What Are We Gonna Do in İzmit?: Hiking Notes on İzmit Municipality Urban Culture Route

It was the night of 8th of September 2023, around 23.30. I have long since aiming to walk the urban culture route carried out by İzmit Municipality. A friend of mine who loves walking came to my mind. I went on calling her at once:
Me: Hi, how are you?
My friend: Fine, how about you?
M: Thanks, I’m all right. I am calling you on a bit short notice but shall we go to İzmit tomorrow if you don’t have anything on?
F: İzmit? What are we gonna do in İzmit? There is nothing to see and visit there.
M: I had been thinking the exactly the same as you think before I hiked the Tolerance Way starting from İzmit: an industrial city that is passed in transit on the way from Istanbul to Anatolia. However, when I hiked the Tolerance Way, I have learnt that even in the city centre of İzmit, there are many worth seeing historical buildings and places of interest. At the time, I haven’t seen that part of the city since I didn’t have enough ti to visit. If it appeals to you, shall we visit these places of interest together, what do you say?
F: It sounds interesting. OK, I am immediately going to check high speed train services between İstanbul and İzmit to get tickets. I’ll call you later again.
M: OK, waiting for you to call. See you.
F: See you.

Just like that, the next day we went to İzmit early in the morning on the spot decision. İzmit is a suitable and an easy access city for daytrips especially for those who live in İstanbul. In other words, İzmit can be visited without making detailed plans and preparations long before travelling.
The Tolerance Way starting from İzmit city centre and ending in İznik was put into service in 2017 and took its name from the Edict of Toleration by Galerius. In 311 AD, the edict was published at Nicomedia (modern-day İzmit), the capital of the Roman Empire at the time. In other words, İzmit has always been a historically important settlement since the ancient times.

İzmit Municipality has created a cultural route that reveals the cultural heritage left to the city by ancient Nicomedia, which served as the capital of the Roman Empire for 46 years, then Byzantium and the Ottoman Empire that provides the transition to the present day, and the current Republican period riches of İzmit.

The route starts and ends in front of İzmit Municipality by following a roughly elliptical loop. The GPS record of the route is available on Wikiloc. In other words, you can walk the route on your own with any mobile phone application that can follow the record. In addition, a large part of the trail is marked with red and white waymarks in accordance with international standards. This provides great convenience when following the route.

There are also magnificent views of the İzmit Gulf and the city as well as the historical buildings and places of interest to be seen on the culture route. So, over the course of your walk, you not only learn about the history of the city but also experience a visual feast.

On this route of approximately 10 kms, we saw the following places of interest:
• Akça Mosque
• Portakal Hafız Mansion
• Çukurbağ Archaeological Excavation Area
• Kabaran drinking fountain
• Alaca Mescit Mosque
• Saatçi Ali Efendi Mansion Ethnography Museum
• Hacı Ayvaz (Ayaz) Mosque
• Şemsettin and Pakize Tarın Cultural Centre
• Elbeyoğlu Mansion
• Akçakoca Ottoman Square
• Akçakoca (Dere) Mosque
• Süleyman Pasha Turkish Bath
• Canfedâ Kethüda Hatun Fountain
• Orhan (Gazi Süleyman Pasha) Mansion
• Ruins of Nicomedia Byzantine fortification wall
• Bağçeşme Mosque
• Tomb of Seyyid Ese Dede
• House of Poetry and Literature
• Zübeyde Hanım Mansion – Women’s Life Centre
• Yumurtacı Mosque
• Remembrance House of Atatürk and National Struggle (War of Independence)
• Palace Museum (Hunting Lodge of Sultan Abdülaziz)
• İzmit Clock Tower
• Atatürk Statue
• Kocaeli Archaeology and Ethnography Museum
• Mehmet Bey Mosque (Fevziye Mosque)

However, we could not see some of the places of interest mentioned below because they were not on the GPS route and we could not notice some of them even though we passed by the places since there was no information board or directions etc.:
• Small Turkish Bath
• Selim Sırrı Paşa Mansion
• Kertil Tekke drinking fountain
• Çakmaklı fountain
• Pink Mansion
• Cistern
• Zeliha Hanım fountain
• Old church
• Abdüsselam Mosque
• House of Hulusi Kentmen
• Black bastion
• Martyrs’ grove
• Citadel walls
• Ancient Theatre
• Yeni Cuma Mosque

İzmit Municipality Urban Culture Route, which has been implemented as a well-designed and easily walkable route in general terms, will be a much more effective route if information and direction signs are placed on the route. Moreover, waymarking all the sights and interesting places on the GPS record with short descriptions will make the route attractive for those who want to experience it on their own, like us.

While thanking everyone who made the route actual and who inspired us to have a pretty enjoyable day, we recommend those who say “What is there to see in İzmit?” to walk “I am visiting İzmit” Cultural Route.
Hoping to meet you on other routes, may God speed you and may the red and white waymarks along the trail always be visible…

Oytun Güventürk
September 2023
https://www.instagram.com/tonyukukoytun/
https://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/user.do?id=2443661