KOCAELI'S HISTORY
Research has shown that people from eras beyond history have lived in and around Izmit,
which is the junction of the world's most important roads, since 3000 B.C.
The first evidences of Izmit, in which people have continued to dwell to this day, can be
traced back to the 12th century B.C. At this time the Phrygians ruled the region after which a
group migrating from Greece's city of Svlegara to find themselves a new place to dwell
formed a city in the Başiske!e district and called it ASTAKOZ.
After the King Lysimakhos of Thrace destroyed the city of ASTAKOZ a new city called
NICOMEDIA was built on the hills on which the present Izmit is located. The city was built
in 262 B.C. by King Nicomedes who was appointed by Alexander the Great to conquer
Anatolia and was named for the king's wife. Nicomedia, as the centre of the rising Bithinia
Kingdom, becomes a great Hellenistic city. It is granted to the Romans in 91-94 B.C. In 284
B.C. the Emperor Diocletionus makes Nicomedia the capital again. In his era Nicomedia
is the world's fourth largest city after Rome, Antioch and Alexandria.
In the last quarter of the 11th century Nicomedia is taken over by the Seljuks. Nicomedia
was retaken in the 1st Crusade and after remaining under the occupation of the Latins for a
while was returned to the Seljuks. In the era of Orhan Ghazi the city was taken by the
governor of the Adapazari and Hendek regions, Akgakoca, and brought under the rule of
the Ottoman State. At first the city's name was Iznikmid, meaning neighbour of Iznik, and
later became Izmit.
Izmit was part of Istanbul until 1888 when it became a separate city. Prior to the War of
Independence the city was freed from English and Greek armed occupation on 28th June
1921. After the Republic was declared Izmit became the centre of the Kocaeli province.
During the Republic period industrial investments made in the region the city's industrial
foundation is set and both state and private ventures increase. Today Kocaeli is an
advanced industrial city and is surrounded by railway and the most advanced motorway
network. Also, with its Derince and Izmit ports it has sea routes to all four corners of the
world. Kocaeli is a small province with regard to its land measurement and is an
interesting worldwide example with its production in industry, added value and people
working in this sector.
Its natural beauties, beaches, plateaus, skiing centres and historical sites as well as the
coasts of the Black Sea and the Marmara Sea are also important for the province of
Kocaeli with regard to commerce and tourism.
KOCAELI'S LOCATION
Kocaeli is a province east of the Marmara Sea and the Marmara Region which connects
Asia and Europe. It is comprised of a total of seven counties which are Gebze, Körfez,
Karamursel, Golcuk, Kandira, Derince and the Central County of Izmit.
The Black Sea is to its North, the Sakarya province is in the East and South east, Bursa is in
the South and the provinces of Yalova and Istanbul are located to its West. With regard to
its location Kocaeli is Turkey's sixth smallest province. According to the 2002 consensus
the population was 1.203.335 and the population per km2 was 344.
It is one of Turkey's most important travel points by Road, railway, Sea and Air.
KOCAELI MAP: http://uk.multimap.com/wi/1271.htm
IZMIT Izmit is the central county of Kocaeli and has the same name. It is a coastal town near the eastern point of the Gulf (Korfez). It is an ancient city built on one of the most important routes between Turkish Asia and Europe. There are large industrial establishments and shopping centres and the population has reached a total of 371.725 including the villages and subdistricts. Although Izmit is known as an industrial town it is also a town where serious ventures are taking place to become a city of culture, art and education. The town's own special local delicacy, Pişmaniye, is famous worldwide.
DERINCE
Derince is a settlement area which was called Çinar Çayiri (Plane Tree Meadow) during
the Ottoman era and was registered as the Çinarli Village during the reign of Sultan Selim
I. Due to effective and fast industrialisation there has been major migration and having
grown with the increasing population it became formally a town in 2000. It has a
population of about 97.476. Thanks to its roads leading from Istanbul to Anatolia and its
support of traffic and freight loads in the straits of the Marmara Sea, the Derince Port
carries out very efficient delivery-shipment and Ro-Ro journeys.
Derince, where the industrial features of the Kocaeli province are mostly found, is one of
the industrial centres of the city and houses large industrial organisations besides
business centres and smaller industries.
Derince is also famous all over the country for its drinking water called Çenesuyu.
GOLCUK
The county of Golcuk is on the southern coast of the Izmit Gulf and is 16km away from
Izmit. Golcuk has a land measure of 199 km2 and is located between the Samanli
Mountains and the Izmit Gulf. The town is spread narrowly strip-like on both sides of the
Iznnit-Bursa motorway in an east-west position and its length is 3.5km to the north and its
width is 1km to the south. It is bordered by steep hills in the south, the Gulf in the north and
a large military base in the west. It has a population of 108.771.
