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HISTORY OF KUSADASI
Although it is not known exactly when and by whom the city was
founded, it is thought that is was first built where it is today called
"Yılancı Burnu" near KUSADASI, by the lonians named as "Neopolis"and
bound to Ephesus. The city it self, was situated at the place called "Andiz"
tower which was on the lower slopes of hill, as a province of Byzantium,
but shortly after. The Genoeses and the Venetians economically dominated
it. Because of transportation difficulties, the city was moved from
Andiz Tower to its today's place and was called the new harbour. Getting
its name from the city, the KUSADASI bat and its surroundings are know
as the art and culture centers of various civilisations since ancient
times. In 3000 B.C Lelegs. In the 9 th Century B.C the lonians who were
merchantes and the sailors soon become rich with trade overseas and
gained political power. They founded twelve cities called "Lonion
Colanies". In the ancient times, KUSADASI was one of the main harbours
Anatolia opened to the Mediterranean Sea. It was called "Neopolis" then.
In the 7 Th Century B.C Lydians dominated the city and called their
capital Sardes. In 546 B.C Persians dominated the city until the
Macedonian? Kinf Great Alexander's invasion of the whole Anatolia, in 33
B.C With this invasion a new era in art and culture started as the
resulf of the mixture of Greek civilisation. This era is called "Hellenistic
Age" Ephesus, Milethos, Priene, Didyma were the most famous cities of
the period. In the 2 N.D century B.C Romans conquered the city. During
the first years of Christianity, as the Virgin Mary and St.John settled
in Ephesus, the region became a religious center. In the Christianity
period, Milethos was a Bishopric Center, and called as "Ania" in the
Byzantium Period. In the middle ages, KUSADASI was a harbour used by the
pirates. In the 15 th Century, it was called "Scala Nuova" under the
domination of the Venetians and the Geneoses. With Kılıç Arslan the 2
invasion in 1186, the city became a part of the Selçuk State under the
Turkish domination. It became an and-point of the land -trade roads open
to the Aegean Sea for exportation. With the fall of the Selçuk State,
the Convention are started and the Aydınoğulları Convention dominated
the region until the Ottomans domination in the 15 th, 16 th century. In
1413, KUSADASI became a part of the Ottoman territory by Sultan Mehmet
Çelebi. Then it remained Turkish and many Turkish and many Turkish
buildings were built in the city. Ox Mehmet Pasha built today's
Caravanserai and city walls. Before there were three gates to the city
which was surrounded with walls. Today one of three separates the
Barbaros Hayrettin Pasha Streat and the top of it is as the regional
traffic city office. The other two gates are not present today. The isle
was a sea patrol for the security of the shores. The Ottomans and the
Venetions used Guvercin Ada (Pigeon Island) as an important military
base of the city. In 1834 it was repaired and this famous citadel was
built. The name of KUSADASI comes from this citadel. Until 1954, the
capital of the province was İzmir. With the change of the capital to
Aydın it advanced rapidly. The city is 264 km2 and the population is
about 40.000
MOSQUE INSIDE CASTLE
It is in the bazaar. The Vizier Ox Mehmed Pasha built it in 1618. After
him, it is called Ox Mehmed Pasha. It was restored in 1830. The last row
for public is wooden. The single galleried minaret is on the right. The
mosque door has geometric figures and is inlaid with mather of pearl. It
is covered with a dome built on a 12-edged frame with 16 windows |
