İzmit
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 İzmit |
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| Location in Turkey | |
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| Overview | |
| Region | Marmara Region, Turkey |
| Province | Kocaeli Province |
| Population | 373.034 NA (2006) |
| Area | 974 km² |
| Elevation | 100 m |
| Coordinates | 40°41′ N 29°31′ E |
| Postal code | 41xxx |
| Area code | (+90) 262 |
| Licence plate code | 41 |
İzmit (ancient Nicomedia) is the capital city of the Kocaeli Province of Turkey. It is located at the Gulf of İzmit in the Sea of Marmara, about 100 km east of İstanbul, on the northwestern part of Anatolia. The city has a population of 195,699 (2000 census), compared with a pre-earthquake estimate of 210,000. İzmit (Nicomedia) was the eastern (and most senior) capital city of the Roman Empire between 286 and 324 during the Tetrarchy system introduced by Diocletian, and served as an interim capital city for Constantine the Great between 324 and 330, until the nearby Byzantium was officially declared Nova Roma (later known as Constantinople, present-day Istanbul).
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[edit] Defining İzmit
The geological location of İzmit is between 40°-41° N and 29°-31° E, surrounded by the Gulf of İzmit at south, İstanbul and the Sea of Marmara at west, the Black Sea at north, and Sakarya at east.
The city is mostly built on hill slopes because of the cramped area, while flat plains are located around the gulf, near the sea. This topographic structure divided the city in two different parts. The first part was created on flat plains, where the city center is also located. The railway and highway networks also pass from this area which is close to the Sea of Marmara. The second part was built on hills, with many historic houses from the Ottoman period in the old quarters.
[edit] Features
There are numerous places of interest for tourists both in the city center and its immediate surrounding region, such as the remains of the ancient Acropolis, Agora, Amphitheater, Nymphaeum, Necropolis, Demeter Temple and the Hellenistic Üçtepeler Mound King Tombs, the Roman city walls, parts of the Temple of Augustus, parts of the Palace and Arsenal of Diocletian, Roman aqueducts and cisterns, a Byzantine fortress at the core of the Roman city walls, Orhan Gazi Mosque (1333), the 14th century Süleyman Paşa Hamam, the 16th century Imaret Mosque and Pertev Paşa Mosque (1580) designed by the great Ottoman architect Sinan, Pertev Paşa Fountain (1571), the 16th century Mehmed Bey Hamam, Saatçi Ali Efendi Mansion (1776), Tüysüz Fountain (1782), the early 19th century Fevziye Mosque, Kapanca Sokağı Fountain and Canfeda Kethüda Kadın Fountain (1827), the mid 19th century Sırrı Paşa Mansion, Kasr-ı Hümayun Palace and the French Theological School, Redif Barracks (1863), and the İzmit Clock Tower (1901).
İzmit is an important industrial center, with a large oil refinery, and major paper and cement factories. Ford Motor Company has a plant here in a joint venture with Otosan, assembling the Transit/Tourneo and Transit/Tourneo Connect vans. It is also a transportation hub, being located on the main highway and railway lines between İstanbul and Ankara, and having a major port.
Financial Times affiliated Foreign Direct Investment Magazine nominated Kocaeli (the province of which İzmit is the capital) among the 25 European Regions of the Future for 2006-2007.[1] The city was chosen along with Adana for Turkey, which scored the most points for cost effectiveness against Kocaeli's wider infrastructure, while Adana and Kocaeli tied on points for human resources and quality of life.
Kocaeli University was established in the city in 1992. The university has more than 50,000 students.
İzmit Outlet Centre gives manufacturers the opportunity to sell their products faster by uniting in one center. Besides shopping, the Center is designed to cater for all needs where visitors can spend longer periods of time.
The famous Turkish traditional sweet Pişmaniye is a native product of İzmit and the Kocaeli Province.
[edit] History
In antiquity, the city was called Astacus or Olbia (founded 712 BC). After being destroyed, it was rebuilt and founded by Nicomedes I of Bithynia in 264 BC under the name of Nicomedia, and has ever since been one of the most important cities in northwestern Asia Minor. Hannibal came to Nicomedia in his final years and committed suicide in nearby Libyssa (Gebze). The historian Arrian was born there. Nicomedia was the metropolis of Bithynia under the Roman Empire (see Nicaea), and Diocletian made it the eastern capital city of the Roman Empire in 286 when he introduced the Tetrarchy system. Nicomedia remained as the eastern (and most senior) capital of the Roman Empire until Licinius was defeated by Constantine the Great in 324. Constantine mainly resided in Nicomedia as his interim capital city for the next six years, until in 330 he declared the nearby Byzantium as Nova Roma, which eventually became known as Constantinople (present-day Istanbul). Constantine died in a royal villa at the vicinity of Nicomedia in 337. Owing to its position at the convergence of the Asiatic roads leading to the new capital, Nicomedia retained its importance even after the foundation of Constantinople.
The city was conquered by the Ottoman Turks in 1338.
The earthquake of August 17, 1999 (magnitude 7.4) devastated the region, killing more than 19,000 people and leaving many more homeless. It took several years for the city to recover from this disaster; but the scars, especially on the memories of the residents -most of whom lost their loved ones, family members or friends- can still be observed.
[edit] Views from İzmit
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[edit] Historic and modern sites in and around İzmit
- Agora of İzmit
- Citadel of İzmit
- Temple of Augustus of İzmit
- İzmit Bay Bridge
[edit] References
[edit] External links
 İzmit in Kocaeli Province (in the Marmara region) of Turkey |
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| Urban districts | İzmit |    |
| Rural districts | Derince - Gebze - Gölcük - Kandıra - Karamürsel - Körfez | |
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Regions
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| Aegean | ||
| Black Sea | ||
| Central Anatolia | ||
| East Anatolia | ||
| Marmara | ||
| Mediterranean Sea | ||
| Southeastern Anatolia | ||
