies and tourism, Karşıyaka also boasts of an advanced urban culture
of its own, centered around the cherished home team Karşıyaka SK
, which commands a large and passionate fan base.
s) made to settle here in the 19th century, and to the north is a large forest area. Karşıyaka center is connected to İzmir center by a busy schedule of railways, roads, and commuter ferries, works for the extension of İzmir's subway line to Karşıyaka currently being carried out at a rapid pace, and there are also good road links to Menemen and Aliağa
to the north, to reach Çanakkale
in north-west Turkey, and beyond. Originally a hamlet, then a remote suburb of İzmir in the 19th century, Karşıyaka became much larger and grew in stature in the 1960s when its waterfront developed as a prosperous residential neighbourhood.
Karşıyaka is a stronghold of the social-democrats. Currently, the municipality is administered by Cevat Durak of the CHP (Republican People's Party
).
is the sports club of Karşıyaka. It is also called "KSK", and locally as Kaf Sin Kaf, following the initials in Arabic script since the club's past dates back to Ottoman
times. The club has a large and very passionate fan base. Although its football team is presently in the second level
of the Turkish football league system
, it still represents İzmir's strongest bid for the Süper Lig. Karşıyaka S.K.'s basketball
and volleyball
branches, known respectively as Pınar Karşıyaka
and Karşıyaka DYO by the name of their sponsors, are leading contenders in their fields. The club also has cue sports, bowling
, motorcycle
, tennis
, sailing
, judo
and swimming
divisions.
The district's overall level of education is one of the highest in Turkey and Karşıyaka boasts of an advanced urban culture
. The locals are highly conscious of their values and view their district as a special place in a mindset centered around Karşıyaka's notable past and present, as well as around the red and green colors of their sports club. Sometimes with a touch of humor, but also sometimes more seriously, they immatriculate their cherished district of Karşıyaka as 35½, as opposed to İzmir's 35.
and Bornova
, Alsancak
across the gulf, or even to locations further afield like Kemalpaşa
and Manisa
. The share of agriculture and industry in its economy is in constant decrease, while Karşıyaka's tourism potential remains an open field.
Coastal strait is the wealthier part of Karşıyaka and it is here that residents of long date are generally concentrated. The neighborhoods located along the slopes are poorer, with slum
-type residences in parts, and these continue receiving flows of immigration, especially from Turkey's Eastern Anatolia Region
. The district counts a total of 11,570 enterprises, 207 of which are identified as industrial firms, and 3,180 categorized under commerce. Nine industrial companies have full or partial foreign capital and 143 commercial establishments in Karşıyaka are registered exporters. There are eighteen banks providing services through 61 branches in Karşıyaka, and a handful of hotels with a total bed capacity of 180. There is one teacher for 24 students and one doctor for 1,127 patients overall. The literacy rate is very high at 92 per cent. An environment of urban consciousness also favored the foundation of a high number of professional organizations in varied fields in Karşıyaka, ranging from trade (such as KASİAD, BESİAD, BOGİAD) to education, usually centered around teachers or alumni of the district's rooted institutions.
, such as "The Tomb of Tantalus
" and "Old Smyrna
" are located at a stone's throw from Karşıyaka, in the very recently constituted metropolitan district of Bayraklı
, which was formerly within the boundaries of the district of Karşıyaka.
Karşıyaka was described in frequent terms of admiration by travellers who visited İzmir, and they could not help mention in detail the dense forests of Mount Yamanlar, reaching as far as the coast, and the beautiful gardens and orchards which garnished the shoreline and along the beds of its four streams, namely Ahırkuyu, Serinkuyu, Laka and Bornova. Named Karşıyaka (literally "the opposite shore") in Turkish
since the 11th century, the locality was alternatively called Cordelio or Cordelieu or Kordelyo in European
or Greek
sources until the beginning of the 20th century. These names were supposed to make reference to Richard the Lionheart (Coeur de Lion), who is not attested to have come to these waters in person, but it was usually claimed that the area was named in the 1190s by a contingent of Crusaders
of the Third Crusade
who had accosted here and had named it in honor of Europe
's most famed soldier of the time. This explanation of the name is disputed, some sources taking as point of departure the mention of the name (in the form "Kordeleon") in Byzantine
documents of the 14th century and questioning whether the name Cordelio is the continuation of a more ancient settlement yet unexplored, as is most of ancient Aeolia
.
