A Crossroads of the World: Bornova
Thanks to its fertile lands and its port, which served as an exceptionally convenient commercial bridge between East and West, Izmir has been home to countless civilizations. Throughout history, Bornova has been a stopover for many renowned figures and numerous travelers, possessing a rich cultural heritage.
Known across Europe through published works as the location of the caves where Homer was believed to have lived, and further enhanced by its vibrant Levantine life, Bornova was one of the places every traveler arriving in Izmir would certainly visit.
Bornova hosted not only Western travelers but also many important historical figures from our own history, such as Evliya Celebi, who visited Bornova in 1671.
In the period following the Liberation and during the Republican era, numerous historical figures were guests of Bornova, first and foremost Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
Famous Guests Who Visited Bornova
For centuries, Bornova has hosted many distinguished names, from world-renowned writers to members of royal families, from artists to scientists.
The famous Ottoman traveler Evliya Celebi visited Bornova in 1671 and mentioned Bornova in his Seyahatname (Book of Travels). He described in detail the natural beauty, vineyards, and gardens of Bornova in his work.
Lord Byron, who was a guest of the Whittall family in 1810, is among the most renowned Western visitors to Bornova. Napoleon's generals Anne Jean Marie René Savary and Charles Anthony Lallemand, who escaped from the island of Malta where they had been exiled, came to Bornova in 1816 and lived there for 3 years.
The mansion that we know today as the Rectorate Building hosted King Otto of Greece in 1833. That same year, the famous French writer Alphonse de Lamartine was also in Bornova.
Gustave Flaubert, the author of Madame Bovary, one of the most important world classics, came to Bornova in 1845.
1850 was an eventful year for Bornova. Austrian Archduke Maximilian, who would later become Emperor of Mexico, and Sultan Abdulmecid, who was a guest of the Baltazzi family, were Bornova's distinguished guests in 1850.
Sultan Abdulaziz came to Bornova in 1863 and was hosted at Charlton Whittall's mansion, which we know today as the E.U. Rectorate Building. For this visit, an artificial small hill was even built especially for the Sultan, so that “Sultan Abdulaziz could watch the sunset over the Gulf and enjoy his evening tea.”
Prince George of Wales, who later ascended to the British throne as George V, was a guest of Bornova in 1886. From the beautiful pool filled with lilies and the magnificent garden where the reception in his honor was held, it is understood that the house where he stayed is the Edward Whittall Mansion, which today belongs to the Giraud family.
One of Bornova's guests was the famous French writer Pierre Loti, who came in 1890.
Gertrude Bell, the traveler and archaeologist portrayed by actress Nicole Kidman in the film Queen of the Desert, known as “the woman who drew the modern map of the Middle East with a ruler,” was also in Bornova in April 1897.
During the Republican period, Bornova continued to host important guests. On November 1, 1933, Soviet military leader General Voroshilov visited the Bornova Agricultural School.
On June 22, 1934, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk visited Bornova together with Shah Reza Pahlavi of Iran.
Halide Edip Adivar, one of the most important figures in Turkish literature, came to Bornova for a parliamentary candidacy rally in the 1950 elections.
On October 22, 1971, Queen Elizabeth II visited the BMC Factory in Pinarbasi, joining the ranks of Bornova's distinguished guests.
Source: Hikayeler Sehri Bornova (City of Stories: Bornova) – Altan Altın
Every visitor left a memory, and Bornova had countless stories to tell. Who knows how many more stories this ancient town has yet to be written. And perhaps Bornova will witness many more stories still to come.