"Close to Izmir" a Izmir Travel Page by royalempress

The quote is from a sign at the site.
"This place is the Agora, the Market Place, of ancient Izmir. It was a state Agora rather than a businnes center. In the middle of this structure was a marble plated large square.
Decorated with columns it was a three story structure. The Northern Gallery was 165 meters long, in the basilica style with and entrance in the center. The ground floor was composed of arched galleries supporting the large structure. The agora itself was resting over this structure.
The section with columns standing on the steps was the second floor. The third and top floor resting over this column second floor is completely destroyed. On the ground floor there were 28 shops facing north. Entrance to the shops was from the main street of town running by the Agora. The second floor was composed of gallaries completed in three rows of culumns. The basilica section housed the "Exedra" where state affairs were conducted. The history of Izmir is quite old and goes away back. In the year of 178 A.D. Izmir was struck by an eartquake which also ruined the Agora. At a later date with the help and assistance granted by the roman emeror Marcus Aurelius the Agora was rebuilt at the district of Namazgah.