Still very leafy and lush generally despite intensive construction of medium- to high-rise apartments and office buildings in recent decades, Karşıyaka grew in size after the entry into service of İzmir-Menemen railroad in 1865, and the start of urban ferry services in 1874 by a British
company under an Ottoman imperial lease accorded by Abdülhamid II and named "Hamidiye" for this reason. A second shipping company put two other ferries in service starting 1880, followed in 1884 by a third company. Very rapidly, it became fashionable for European and Levant
ine inhabitants of İzmir, concentrated in Bornova and Buca
until then, to build or purchase houses in Karşıyaka particularly for the dowry of their daughters, which contributed to the growing popularity among the rich of the gulf's northern shores.
In pace with its resort-like atmosphere, Karşıyaka saw a number of beautiful Ottoman
konaks or Levantine mansions
erected within its boundaries, especially along the shoreline and serving as secondary residence. Luxury multi-storey residences at immediate seaside quickly rose next to modest inner quartiers around the train station where the working class was concentrated and the Turkish village of Soğukkuyu The commuting movements and the way of life of İzmir's inhabitants were profoundly changed since then with Karşıyaka becoming part of the urban fabric.
By the time of the 1891 census, Karşıyaka had already acquired the appearance of a large township with 832 houses and a permanent population of 1080. A sizable Turkish population had been was also made to settle in Karşıyaka's Soğukkuyu some time before that date and that area is still distinguished by its rustic houses in the middle of the urban zone. In the meantime, the former village of Papa Scala or Papazkale or Papazköyü or Papaz İskelesi (Priest's quay) to the west came to be known as Bostanlı, in reference to melons and watermelons from Menemen which were discharged and loaded on ships here .
The three most important reminders of the Levantine heritage still intact in Karşıyaka are the Alliotti, Van Der Zee and Löhner houses. The first was built by a prominent Levantine family of Italian
origins in 1914 and was exchanged in the 1920s against property belonging to Durmuş Yaşar, the founder of Yaşar Holding. The mansion is known today under Yaşar's name and serves as a vocational training center. The two others are recently restored and the first floor of the Van Der Zee mansion has been put by the municipality to the service of the public in the form of a café
(Eski Ev Cafe).
There is also a 1904-built Catholic
Church (Saint Helen church) that served a community of about 200 families and which is recently restored. Edouard Balladur
, the former Prime Minister of France
, notably, was baptized there.
There are also more modest but still lovely little houses, characterized by their engaged front doors and narrow lines, termed as "Sakız houses", and which are very typical of the region surrounding İzmir.
Karşıyaka is also where Zübeyde Hanım
, Atatürk's mother, spent her last days in end-1922 and January 1923, and is where she is buried. The house she died, which belonged to the family of Latife Uşşaki, Mustafa Kemal Pasha's wife, is restored and it is located right in the center of the urban zone, near the main commercial street, Karşıyaka's famous Çarşı.
Izmir Province
İzmir Province is a province of Turkey in western Anatolia on the Aegean coast, whose capital is the city of İzmir. On the west it is surrounded by the Aegean sea, and it encloses the Gulf of İzmir. Its area is 11,973 km.2, population 3.948.848 . The population was 3,370,866 in 2000...
in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. It is part of the Greater Metropolitan Area of İzmir
Izmir
Izmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
, in other words a metropolitan district, the second largest after Konak in terms of population, and it is almost entirely urbanized at the rate of 99,9 per cent, with corresponding high levels of development in terms of lifestyle and services. Karşıyaka extends for twelve kilometers along the northern and eastern coastline of the tip of the Gulf of İzmir
Gulf of Izmir
The Gulf of İzmir , formerly known as the Gulf of Smyrna, is a gulf on the Aegean Sea, with its inlet between the peninsula of Karaburun and the mainland area of Foça...
. Its center is at a distance of 20 km (12 mi) to the north from the traditional center of entire İzmir, that is Konak Square
Konak Square
Konak Square is a busy square at the southern end of Atatürk Caddesi in the Konak district of İzmir, Turkey. The square is the busiest part of the city, as Konak is the main place of İzmir.-Buildings in the Square:...
in Konak at the opposite coast, and İzmir's central areas are of quicker and easier access from Karşıyaka by ferry, in fifteen minutes to half an hour to various quays located along the Gulf's southern coastline, rather than by land by going round the gulf's outlying coastline. Karşıyaka's district area neighbors the district areas of Menemen
Menemen
Menemen is a district of İzmir Province in Turkey as well as the district's central town. The district extends on a fertile plain formed by the alluvial soil carried by the Gediz River...
