A Brief History of Kusadasi

Although it is not known exactly when and by whom the city was founded, it was supposed that the lonians founded the city which was then called “Neopolis” at Yılancı burnu and bound to Ephesus.

The city had been constructed at the hillsides of Pilavtepe, where there is Andızkule. Shortly after, the Venetians and Genoesians dominated the shores economically, which belonged to Byzantines.

Because of transporting difficulties Kuşadası has been constructed at its recent location with the name “Yeni İskele(New Port)”, instead of Andızkule location.

The Kuşadası Bay,which is its name from the city, and the regions are known as artistic and cultural centers; and include many different civilizations since the first ages.

In the 3000’s B.C., Lelegians; in the 9th centruy B.C., lonians dominated the region. The land-piece which is between Big Menderes and Gediz Rivers, got the name “IONIA” from ancient times. The lonian merchants and sailors got rich in a short time by over sea trade, and they had a strong political power. They founded 12 cities called “Ion Colonies”.

In ancient times, Kuşadası was one of the main ports of Anatolia serving out to the Mediterranean. It was called as“Neopolis”, then. In the 7th centruy B.C., Lidians evolved as the dominators of the region and their capital city was Sardes.

The Persian domination that began in 546 B.C., continued until the Macedonian commander Alexander the Great conquered the whole Anatolia, a new era, a new artistical and cultural attitude which is a synthesis of Greek and local Anatolian civilizations began; and this era is called “Hellenistic Era”. Ephesus, Milet, Priene and Didyma were the most famous cities of this area.

In the 2nd century B.C., Romans dominated in the region. In the early years of the Christianity, one of the apostles of Mother Mary, St.John the Evangelist came over and settled in Ephesus; so the city became a religious center. Also, Miletus was the Bishop’s Center of the Christians period, it was called “Ania” in the Byzantium era. Kuşadası, has become a port which was mostly used by the pirates during the Middle Age. In the 15th centruy, at the time of the Venetians and Genoesians, the city was called as “Scala Nuova”.

In 1186 A.C., with the invasion of the region by Kılıç Aslan II and extension of the Seljuk State, Turkish domination began. At this period, it has become the export-gate of the caravan-routes to the Aegean.

After the destruction of the Seljuk State, the Conventions Era began. Aydınoğulları dominated for a time. In the mid-15th centruy, Ottomans evolved.

Kuşadası became a part of the Ottoman territory in 1413 by (Çelebi) Mehmet I

After this, the city has always been under the Turkish territory and began to be filled with Turkish buildings. The Caravanserail and the ramparts surrounding Kuşadası were built by Mehmet Paşa.

It was possible to enter the surrounded city from just three gates only. One was seperating Barbaros Hayreddin Paşa Street and Kahramanlar Street; and today the upside is being used as Regional Innercity Traffic Authority. The other gates do not exist.

Küçükada was a forward check-point protecting the shores for the Byzantines. Güvercinada (Pigeon Island), which served as an important military base for the Venetians and the Ottomans, had a full reconstructions in 1834 and its famous castle was built up. The name “Kuşadası (Bird Island)” comes from this castle.

It was a district of Izmir until 1954; after this date it became a province of Aydın and underwent a rapid development. The area is 264 km² and its population is about 45000.