Where does the name of Guzelbahce come from?
The name of Klazomenai established in 7th century BC, turned to Klizman in colloquial language over time.
This name had been used through long ages. However, Governor Kazim DIRIK visiting the district in 1936 after the establishment of Republic of Türkiye made a proposal. This proposal was related to the name of the place being Kizilbahce because the land of this region was scarlet and a lot of martyr blood was shed here during the War of Independence. This proposal was approved and after that date, the name of Kizilbahce started to be used. But, in the direction of reactions appearing in time about the word of ‘Scarlet’, the name was changed again and became ‘Guzelbahce’ during the foundation of the municipality in 1954.
GEOGRAPHY OF GUZELBAHCE
Location: It is a district of Izmir Province in Aegean Region. It is surrounded by the Gulf of Izmir in its north, Narlidere and Konak in its east, Menderes and Urla in its south, Urla in its west. Guzelbahce, which is 24 km away from the center of Izmir, is located in a flat area. Guzelbahce is on 7 east longitude and 38 north latitude.
Climate: Typical Mediterranean climate is seen.
Landforms: There are Camlik, Omarefendi, Kokar Hills in south of the district but they are not high. There are the mountains of Catalkaya, Papaz and Manastir in its east and Camlica and Sivrice Hills in its west.
Vegetation: In parallel with the climate, there are pine forests in uplands and marquis in lowlands.
Population: The district located on Izmir-Cesme highway differs in terms of typical features of population. According to address-based population registration system of 2010, the population in the district center is 23.048 and 1.414 in towns. It is 24.462 at total.
Guzelbahce district is located in line that İzmir city is expanding towards its west rapidly and in area that rapid urbanization makes difficulties. There are 9 counties and 3 villages of the district in the center of Guzelbahce.
ADMINISRATIVE STRUCTURE OF GUZELBAHCE
After 5 counties of Guzelbahce Municipality was reconstituted in terms of their names and borders in 1995, counties called as Siteler, Yaka, Maltepe, Celebi, Ataturk and Kahramandere formed and the number of counties rose to 7.
HISTORY OF GÜZELBAHÇE
ANCIENT PERIOD
The history of Guzelbahce dates back to 7th century BC. In this period, a Dorian tribe occupied the region and a city called ‘Klonamiye’ was established. The district selected as a settlement was around the Klazomenia (its center is Urla) city, which was one of 12 Ionian settlements.
The region was used as a settlement in Persian, Greek, Roman and Byzantine periods throughout history and it became a center where especially troops stayed.
TURKISH SOVEREIGNITY PERIOD
Turkmen tribes settled there after War of Malazgirt. Chaka Bey dominated the region for a while. Aydinogullari captured the region in 1310. Crusaders captured the region for a short time in 1334 and although Yildirim Bayezid incorporated it in Ottoman territory during his reign, he defeated to Timur in the Battle of Ankara (1402). The region of Dikili was given to Aydinogullari again by Timur and it was under the ruling of Crusaders and it was definitely incorporated in Ottoman territory in 1426.
The region was captured by Chaka Bey during the reign of the Sultan of Great Selhuq Empire Meliksah in 1084. Later on, it was occupied by the Crusaders; it was taken by Timurlenk in 1403 and given to Aydinogullari.
In the 16th century, the Turks from Kagizman settled in Guzelbahce - Buldanalti location. They lived here under the rule of the Beylik of Klozomen, under the sovereignty of the Greeks. Since the region in which they decided to settle was a forest, they created places which were suitable for agriculture with human power.
They lived in this region for a long time, but since they were occasionally attacked by pirates, they moved to the south and immigrated to the region including Dede Tomb, Kup Creek and Kuduz Creek. It is understood from the tilery and pottery quarries belonging to that time around Kup Creek. The graves, which still exist, document that they lived for a long time in this residential area.
