St. Polycarp Church

St Polycarp, one of the disciples of the Evangelist St John, arrived in Izmir in 80 A.D. He was crucified and burned by the Romans for his dissemination of Christianity and a white dove is said to have flown up into the sky from the spot where he died.

Now there is a church, which is used by the catholic minority both as a place of worship and a place of pilgrimage. The present building dates from around 1690. At the beginning of the century the murals were restored by the French architect Raymond Pee.

* The city's oldest house was built in 1715. This is an excellent example of a house with overhangs. It is located in the Namazgah district.