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Balçova
District and municipality
Entry gate of the thermal baths associated with Agamemnon in Balçova
Map showing Balçova District in İzmir Province
BalçovaLocation in TurkeyShow map of TurkeyBalçovaBalçova (İzmir)Show map of İzmir
Coordinates: 38°23′08″N 27°03′29″E / 38.38556°N 27.05806°E / 38.38556; 27.05806
Country	Turkey
Province	İzmir
Government
• Mayor	Onur Yiğit (CHP)
Area	16 km (6 sq mi)
Population	80,721
• Density	5,000/km (13,000/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+3 (TRT)
Postal code	35980
Area code	0232
Website	www.balcova.bel.tr

Balçova is a municipality and district of İzmir Province, Turkey. Its area is 16 km, and its population is 80,721 (2022). It covers the western part of the Greater Metropolitan Area of İzmir. Balçova is a fully urbanized at the rate of 100 percent. Balçova district area follows the southern coastline of the inner Gulf of İzmir, on the road to Çeşme and is at a distance of 8 km (5 mi) to the west from the traditional center of İzmir (Konak), which it borders on the east. Balçova district further neighbors the district area Narlıdere to the south and the west, both of its neighbors being among İzmir's metropolitan districts. Balçova district's overall levels of education are among the highest in Turkey, the literacy rate reaching 98 per cent, while the calculations for average yearly income per inhabitant situate it slightly below the national average, at 4.327 US Dollars, for which its open approach to outside immigration may have played a role. The overall appearance of Balçova leaves the impression of a locality where people are generally educated and who subsist on mid-revenues. The economy is largely based on commerce and tourism, its three shopping malls constituting the backbone for the first range of activities, and its thermal baths for the second. New housing projects putting Balçova's advantageous location to benefit and generally aimed at mid- to higher- income residents started to be built in recent years and as such, Balçova became in recent years one of İzmir's metropolitan districts where the economy grew the fastest. Balçova is home to İzmir University of Economics.

Agamemnon Baths

The baths are well-known since antiquity and the name ancient, and makes reference to a contingent of Greeks under Agamemnon during the Trojan War who were led by an oracle to the warm springs to heal their wounds after a battle. Aelius Aristides had also frequently resorted in the baths and had reported that it was here that Asclepius had first began to prophesy.

A number of sulfurous hot springs rise in and around a small stream, which previously dried up in summer, but which is now kept in service all year round thanks to modern installations centered around a five-star hotel. The waters, of a temperature of to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, are considered good for rheumatism, sciatica, gallstones and eczema. The baths are remain extremely popular both by themselves and by the thermal establishment's having extended its range of activities also in the field of congress and exhibition tourism.

Visitor attractions

Two decommissioned ships of the Turkish Navy, a submarine and a frigate, are the main attractions of the İnciralti Sea Museum. The Balçova Gondola operates on a nearby hill.

Composition

There are 8 neighbourhoods in Balçova District:

• Bahçelerarası
• Çetin Emeç
• Eğitim
• Fevziçakmak
• İnciraltı
• Korutürk
• Onur
• Teleferik

Resources

• "Report: Balçova, 42 p." (PDF). www.izto.org.tr (in Turkish). İzmir Chamber of Commerce. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-28.

References

1. ^ "Address-based population registration system (ADNKS) results dated 31 December 2022, Favorite Reports" (XLS). TÜİK. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
2. Büyükşehir İlçe Belediyesi, Turkey Civil Administration Departments Inventory. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
3. "İl ve İlçe Yüz ölçümleri". General Directorate of Mapping. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
4. In his 1966 archaeological guide on Aegean Turkey, George E. Bean, who remains one of the foremost references for the region, notes that, on the signpost for the baths, Agamemnon had become "Ağamemnun" (literally, "the agha is contented" in Turkish), adding, in time, no doubt, he would become "Memnun Ağa". George E. Bean (1967). Aegean Turkey: An archaeological guide. Ernest Benn, London. ISBN 978-0-510-03200-5.
5. Mahalle, Turkey Civil Administration Departments Inventory. Retrieved 12 July 2023.

