Agora of Smyrna

 

 

 

The Agora of Smyrna, which is located in current-day İzmir, Turkey was a bustling urban center of its time, where people gathered for trade, social interaction, and political deliberations. The site dates back to the Hellenistic period (around the 4th century BCE), it is a rectangular building which has a wide courtyard in the middle and galleries surrounded by great columns.

The term Agora refers to a market place, bazaar, city square or simply put a ''gathering place'', and they served commercial, religious and political purposes.

The story of the Agora of Smyrna literally begins with a dream, a dream that would define the geography of the region for centuries to come, its been said that the Agora of Smyrna was founded after Alexander the great had a dream while he was sleeping under a plane tree at the Mount of Pagos (Kadifekale).

The Agora was a space that defined not just the physical layout of the city, but also the way of life of its citizens, the architecture shows a mixture of Greek and roman influences, the location of the Agora is easily accessible from any part of the city making it a must-see destination for people hoping to discover one of the many historical and cultural offerings that the beautiful city of Izmir has  to offer.

The Agora, is a place where sounds of ancient daily life still reverberate through the columns, stones and streets that once was filled with activities, try to envision walking through a bustling marketplace 2000 years ago, it was the heart of the ancient city.

For the people of Smyrna, the Agora wasn’t just a marketplace, it was a gathering space where news was exchanged, ideas were shared, and business was done, philosophers engaging in intense debates, or craftsmen negotiating their goods.

While the ruins at the site that remains today may not tell the complete story, they still give us a glimpse into a world from times long gone, and I couldn't help but marvel at the amount of dedication and sacrifices that must have gone into the creation of this historical and archeological landmark, and  as I walked through the streets of the old Agora, I was filled with a sense of respect for the ones who once roamed these same streets.