The importance of heritage roads on the development of Western Anatolia and Izmir

Abstract

Topographic corridor passing the heritage roads is one of the main factors of the social and economic development in Western part of Turkey. The grabens forming a lowlands named Buyukmenderes, Kucukmenderes and Gediz grabens provide the transportation easily east-west direction between coastal belt of the Aegean Sea and the inland part of the Anatolia. For example the Sardes State owes the existence of the Gediz graben naturally way extending between Gulf of Izmir and the inland part of the Anatolia. The gold obtained from the Menderes masse supported the richness of this state. In historical process Royal Road or King Road played an important role in this richness.Indeed during the historical times the roads named Royal Road (King Road), Silk and Spices (baharat) roads passed along the mentioned grabens. The trade items had been transported via the caravans along the grabens. On the other hand, the depressed areas of the Aegean Sea also fit the natural harbors such as Izmir (Smyrna), Ephesus, Phokaia, Klozomenai and Cesme. These harbors are shelters areas protecting from the severe winds. The suitable situation of the grabens caused the railway construction between Izmir harbor and Aydın. The agricultural products obtained from the fertile agricultural lands in the grabens exported from the Izmir harbor. These trade activities have contributed the fast economic development of the Izmir Gulf and its hinterland. The Royal Road, Silk Road, Spice Road and railways connecting inland part of the Anatolia and the harbors along the Aegean Sea have contributed not only the trade developments but also the agricultural heritage of humanbeing in Izmir and in the Western Anatolia region. In this study, it is discussed these ways in terms of the development of the West Anatolia and Izmir. And it is emphasized that these roads should be evaluated as a tourism product in terms of heritage tourism.