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HISTORY
Kusadasi has a rich and varied
history. A small settlement founded by lonian
settlers and known as Neapolis, is known to
have existed at the site even in ancient
times, but it was always over shadowed by its
mighty neighbor Ephesus.
After the Hellenistic Period, the Romans and
the Byzantines dominated Kusadasi. The town
was an important commercial port and a foreign
colony under Venetian and Genoese merchants in
the 14th century and was called ScalaNouva
(the new port) and medieval chronicles mention
the presence of foreign consulates and
warehouses. The Turks preferred to live mainly
inland on the foothills around Pilavtepe near
the ancient settlement known as Andızkule.
After a period of various Seljuk princes and
Crusader knights the ottoman Turks conquered
Kusadasi in 1413.
The town took its present from during the
early 17th century when Öküz Mehmet Pasha was
a grand vizier of Ottoman Empire. He built the
city walls, a mosque complex consisting of a
mosque, an Inn and a Turkish bath.
HOW TO GET TO KUSADASI
Kusadasi is located on the western
Anatolia by the Aegean Coast 90 kilometers
south of Izmir. You can get to Kusadasi;
BY AIR
There are regular charter flights during
the summer from major European capitals to
Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport, located only 75
kilometers from Kusadasi. Turkish Airlines
also has connecting flights to Izmir from
İstanbul and Ankara.
BY ROAD
Kusadasi is connected by road to the E -
24/550 Izmir - Denizli highway by way of the
towns of Selçuk and Çamlık a railroad
switchyard station. Frequent bus services,
operated by major transport companies have
offices in Kusadasi.
BY SEA
Turkish and Greek ferry boats shuttle
daily between Kusadasi and the nearby Greek
island of Samos. Greek ocean liners sail twice
a week between Ancona (Italy) and Kusadasi, once a week between Venice and Izmir.
In addition to these, Kusadasi is a port of call of many foreign ocean liners
sailing the Aegean. Turkish Maritime lines
(Deniz Yolları) cruise ships stop at
Kusadasi regularly while on İstanbul - Mersin sailing
route. With its 700 - Bert marina, Kusadasi is
a major port of foreign yachtsmen.
BY RAIL
Turkey has an extensive railroad networks.
The nearest railroad station to Kusadasi is the town of Selçuk, on the İzmir - Aydın
railroad, which is linked to the national
railways system. Foreign train buffs can hire
steam engine trains from Izmir for special
tours of the region.
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