to the north, Bornova
Bornova
Bornova is a metropolitan district of İzmir in İzmir Province in Turkey. It is the third largest district in İzmir's Greater Metropolitan Area of and is almost fully urbanized at the rate of 98,6 per cent, with corresponding high levels of development in terms of industry and services...
to the east and Çiğli
Çigli
Çiğli is a metropolitan district of the city of İzmir in İzmir Province, Turkey. Its area covers the northern end of the boundaries of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality. Çiğli district area neighbors that of Karşıyaka, another metropolitan district, to the south and the west, and that of İzmir's...
to the west, the last two also being among İzmir's metropolitan districts. Karşıyaka's overall level of education is recognized as being of the highest in Turkey and besides being an active venue of commerce, culturl and educational actitivies and tourism, Karşıyaka also boasts of an advanced urban culture
Urban culture
Urban culture is the culture of towns and cities. In the United States, Urban culture may also sometimes be used as a euphemistic reference to contemporary African American culture.- African American culture :...
of its own, centered around the cherished home team Karşıyaka SK
Karsiyaka SK
Karşıyaka Spor Kulübü , commonly referred to as Karşıyaka is a sports based in İzmir. They are currently playing in the Turkish 1.League football...
, which commands a large and passionate fan base.
Location
The industrial zone bringing together principally firms of local-scale, exception made of the notable presence of Alaybey shipyard are located in the eastern part of Karşıyaka. The same eastern corner also covers a zone of sparse settlement around the locality called Soğukkuyu, originally a seaside village of semi-nomadic Turkmens (YörükYörük
The Yorouks, also Yuruks or Yörüks are immigrants, ultimately of Thracian descent,some of whom are still nomadic, primarily inhabiting the mountains of Anatolia and partly Balkan peninsula...
s) made to settle here in the 19th century, and to the north is a large forest area. Karşıyaka center is connected to İzmir center by a busy schedule of railways, roads, and commuter ferries, works for the extension of İzmir's subway line to Karşıyaka currently being carried out at a rapid pace, and there are also good road links to Menemen and Aliağa
Aliaga
Aliaga can refer to:* Aliaga, Aragon, Spain* Aliağa, Turkey* the Filipino municipality of Aliaga, Nueva Ecija on Luzon* a family name, as in the case of the Peruvian writer Felipe Pardo y Aliaga...
to the north, to reach Çanakkale
Çanakkale
Çanakkale is a town and seaport in Turkey, in Çanakkale Province, on the southern coast of the Dardanelles at their narrowest point. The population of the town is 106,116 . The mayor is Ülgür Gökhan ....
in north-west Turkey, and beyond. Originally a hamlet, then a remote suburb of İzmir in the 19th century, Karşıyaka became much larger and grew in stature in the 1960s when its waterfront developed as a prosperous residential neighbourhood.
Climate and environment
Karşıyaka bears the general charactristics of the Mediterranean climate zone. It is rainy in winter and hot in summer. As it is the case for İzmir's entire coastline, Karşıyaka benefits on a daily basis from the famous north-west wind called "imbat", because of which ships in the Gulf of İzmir will always be anchored in a northwest-southeast position, and which cools the city during summer days.Administration
The urban zone of Karşıyaka is divided into 43 officially constituted neighborhoods, and the district also counts two depending villages, Sancaklı and Yamanlar, the last being located near the summit of the mountain of the same name, Mount Yamanlar, which towers over Karşıyaka and the Gulf.Karşıyaka is a stronghold of the social-democrats. Currently, the municipality is administered by Cevat Durak of the CHP (Republican People's Party
Republican People's Party (Turkey)
The Republican People's Party is a centre-left Kemalist political party in Turkey. It is the oldest political party of Turkey and is currently Main Opposition in the Grand National Assembly. The Republican People's Party describes itself as "a modern social-democratic party, which is faithful to...
).
35½ and Karşıyaka S.K.
Karşıyaka SKKarsiyaka SK
Karşıyaka Spor Kulübü , commonly referred to as Karşıyaka is a sports based in İzmir. They are currently playing in the Turkish 1.League football...
is the sports club of Karşıyaka. It is also called "KSK", and locally as Kaf Sin Kaf, following the initials in Arabic script since the club's past dates back to Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
times. The club has a large and very passionate fan base. Although its football team is presently in the second level
TFF First League
The TFF First League is the second level of the Turkish football league system. The league was founded in 2000 after it was separated from the Turkish Second League Category B during reorganizing Second League, who was second level of Turkish league between 1963–2001...
of the Turkish football league system
Turkish football league system
The Turkish football system is divided into the following leagues.Promotion and relegation can occur through every league. This means a club in the Amateur Leagues may be promoted to the top flight Süper Lig. There are two stages to being promoted to the Turkish Third League. First, provinces who...
