Smyrna fires (XVIII. from mid century until 1922)

Anatolia, where ancient civilization were established, has been home to many different nations throughout history. Undoubtedly, İzmir had a very special place in this geography. İzmir which is the gate of Anatolia to Europe, with its fertile lands and the widening of the hinterland, has been favorable for both trade and many different cultures here for centuries. Due to this feature, it has been invaded many times in İzmir history. It is a fact that as much as invasions, the city is affected by natural disasters, especially fires. The Izmir fires (1763-1922), which is our topic has experienced many fires in short intervals and we see that the fires are usually the result of an accident. Since the constructions were made of timber, the fire spread quickly and the effect was large scale. Fires that were so frequent in a short time also affected the city's economy in the negatively. Because each time something is rebuilt, the city's cultural accumulation has been erased each time. The last living 1922 Izmir fire is the most concrete example of this.