Konak, İzmir

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Konak
Clock Tower at Konak Square
Clock Tower at Konak Square
Location of Konak within Turkey.
Location of Konak within Turkey.
Country  Turkey
Region Aegean
Province İzmir
Area
 - Total 234 km2 (90.3 sq mi)
Elevation 0 m (0 ft)
Population (2006)[1]
 - Total 784.308
 - Density 3.351/km2 (8.7/sq mi)
Time zone EET (UTC+2)
 - Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3)
Postal code 35x xx
Area code(s) (0090)+ 232
Licence plate 35
Website www.konak.bel.tr

Konak is a district of İzmir Province in Turkey. It is one of the nine districts in the Greater Metropolitan Area of İzmir, the largest in terms of population and its core urban zone occupies a central position, geograhically, administratively, economically and historically, within İzmir. Konak district area extends for 11,4 km along the southern coastline of the Gulf of İzmir tip. A long panhandle that the district area draws in the direction of the southwest, on the other hand, also covers a large rural area, mostly covered with mountains and forests, and two isolated villages. Konak district area neighbors the district areas of Bornova to the east, Balçova to the west and Buca and Gaziemir to the south, all of which are also among İzmir's metropolitan districts. Konak center is connected to other districts of İzmir and beyond by a dense network of roads and railroads, as well as by a subway line currently being largely extended and by ferry services to Karşıyaka. Konak is a very active hub of industry, trade, commerce and services, with the number of companies exceeding sixty thousand and its exports nearing two billion US Dollars in 2006.

Contents

[edit] Location and Administration

The name "Konak" was previously used for İzmir's historic core neighborhood, as well as for its key central square (Konak Square - Konak Meydanı). For example, Karşıyaka along the opposing northern shore did not always consider itself as an integral part of İzmir, or in any case, had marking specifities and points of rivalry.

Administrative history of Konak started in 1983-1984 when the steps towards the constitution of a Metropolitan Municipality of İzmir, itself divided into districts, were taken. In 1987, the territory of former district of central İzmir of was re-named the district of Konak (with the exception of its former dependency of Buca, which was turned into a separate district), and the name İzmir implies the entire metropolitan area since then. The municipality of Konak came into effect in full terms in July 1988.

Konak district area starts at the tip of the Gulf of İzmir and follows the southern shoreline, covering such prominent neighborhoods of İzmir as, respectively from east to west, Alsancak with its international freight and passenger port, Konak Square proper and Kemeraltı and Çankaya bazaar areas and Kültürpark, where İzmir International Fair is held, immediately behind it, Karataş, the former Jewish neighborhood marked by Asansör building, and Göztepe, famous for its football team, among others, further along the coast towards the west, as well as the hillside zone behind these, notably the quarters of Eşrefpaşa and Hatay.

For both the metropolitan area and İzmir Province in general, Konak still represents the administrative nerve center, with the governorship, the offices of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, the commercial areas, and other important administrative and private headquarters being situated within the boundaries of Konak.

The name konak itself means, inter alia, government house or official residence in Turkish and refers in the case of Konak, İzmir, to the residence built for the governor between 1869-1972 at the spot and as a replacement of the mansion of Katipzade, a family of notables who controlled the city and the region between 1750-1820. The building marked the move for the seat of the vilayet of Aydın to İzmir which was initiated in 1865.

In recent years, there is a move toward decentralization and shift also to other districts of İzmir by official and private headquarters, notably with the building of a new and huge Hall of Justice in Bornova.

[edit] History

The core areas of Konak Square and Kemeraltı were formed with the filling in due course during the 17th century of the shallow inner bay of İzmir and immediate outer coastal reaches. Kemeraltı bazaar came into existence with the filling between 1650-1670 of the shallowest parts of the bay and the process of gaining ground from the sea bay was pursued progressively. The shoreline took its present form by the end of the 18th century in approximate terms, although some of the land along the berth remained unused till the mid-19th century.

General view of Konak Square (1865), with the Ottoman casern Sarıkışla (the Yellow Casern) and the yet unused landfill in the foreground, and the governor's residence, the square and the ships at the quay in the background

In 1829, Sarı Kışla, the Yellow Casern, the principal Ottoman casern of the city, gigantic for its time, was built at immediate sea-side, and a private residence (konak) situated slightly diagonally behind the casern was extended and converted into the governor's mansion, demarcating Konak Square that holds its name from the mansion, and which in its turn gave the name to the central metropolitan district of İzmir (Konak), and at the level of which Kemeraltı is considered to start.

The Yellow Casern was demolished in 1955 under express instructions from the then Prime Minister Adnan Menderes, who wanted to see Konak Square re-shaped, to the continuing regret of many Smyrniots who had come to adopt the oversize building as one of the main landmarks of their city. Konak Square still houses two important symbols of İzmir: The Clock Tower built 1902 to mark the Ottoman sultan Abdülhamid II's silver jubilee, and the minuscule 1755-built Yalı Mosque next to it, formerly inside a medrese which stood until the beginning of the 20th century. Both of these edifices are in front of the Governor's headquarters re-built along its past forms after a 1970 fire.

[edit] Economy and Education

The number of companies registered in Konak district was 58,199 in 2006. Exports realized by the district's companies reached 1,824,101,418 the same year. 26 banks are present across Konak district area and they provide services through 209 branches. Roughly 304,000 residential buildings make up Konak's settlement. It is notable to observe that, according to the figures provided by the prefecture, residential areas make up only around 10-15 per cent of Konak's urban zone, while a huge proportion of 75-80 per cent is classified as land being used for commercial and/or industrial purposes.

The literacy rate is close to hundred per cent, a minimal two per cent ratio of illiteracy accounted for principally by new immigrants to the district. There are 23 students for each teacher, and 2,085 patients for each doctor in Konak. While İzmir's universities mostly have their campuses in other districts of the metropolitan area, these preserve an important presence in Konak through their administrative buildings and depending educational institutions, and some among the higher education establishments of fresher date chose Konak as initial base. Konak is also home to a number of deep-rooted high schools well-known across Turkey.

The rural backlands with sparse settlement among the forests considered apart, Konak urban area may roughly be divided into three zones, official or notional, which differ much between each other in terms of their economy and residential patterns.

Konak neighborhoods Explanations
The coastal strait: (from east to west) ;
Alsancak, Karataş, Göztepe, Güzelyalı; and Çankaya and Kültürpark slightly inland.		 Rooted and wealthiest neighborhoods, centers for businesses
Hatay, Yeşilyurt Newly-grown neighborhoods inland, receiving inward immigration by mid- to high-level income families and students.
Eşrefpaşa, Kadifekale, Tepecik, southern parts of Basmane train station, Gürçeşme, Ballıkuyu, Gültepe, Limontepe, İkiçeşmelik with a concentration of Romani people. Rooted or newly-grown popular neighborhoods with a high concentration of slum-type residences, receiving inward immigration by low-level income families.
Sister project Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Konak, İzmir

[edit] See also

[edit] Resources

[edit] External links


Shows the Location of İzmir province Settlements in Konak District, İzmir, Turkey Flag of Turkey

Municipalities: Konak
Villages: Kavacık | Tirazlı


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