, it still represents İzmir's strongest bid for the Süper Lig. Karşıyaka S.K.'s basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
branches, known respectively as Pınar Karşıyaka
Pinar Karsiyaka
Pınar Karşıyaka is a professional basketball team based in the city of İzmir in Turkey. It is a section of the Karşıyaka SK. The team was sponsored by Pınar since 1998. It is the product of Yasar Holding's Food and Beverage Group....
and Karşıyaka DYO by the name of their sponsors, are leading contenders in their fields. The club also has cue sports, bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
, motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
, judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
and swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
divisions.
The district's overall level of education is one of the highest in Turkey and Karşıyaka boasts of an advanced urban culture
Urban culture
Urban culture is the culture of towns and cities. In the United States, Urban culture may also sometimes be used as a euphemistic reference to contemporary African American culture.- African American culture :...
. The locals are highly conscious of their values and view their district as a special place in a mindset centered around Karşıyaka's notable past and present, as well as around the red and green colors of their sports club. Sometimes with a touch of humor, but also sometimes more seriously, they immatriculate their cherished district of Karşıyaka as 35½, as opposed to İzmir's 35.
Economy
Karşıyaka is deeply associated with commerce, construction of residences, education and literature, and is a prized area for pensioners, not only in the scale of İzmir but also from across Turkey as a whole. A total of 220,000 residences make up the urban area and the average yearly increase of the district population is 2.3 per cent. The district area having been almost entirely built up, Karşıyaka today acts principally as a residential center for the workforce of İzmir's industry and services, who generally commute for work to neighboring ÇiğliÇigli
Çiğli is a metropolitan district of the city of İzmir in İzmir Province, Turkey. Its area covers the northern end of the boundaries of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality. Çiğli district area neighbors that of Karşıyaka, another metropolitan district, to the south and the west, and that of İzmir's...
and Bornova
Bornova
Bornova is a metropolitan district of İzmir in İzmir Province in Turkey. It is the third largest district in İzmir's Greater Metropolitan Area of and is almost fully urbanized at the rate of 98,6 per cent, with corresponding high levels of development in terms of industry and services...
, Alsancak
Alsancak
Alsancak is a centrally situated large quarter in İzmir, Turkey, within the boundaries of the metropolitan district of Konak, the historic center of the city....
across the gulf, or even to locations further afield like Kemalpaşa
Kemalpasa
Kemalpaşa is a large town and the center of the district of the same name in İzmir Province, Turkey. Its district area extends immediately to the east of İzmir's eastern-most metropolitan district, Bornova, and Kemalpaşa town being at a distance of only from the historical and traditional center...
and Manisa
Manisa
Manisa is a large city in Turkey's Aegean Region and the administrative seat of Manisa Province.Modern Manisa is a booming center of industry and services, advantaged by its closeness to the international port city and the regional metropolitan center of İzmir and by its fertile hinterland rich in...
. The share of agriculture and industry in its economy is in constant decrease, while Karşıyaka's tourism potential remains an open field.
Coastal strait is the wealthier part of Karşıyaka and it is here that residents of long date are generally concentrated. The neighborhoods located along the slopes are poorer, with slum
Slum
A slum, as defined by United Nations agency UN-HABITAT, is a run-down area of a city characterized by substandard housing and squalor and lacking in tenure security. According to the United Nations, the percentage of urban dwellers living in slums decreased from 47 percent to 37 percent in the...
-type residences in parts, and these continue receiving flows of immigration, especially from Turkey's Eastern Anatolia Region
Eastern Anatolia Region
The Eastern Anatolia Region is one of seven non-administrative subdivisions of Turkey and encompasses its eastern provinces.The region and the name "Doğu Anadolu Bölgesi" were first defined at the First Geography Congress in 1941. It has the highest average altitude, largest geographical area, and...
. The district counts a total of 11,570 enterprises, 207 of which are identified as industrial firms, and 3,180 categorized under commerce. Nine industrial companies have full or partial foreign capital and 143 commercial establishments in Karşıyaka are registered exporters. There are eighteen banks providing services through 61 branches in Karşıyaka, and a handful of hotels with a total bed capacity of 180. There is one teacher for 24 students and one doctor for 1,127 patients overall. The literacy rate is very high at 92 per cent. An environment of urban consciousness also favored the foundation of a high number of professional organizations in varied fields in Karşıyaka, ranging from trade (such as KASİAD, BESİAD, BOGİAD) to education, usually centered around teachers or alumni of the district's rooted institutions.
