Namazgah in İzmir in Konak, Turkey — West Asia or Southeast Europe
The Basement of the West Portico
English text:
The basement that you are now visiting consists of three galleries and was constructed by using arches. The crookedness that you see in the axis of the arches is thought to be the result of hurried repairs, done to make the building usable after the earthquake of 178 AD.
In the Hellenistic period this basement storey consisted of two galleries (1,2). At that time what is now the third gallery (3) was probably one of the city's important streets, onto which the Hellenistic period Bouleuterium (the City Council Building) opened. Today the two doors (4,5) which you see in the west wall of this basement must have been those which opened onto the street from the Hellenistic bouleuterium. In line with developing needs the street, in the course of building activities in the Roman period, was transformed into the third gallery of the West portico. The doors which had been connected to the Hellenistic City Council Building were blocked off. The western section of the portico basement, onto which the doors had opened, was made a part of the water supply in late Antiquity.
The eastern wall of the basement belongs to the basement of the Stoa which was constructed as two galleries in the Hellenistic period. In the course of building the Roman period portico this wall was re-used.
In the east wall, immediately beneath the row of columns, there are rectangular windows. Today most of them are blocked up but in Antiquity they must have opened onto the Agora courtyard and must have been made in order to light and ventilate the basement.
The water channel which runs the length of the first gallery is a part of the system which was, from the earliest construction of the building, used to distribute water coming to the Agora.
Erected by Izmir Chamber of Commerce.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas • Settlements & Settlers.
Location. 38° 25.148′ N, 27° 8.299′ E. Marker is in İzmir, in Konak. It is in Namazgah. Marker can be reached from Tarik Sari Sokağı just east of Eşrefpaşa Cd., on the left when traveling east. This marker is situated in the Smyrna archaeological park, which is in a business/residential neighborhood. This particular marker is located in the basement area of the agora's porticoes. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: İzmir 35240, Turkey. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Dream of Alexander the Great (here, next to this marker); Honorary Inscription (a few steps from this marker); Neocorus of the Cult of the Emperor at Smyrna (a few steps from this marker); Water Channels (a few steps from this marker); The West Portico (within shouting distance of this marker); The Ancient City of Smyrna (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named The Ancient City of Smyrna (within shouting distance of this marker); The Agora of Smyrna (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in İzmir.
More about this marker. Note, I was not certain of this marker's exact GPS location, as I was part of a tour and needed to keep moving to try to keep up, so my basement portico locations are all guesstimates.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 13, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 4, 2018, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio. This page has been viewed 136 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on July 4, 2018, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio. 2, 3. submitted on July 5, 2018, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio.