Konak Meydanı

About Konak Meydanı

Konak Meydanı (Konak Square) is one of İzmir's best known and most symbolic public spaces, at the heart of the city's historic, cultural and social life. Visit İzmir, the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality's tourism portal, places it between the Kordon waterfront and the Kemeraltı bazaar. The square is framed by some of the city's most recognisable buildings: the İzmir Clock Tower, the Government House (Hükümet Konağı), the small Yalı Mosque and the National Library area, which together form one of İzmir's best known skylines. The Government House was built in 1868 and made the area the city's administrative centre. The Clock Tower was built in 1901 to mark the 25th anniversary of Sultan Abdülhamid II's accession and is now one of the strongest symbols of İzmir. Visit İzmir's English pages note that the square has been the centre of the city since the 18th century, that İzmir Municipal Council renamed it Atatürk Square in 1937, and that it counts with Cumhuriyet and Gündoğdu squares among the city's symbolic squares. Today it is a natural starting point for exploring İzmir, opening onto the historic streets of Kemeraltı, the seafront promenade and the Konak ferry pier.