Due to the plague epidemic that started in the region in the 18th century, the people came to the lower bazaar location where they first settled. Following this incident, immigrants brought by galleys and the Greeks of Christian origin settled in the region. Over time, regular streets and inns were built in the area called the Lower Bazaar. With the increase of the population of the Greeks, it became a second settlement, called Yeni Mahalle (New Neighborhood) (present-day Celebi Neighborhood).
In 1893, a part of Muslims living in Crete came to Guzelbahce as immigrants and settled in this neighborhood. As a result of the exchange in 1912, Greeks living in this neighborhood were sent and Muslims from Crete were placed in their places.
It was under the Greek occupation between 1919 and 1922. On 12 September 1922, the troops of Colonel Colak Ibrahim Bey and Captain Kemal Bey saved Narlidere, Guzelbahce and Urla from the enemy occupation on the same day.
REPUBLICAN PERIOD
In the Republican period (in 1936), the district was attached to Urla as Bucak Directorate and the name of Klizman was changed to Kizilbahce. In 1954, Buyuk Hamidiye Village was turned to a neighborhood with the name of Buyuk Kaya. Thus, by passing the central population of 2000, the first municipality of Urla was established and called Kizilbahce. Its first mayor was Mustafa TUNAR. In 1958, by being changed the name of Kizilbahce, it was named as Guzelbahce.
In revolution of 12 September 1980, it was attached to Izmir Municipality as a neighborhood and this stopped the improvement of Guzelbahce. In result of the law numbered 3030 of 24 March 1984, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality was founded. Guzelbahce was included in Central District Municipality of the Metropolitan. The Central District Municipality was changed as Konak District Municipality.
Between 1988 and 1992, it remained attached to Konak District Municipality; it was named Narlibahce by being combined with Narlidere with the law numbered 3806 of 3 June 1992. Later on, with the law numbered 3949 of 27 December 1993, it became a detached district identity; as soon as the first District Governor Dr. Mustafa Remzi GURSU took office on 09.05.1994, the District Governorate became operational.
People consisting of Greeks and Turks were living in Guzelbahce, which was a small settlement in Ottoman period. After Crete got out of the ruling of Ottomans, Turks living here settled in Guzelbahce in 1893. After World War I, Guzelbahce and Izmir was occupied by Greeks. The occupation was finished on 12 September 1922.
ECONOMY OF GUZELBAHCE
Industry and Trade: There are 20 industrial enterprises, of 13 in the district center and 10 outside of the district. More than 300 workers work at instant soup factories such as Kutas Agricultural Products, MT. Textile, Cemdag Collective Company. In addition, Marble Processing is carried out in Yelki Town. The marble quarry found in Kukuckaya Village is within the scope of the mining law.
Small Handicrafts: There are small handicrafts enterprises in business. Some of these enterprises are in business in the district town and partly in Yelki Town.
Fishery: Since the district has a 6-7 km coastline, fishery is important in the economy of the district. The fact that fisheries in the district contributes to the country's economy with a capacity of 1200 tons/year as a result of hunting with 110 boats, emphasizes how important this sector is for the district. The fact that the fish consumed entirely in the market is a considerable source of income contributes to employment in this sector to increase. Guzelbahce Ltd. Aquaculture Cooperative, which was founded in 1978 in order to serve to their partners in the production, storage and marketing of all kinds of aquaculture, to be solidarity with them and to support them, is in the groups of agricultural cooperatives. It serves to all fishermen and in particular to its partners of the cooperative in the district that became the center of fishery. There is a quite big fish market in the region.
Banking Sector: 3 bank branches serve in Guzelbahce.
TOURISM IN GUZELBAHCE
Sport activities such rallying, sky diving are held in the district. There are seafood restaurants in Yali Neighborhood and wine tasting room in Yetki Neighborhood. High school shots of a TV series called Kavak Yelleri partly were done here (in 60th Year Anatolian High School).
TOURISM STATISTCS:
THE LIST OF SIMPLE ACCOMMODATION CERTIFICATED FACILITIES
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