External links

• İzmir Metropolitan Municipality

v t e Balçova in Izmir Province of Turkey
Districts	Aliağa Balçova Bayındır Bayraklı Bergama Beydağ Bornova Buca Çeşme Çiğli Dikili Foça Gaziemir Güzelbahçe Karabağlar Karaburun Karşıyaka Kemalpaşa Kınık Kiraz Konak Menderes Menemen Narlıdere Ödemiş Seferihisar Selçuk Tire Torbalı Urla
List of provinces by region Istanbul Istanbul West Marmara Balıkesir Çanakkale Edirne Kırklareli Tekirdağ Aegean Afyonkarahisar Aydın Denizli İzmir Kütahya Manisa Muğla Uşak East Marmara Bilecik Bolu Bursa Düzce Eskişehir Kocaeli Sakarya Yalova West Anatolia Ankara Karaman Konya Mediterranean Adana Antalya Burdur Hatay Isparta Kahramanmaraş Mersin Osmaniye Central Anatolia Aksaray Kayseri Kırıkkale Kırşehir Nevşehir Niğde Sivas Yozgat West Black Sea Amasya Bartın Çankırı Çorum Karabük Kastamonu Samsun Sinop Tokat Zonguldak East Black Sea Artvin Giresun Gümüşhane Ordu Rize Trabzon Northeast Anatolia Ağrı Ardahan Bayburt Erzincan Erzurum Iğdır Kars Central East Anatolia Bingöl Bitlis Elazığ Hakkâri Malatya Muş Tunceli Van Southeast Anatolia Adıyaman Batman Diyarbakır Gaziantep Kilis Mardin Siirt Şanlıurfa Şırnak
Metropolitan municipalities are bolded.

v t e İzmir
Known as Smyrna in English until about 1930
Settlements	Central districts (İlçe) Balçova Bayraklı Bornova Buca Çiğli Gaziemir Güzelbahçe Karabağlar Karşıyaka Konak Narlıdere Neighborhoods Alsancak İnciraltı Karataş Kemeraltı
History	Timeline of İzmir Kadifekale Smyrna Greek landing at Smyrna Occupation of Smyrna Turkish capture of Smyrna Great fire of Smyrna Responsibility List of mayors of İzmir
Universities	Dokuz Eylül University Ege University İzmir Bakırçay University İzmir Democracy University İzmir Institute of Technology İzmir Kâtip Çelebi University İzmir University of Economics Yaşar University
Museums and monuments	Agora of Smyrna Atatürk Mask Atatürk Monument Atatürk, His Mother and Women's Rights Monument Avrasya Anı Evi Bostanlı Open-air Archaeological Museum Natural History Museum of Ege University İnciraltı Sea Museum İzmir Archaeological Museum İzmir Art and Sculpture Museum İzmir Ethnography Museum İzmir Toy Museum Women's Museum Yıldıztepe Military Cemetery
Religious buildings	Mosques Başdurak Mosque Hisar Mosque Kestanepazarı Mosque Salepçioğlu Mosque Yalı Mosque Churches St. John the Evangelist's Anglican Church St. John's Cathedral St. Mary's Church (Bornova) St. Mary's Church (Konak) Saint Polycarp Church St. Stepanos Church (destroyed) Saint Voukolos Church Synagogues Bet Israel Synagogue Signora Giveret Synagogue
Transportation	Adnan Menderes Airport Alsancak Ferry Terminal Balçova Gondola Bergama Acropolis Gondola ESHOT İzdeniz İZBAN İzmir Coach Terminal İzmir Metro İzmir Tram Karşıyaka Ferry Terminal Konak Ferry Terminal Pasaport Ferry Terminal Port of İzmir Trams in İzmir
Buildings and structures	Asansör Buca Gölet İzmir Clock Tower İzmir Parachute Tower Kültürpark Ülkü Park List of tallest buildings in İzmir Yeni Kavaflar Market
Squares	Cumhuriyet Gündoğdu Konak Lozan
Category:İzmir

• Balçova
• Populated coastal places in Turkey
• Populated places in İzmir Province
• Districts of İzmir Province
• Metropolitan district municipalities in Turkey