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

Yildirim R., ÇAKICIOĞLU OBAN R.

2nd International Geography Symposium-Mediterranean Environment, Antalya, Turkey, 2 - 05 June 2010, vol.19, pp.90-97 identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Conference Paper / Full Text
  • Volume: 19
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.05.111
  • City: Antalya
  • Country: Turkey
  • Page Numbers: pp.90-97
  • Keywords: West Anatolia, Izmir, Harbor, Royal Road or King Road, Silk Road, Spice Road, Railway
  • Dokuz Eylül University Affiliated: Yes

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.