Kültürpark Izmir, Turkey

Izmir Public Park

Where? When?

Address: Mimar Sinan, Șair Eșref Blv. No.50, 35220 Konak/İzmir. It is open non-stop. Admission is free.

About Kültürpark Izmir

Kültürpark is a public park, located in the center of İzmir, in the Konak District. It is bordered by Dr. Mustafa Enver Bey Avenue to the north, Bozkurt Avenue to the east, Mürsel Pasha Avenue to the south and Dr. Refik Saydam and Șair Eșref Avenues to the west. It was established in 1936 under the leadership of Behçet Uz and occupies 42 hectares. The area where the park stands today was the site of the Armenian Quarter destroyed by fire in 1922. The park has 14 exhibition halls and several conference rooms. The park is a green oasis with over 8,000 trees and 200 plants. The park is also home to the Atatürk Open Air Theater, the İsmet İnönü Art Center, the Celal Atik Sports Hall, the Lunapark Amusement Park, the Parachute Tower, the Youth Theater, the Museum of Painting and Sculpture, and a marriage bureau. For sports enthusiasts there are 2 km of running tracks, a swimming pool, a gym and tennis courts. The Izmir International Fair and many other environmental and musical events are organized in the park. It has 4 entrances or kapı in Turkish.

Further information can be found at http://www.kulturparkizmir.org/?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

1. Lozan Kapısı

We entered the Lozan gate, located on Shair Erșef Boulevard. There are several means of public transportation that arrive here. If you are in the Konak Neighborhood, where there are several sights, I recommend you to come to the park on foot, for a walk, to the Aegean shore is less than 700 meters away. Turkish flags fly at the gate.

Kültürpark Izmır

Lozan Kapisi

2. Izmir fuari

These are the alleys of the park. At the entrance is an interesting group of statues. The alleys are lined with tables where produce markets are organized. In the main alleyway are two rows of phallic palm trees.

Izmir fuari

alley with palm trees

3. Park Center

In the center of the park, where the paths coming from the different gates meet, is the place called Kaskali havuz, which means cascading pool. From here there is a perspective to the Parachuting Tower, but especially to the Kadifekale Velvet Fortress which can be seen on Mount Pagos. At the end of the palm-lined alley is a monument inscribed with signs made in stone.

view towards Kedifakale

Skydiving tower

cascading pool

the monument

4. Trees

I loved the trees in the park. A marked spot is Magnolia grandiflora, an American magnolia that grows up to 100 feet, has a rich, circular crown and large magonella flowers blooming. On the way out we posed with lemon and orange trees.