One Last Outing: Çeşme

Friday, November 4

Another beautiful-weather morning found us on our way to Çeşme, a coastal town about 50 miles (80 km) west of İzmir. Çeşme literally translates as “faucet or fountain.” I hear there are numerous fountains sprinkled around town. Perhaps on a different occasion I'll go hunting for them, but that wasn't on the agenda today.

I spent many a summer in one of the nearby towns with my family, and remember frequent forays into the town-proper for a meal, shopping, or just for a stroll. In some ways, today’s Çeşme is quite different from the one I remember; in others, it’s the same. I enjoyed a bit of both today.

there’s a highway connecting İzmir to Çeşme now; it makes for a faster, easier drive.

We started our day with breakfast at Murat’s mother’s beach house. Normally they’d be back in the city by now, but they’re renovating their apartment in İzmir, so they’ll be staying in Çeşme until that work is completed. Their house is up a steep hill, next door to the fortress, and has a view of the recently constructed marina.

Nice view, don’t you agree?

I thought I had taken a photo of the breakfast feast, but I can’t find it. You’ll just have to take my word that it was worthy of royalty.

After breakfast, Aylin and Murat took me to the marina for a stroll. It was quiet, and most of the eateries and shops were closed, but I imagine that on the weekends the place is hopping. Having opened to service in 2010, the marina is a new addition to the town; and one they hope will bring in lots of revenue from boat owners. It sure didn’t look like it was lacking for small-boat clientele.

Narrow, flagstone-paved streets are lined with eateries and shops.

Sunny, but chilly … not that we were put off from sightseeing.

Everywhere you look there are bushes of Bougainvillea blooming.

who says there aren’t unicorns?

Looking towards town from the far side of the marina; hidden behind all those
masts is the fortress that we’ll be visiting next.

One of Çeşme’s landmarks is the kale (fortress) by the same name. Though proof is hard to come by, it’s believed that the fortress was built by the Genoese in the 14th Century. Restored in the 16th Century during the reign of the Ottoman Sultan Bayezit II, it played an important role in the Naval Battle of Çeşme (1770). The Russian fleet was victorious, but not before losing their flagship to the Ottoman fleet.

Sultan Bayezİt II restored the fortress in 1508.

In 1965, the fortress was converted to a museum. (Admission fee 3TL [approx. $1.75]; free with Müzekart). Visitors are allowed to wander around at will and check out the exhibits housed in several of the towers. Theoretically, one can walk the narrow, stone walkway that rims the ramparts all the way around. There was renovation work being done along one side, however, so I was unable to make the full circuit. Steep, perhaps, but worth it for the views.

The picture on the left is exactly what you think it is — an alaturka (Turkish style) toilet.
It was located at the head of the walkway (right) leading to the interior courtyard.
Note the rifle/arrow slit in the wall — I guess the guard was expected to be alert
and ready to defend the fortress at all times :-)

Over 700 Ottoman period headstones that have been collected from around the
area are lined up against the walls of the fortress.

the inner courtyard — or at least a part of it.
I sure could have used a super wide angle lens here.

Archaeological finds displayed in the corner tower seen in the previous image.

Heading up along the side wall yields views of the marina.

Glimpse of the moat surrounding the fortress.

Where there's now a marina ...

... once there was just a body of water.
[historic photo from a billboard]

Glimpse of the town from high atop the ramparts.

A little weathered, but ready to defend the fortress.

From the exhibit in the Çeşme Ottoman-Russian Naval Battle Hall.
Top Left: 1791 English cartoon satirizing Catherine the great’s imperial ambitions and
sexual appetite as she steps over the heads of European monarchs.
Center: it was during the reign of Sultan Mustafa III that the naval battle was fought.
top right: Portrait of Catherine the great.
bottom left & right: Paintings depicting the naval battle.

Exhibit of amphorae dating from the 1st Century BC to the 18th Century AD.

And on that note, we called our sightseeing quits. After collecting mom from where we’d left her to visit with Murat’s mom and sister, we made a quick stop to pick up some cheese from Murat’s favorite dairy and headed back home.

Tomorrow is packing day … so, no post.