Golcuk is also surrounded by Izmit in the east, Karamursel in the west, Iznik in the south
and the Izmit Gulf in the north.
Until the earthquake of 17th August 1999, when it received enormous damage, Golcuk
was one of Turkey's most popular counties.
KORFEZ
This county is located on the motorway and railway of Izmit's west coast. It is 20km from Izmit and houses major industries such as Tupraş, Petkim and lgsaş. It also has a Car Racing Track, is famous for its cherries and offers relaxation spots such as tea gardens along the coast. With a population of 106.615 it is Kocaeli's fourth largest countv.
The Hereke district of Korfez is renowned for its carpets. The Sumerbank carpet factory is also there. The pavillion built especially for the German Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm's visit to the Ottoman Empire is also found here and is a miniature replica of the Yıldız Palace.
KARAMURSEL
Karamursel is a county on the south coast of the Izmit Gulf on the Izmit-Yalova coastal route and has a population of 48.464.
Karamursel is bordered by Golcuk in the east, Iznik in the south, Yalova in the west and the Sea of Marmara in the north. It is 35km from Izmit. The county houses the memorial tomb of Karamursel Bey, the first Ottoman Captain of the Sea, and is an attractive location with coastal tea gardens, parks, strolling areas and restaurants. Karamursel is famous for its baskets and is also much progressed in raising hothouse plants.
KANDIRA
Kandira is located on the Black Sea coast of the Izmit Gulf. The county rests against the wide sea of the Black Sea in the north and borders onto the Kaynarca county of Sakarya in the east. To its west it neighbours the Agva village of the Şile county of Istanbul and the southern boundary of Kandira houses villages which are part of the provincial centre. It is 46km away from Izmit. It has a population of 52.340.
The Byzantines gave it the name of "Centri" which meant central. After the Bitinia Kingdom, Kerpe became a port for Roman, Byzantine and Genoese ships. During the Ottoman era Istanbul acquired its needed supplies such as firewood and logs from Kerpe. During the time of Orhan Bey, Kandira was made a part of Ottoman land by Akgakoca the Conqueror of Kocaeli. While it was a township belonging to the town of Uskudar until 1868 it became a part of the independent Izmit Flag when it was made a county. Due to its unspoiled clean coast Kandira has much tourist activity during the summer months. The memorial tomb of Conqueror Akgakoca is located at the top of Baba mountain. The local Kandira Cloth is woven and detailed with old Turkish motifs in the village houses. Kandira is very famous for its turkeys and yoghurt and also its well-known decorative stones.
GEBZE
Gebze is located on the Izmit-lstanbul motorway 51 km away from Izmit. Besides large industrial establishments it also houses the Turkish Scientific and Technical Research Institute (TUBITAK-MAM) and the Gebze Higher Technology Institute. It has a population of 417.944. Amongst its important historical sites is the tomb of Carthaginian Commander Hannibal, the Museum-House of the acheologist and painter Osman Hamdi Bey and the Çoban Mustafa Pasha's Kulliye built by the Architect Sinan.
Gebze's second region Darica-Bayramoğlu consists mainly of housing and is a major holiday resort with its summer estates and its seaside. Gebze also has nature attractions such as the Ballikayalar Nature Park, the Darica Bayramoğlu Bird Paradise and the Theme Park.
1-Darica Bird Paradise, 2- The ceiling decorations of the Hunting Pavillion, 3- Osman Hamdi Bey's House-Museum, 4- The Sultan Baba Tomb, 5-Kaiser Wilhelm's Pavillion. 6-The Demirciler Mansion in Gebze, 7-Karamursel Bey's Memorial, 8-The Beşkayalar National Park, 9-The interior of the Ethnography Museum, 10- The Historical Sarcophagus, 11- Izmit's Ataturk Memorial, 12- The Akcakoca Memorial.
1- Darica Kuş Cenneti, 2- Av Köşkü tavan süslemesi, 3- Osman Hamdi Bey Muze Evi, 4- Sultan Baba Turbesi, 5- Wilhelm Kaiser Köşkü, 6- Gebze Demirciler Konaği, 7- Karamursel Bey Anıtı, 8- Beşkayalar Milli Parkı, 9- Etnografya Müzesi'lçi, 10-Tarihi Lahit, 11-izmit Ataturk Anıtı, 12- Akçakoca Anıtı |
