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Kordon is a beautiful wide open stretch of grass and paths that line the sea all the way to the Port of Izmir. It runs for about 3.2 kilometers and is in the Alsancak area.
Pasaport Ferry Terminal
I started at the historic Pasaport Ferry Terminal (Pasaport İskelesi), a major ferry terminal, after a ferry ride from Karşıyaka. It was built along with the breakwater between 1867 and 1886 and was an international passenger terminal for many years. It was destroyed in 1922 and rebuilt in 1926, and put back into service for local passenger ferries in 2003.
Republic Square
Nearby is Republic Square (Cumhuriyet Meydanı), a huge area that is often the scene of public events. The square was built after the Great Fire of Smyrna in 1922. It features an equestrian monument of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881-1938) crafted by Italian sculptor Pietro Canonica (1869-1959), who also made the monument at Taksim Square in Istanbul.
Gündoğdu Square
About halfway down the Kordon walking north is Gündoğdu Square (Gündoğdu Meydanı), which was created in 2000 on reclaimed land. An interesting monument, Republic Tree (Cumhuriyet Ağacı), sits in the center. It was unveiled on October 29, 2003, and symbolizes the Turkish National Struggle.
The statue itself is five meters high and sits on a marble pedestal 8.5 meters high. The statue depicts ten horsemen while the pedestal contains reliefs and writings describing the Hittite, Seljuk, and Ottoman civilizations as well as the establishment of the Turkish Republic. The artist was Turkish sculptor Ferit Özşen.
Atatürk Museum
A couple of important buildings sit on or near Gündoğdu Square. One is the Atatürk Museum (Atatürk Müzesi), which is located in a mansion that hosted Atatürk on his visit to Izmir on September 11, 1922. It opened to the public as a museum in 1941 on the 19th anniversary of that visit. The museum is open daily and admission is free (as of October 2024).
Greek Consulate
The other is the Greek Consulate. Considering the history of Izmir and knowing it was a majority Greek city less than 100 years ago (there were more Greeks than in Athens!), it was kind of eerie to see a Greek flag in such a prominent location.
Leisure Time
Kordon is a wonderful area for all types of leisure activities, day or night. There are bike and running paths, plenty of bars and restaurants, and it’s a great place to have a picnic or take your dog for a walk. The area is full of people at all times of day but especially comes alive at night.