History and sights of interest
Traces of the earliest phases of the timeline of İzmirTimeline of Izmir
Below is a sequence of some of the events that affected the history of the city of İzmir ;İzmir in 19th century European artImages of cosmopolitan 19th century İzmir...
, such as "The Tomb of Tantalus
Tantalus
Tantalus was the ruler of an ancient western Anatolian city called either after his name, as "Tantalís", "the city of Tantalus", or as "Sipylus", in reference to Mount Sipylus, at the foot of which his city was located and whose ruins were reported to be still visible in the beginning of the...
" and "Old Smyrna
Smyrna
Smyrna was an ancient city located at a central and strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Thanks to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to prominence. The ancient city is located at two sites within modern İzmir, Turkey...
" are located at a stone's throw from Karşıyaka, in the very recently constituted metropolitan district of Bayraklı
Bayraklı
Bayraklı is a district of İzmir Province of Turkey. It is one of the metropolitan districts of İzmir. Bayraklı was turned into a district by the Cabinet of Turkey in 6 March 2008.- References :...
, which was formerly within the boundaries of the district of Karşıyaka.
Karşıyaka was described in frequent terms of admiration by travellers who visited İzmir, and they could not help mention in detail the dense forests of Mount Yamanlar, reaching as far as the coast, and the beautiful gardens and orchards which garnished the shoreline and along the beds of its four streams, namely Ahırkuyu, Serinkuyu, Laka and Bornova. Named Karşıyaka (literally "the opposite shore") in Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
since the 11th century, the locality was alternatively called Cordelio or Cordelieu or Kordelyo in European
European ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
or Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
sources until the beginning of the 20th century. These names were supposed to make reference to Richard the Lionheart (Coeur de Lion), who is not attested to have come to these waters in person, but it was usually claimed that the area was named in the 1190s by a contingent of Crusaders
Crusaders
The Crusaders are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Christchurch that competes in the Super Rugby competition. They are the most successful team in Super Rugby history with seven titles...
of the Third Crusade
Third Crusade
The Third Crusade , also known as the Kings' Crusade, was an attempt by European leaders to reconquer the Holy Land from Saladin...
who had accosted here and had named it in honor of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
's most famed soldier of the time. This explanation of the name is disputed, some sources taking as point of departure the mention of the name (in the form "Kordeleon") in Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
documents of the 14th century and questioning whether the name Cordelio is the continuation of a more ancient settlement yet unexplored, as is most of ancient Aeolia
Aeolia
Aeolia may refer to:*Aeolia, another name for Aeolis in Anatolia*Aeolia, an older name for Thessaly before the Greek Dark Ages*The home of Æolus, son of Hippotes, a character in the Odyssey*Aeolia , a character found in Mother 3...
.
Still very leafy and lush generally despite intensive construction of medium- to high-rise apartments and office buildings in recent decades, Karşıyaka grew in size after the entry into service of İzmir-Menemen railroad in 1865, and the start of urban ferry services in 1874 by a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
company under an Ottoman imperial lease accorded by Abdülhamid II and named "Hamidiye" for this reason. A second shipping company put two other ferries in service starting 1880, followed in 1884 by a third company. Very rapidly, it became fashionable for European and Levant
Levant
The Levant or ) is the geographic region and culture zone of the "eastern Mediterranean littoral between Anatolia and Egypt" . The Levant includes most of modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and sometimes parts of Turkey and Iraq, and corresponds roughly to the...
ine inhabitants of İzmir, concentrated in Bornova and Buca
Buca
Buca is a district of İzmir Province of Turkey. It is one of the main districts of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality.Buca was one of the preferred settlement areas of İzmir's community of Levantines...
until then, to build or purchase houses in Karşıyaka particularly for the dowry of their daughters, which contributed to the growing popularity among the rich of the gulf's northern shores.
In pace with its resort-like atmosphere, Karşıyaka saw a number of beautiful Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
konaks or Levantine mansions
Levantine mansions of Izmir
Levantine mansions of Izmir refer to about thirty stately residences, dating principally from the 19th century and of which a significant number remain intact to this day, by being restored and continuing to be used and visited, in İzmir, Turkey. These residences differ from the traditional...
erected within its boundaries, especially along the shoreline and serving as secondary residence. Luxury multi-storey residences at immediate seaside quickly rose next to modest inner quartiers around the train station where the working class was concentrated and the Turkish village of Soğukkuyu The commuting movements and the way of life of İzmir's inhabitants were profoundly changed since then with Karşıyaka becoming part of the urban fabric.
