"VictoriaM.'s new Izmir Page" a Izmir Travel Page by VictoriaM.

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Known in Turkish as "Beautiful Izmir", the city lies at the head of a long and narrow gulf
furrowed by ships and yachts. The climate is mild and in the summer the constant and refreshing
sea breezes temper the sun's heat. Behind the palm-lined promenades and avenues which follow
the shoreline, the city, in horizontal terraces, gently ascends the slopes of the surrounding
mountains. The third largest city in Turkey, Izmir's port is second only to Istanbul's. A
cosmopolitan and lively city all year round, during the International Arts Festival (June/July) and
the International Fair (August/Sept), Izmir bursts with an added vibrancy.
The original city was established in the third millennium B.C. (at
present day Bayrakli), and at that time shared, with Troia, the most
advanced culture in Western Anatolia. By 1500 B.C. it had fallen
under the influence of Central Anatolia's Hittite Empire. in the first millennium B.C. Izmir, then
known as Smyrna, ranked as one of the important cities of the lonian Federation; during this
period - one of the city's most brilliant - it is believed that Homer is lived here. The Lydian
conquest of the city, around 600 B.C., brought this period to an end, and Izmir remained little
more than a village throughout the Lydian and the subsequent 6th cen tury B.C. Persian rule. In
the fourth century B.C. a new city was built at theinstigation of Alexander the Great on the slopes
of Mt. Pages (Kadifekale). Izmir's Roman period, from the first century B.C., gave birth to its second great era. Byzantine
rule followed in the fourth century and lasted until the Seljuk conquest in the 11th century. In 1415, under Sultan Mehmet
Celebi, Izmir became part of the Ottoman Empire.(Anatolia became a power house to the Ottoman empire which lead the Islamic world for about 600 years. Ottomans enriched the art and
culture of Anatolia during the first 450 years. Architectural style had reached to its peak during this period in Anatolia. "Yesil Mosque"
(1424) in Bursa, "Mosque of Rumi Mehmet Pasa" (1471) and "Mosque of Atik Ali Pasa" in Istanbul are early Ottoman era examples to
architectural excellence.

The power and elegance of the Ottoman empire reached its zenith with Suleyman the Magnificent, whose great architect Sinan embellished
the Ottoman cities with palaces, mosques, bridges and various other kinds of buildings. "Mosque of Bayezit", "Mosque of Sehzade"
(1548), "Mosque of Suleymaniye" (1557),"Mosque of Selimiye" ( 1567) are all great wonders left from Sinan to us reflecting the level of
architectural creativity and mastership.
The art of architecture during the Ottoman period created great palaces, mansions, libraries, government houses, aquaducts, baths,
mausoleums which are attracting a big appreciation from spectators and visitors even today.

After 1700, the empire started to decline. Political and military power diminished dramatically. Arts and cultural life followed this trend.
During the following 200 years until the collapse of Ottoman empire and later the foundation of modern Republic of Turkey by Ataturk
at 1923 in Anatolia, not many advances are made on arts, culture and science.
All major examples of Ottoman era artistic and architectural creations are displayed either openly or in museums of Turkey today. )