By the time of the 1891 census, Karşıyaka had already acquired the appearance of a large township with 832 houses and a permanent population of 1080. A sizable Turkish population had been was also made to settle in Karşıyaka's Soğukkuyu some time before that date and that area is still distinguished by its rustic houses in the middle of the urban zone. In the meantime, the former village of Papa Scala or Papazkale or Papazköyü or Papaz İskelesi (Priest's quay) to the west came to be known as Bostanlı, in reference to melons and watermelons from Menemen which were discharged and loaded on ships here .
The three most important reminders of the Levantine heritage still intact in Karşıyaka are the Alliotti, Van Der Zee and Löhner houses. The first was built by a prominent Levantine family of Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
origins in 1914 and was exchanged in the 1920s against property belonging to Durmuş Yaşar, the founder of Yaşar Holding. The mansion is known today under Yaşar's name and serves as a vocational training center. The two others are recently restored and the first floor of the Van Der Zee mansion has been put by the municipality to the service of the public in the form of a café
Café
A café , also spelled cafe, in most countries refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse. In the United States, it may refer to an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches...
(Eski Ev Cafe).
| 19th century landmarks of Karşıyaka | Explanations |
| Latife Uşşaki House Zübeyde Hanım Zübeyde Hanim Zübeyde Hanım was the mother of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey. She was the only daughter of the Hacısofular family which included her two brothers... House |
One of the houses that belonged to Atatürk's wife, Latife Uşşaki (The other is across the shore in Göztepe Göztepe Göztepe can refer to:*Göztepe, Istanbul, a neigbourhood in the Kadıköy district of Istanbul, Turkey*Göztepe, İzmir, a district of İzmir, Turkey*Göztepe A.Ş., a football club in İzmir... ). This house in Karşıyaka is where Atatürk's mother, Zübeyde Hanım Zübeyde Hanim Zübeyde Hanım was the mother of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey. She was the only daughter of the Hacısofular family which included her two brothers... , died. Restored in 2008 by the municipality |
| Löhner House | Restored in 2003 by the municipality |
| Van Der Zee House | Restored for use as a social venue |
| Penetti House | |
| Alliotti House | Restored by Yaşar Group of Companies |
| St. Helen Catholic Church | In use as Catholic Church |
| Club Petrococchino | Still a cosmopolitan café Café A café , also spelled cafe, in most countries refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse. In the United States, it may refer to an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches... near the pier |
There is also a 1904-built Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Church (Saint Helen church) that served a community of about 200 families and which is recently restored. Edouard Balladur
Édouard Balladur
Édouard Balladur is a French politician who served as Prime Minister of France from 29 March 1993 to 10 May 1995.-Biography:Balladur was born in İzmir, Turkey, to an Armenian Catholic family with five children and long-standing ties to France...
, the former Prime Minister of France
Prime Minister of France
The Prime Minister of France in the Fifth Republic is the head of government and of the Council of Ministers of France. The head of state is the President of the French Republic...
, notably, was baptized there.
There are also more modest but still lovely little houses, characterized by their engaged front doors and narrow lines, termed as "Sakız houses", and which are very typical of the region surrounding İzmir.
Karşıyaka is also where Zübeyde Hanım
Zübeyde Hanim
Zübeyde Hanım was the mother of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey. She was the only daughter of the Hacısofular family which included her two brothers...
, Atatürk's mother, spent her last days in end-1922 and January 1923, and is where she is buried. The house she died, which belonged to the family of Latife Uşşaki, Mustafa Kemal Pasha's wife, is restored and it is located right in the center of the urban zone, near the main commercial street, Karşıyaka's famous Çarşı.
See also
- İzmirIzmirIzmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
- Karşıyaka SKKarsiyaka SKKarşıyaka Spor Kulübü , commonly referred to as Karşıyaka is a sports based in İzmir. They are currently playing in the Turkish 1.League football...
- Levantine mansions of İzmirLevantine mansions of IzmirLevantine mansions of Izmir refer to about thirty stately residences, dating principally from the 19th century and of which a significant number remain intact to this day, by being restored and continuing to be used and visited, in İzmir, Turkey. These residences differ from the traditional...
- Karşıyaka Pınar Arena