Alsancak

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Street in Alsancak, İzmir

Alsancak is a large quarter (or a zone; semt) in İzmir, Turkey, within the boundaries of the metropolitan district of Konak, the historic center of the city.

As a notional zone, Alsancak extends along the southern shores of the tip of the Gulf of İzmir, starting from the historic square that carries the same name as the district (Konak Square) and the 19th century Pasaport Quai in close distance, stretching along a three km long seaside street and promenade (Kordon) and finally to adjoin Bornova, another metropolitan district of İzmir in the Gulf's end. Within this zone, aside from the officially instituted and delimited quarter (mahalle) of Alsancak proper, there are the neighboring quarters of Umurbey, Kültür, Mimar Sinan, İsmet Kaptan and Akdeniz, which are, as a whole, generally referred to as being part of a larger zone of Alsancak.

The Port of İzmir, İzmir Alsancak Stadium and the central railway station (Alsancak Station) are located in Alsancak, as well as its lushest residences and the busiest office buildings, restaurants, bars, cafes and other entertainment venues. Two large streets parallel to the coastline, named the First Kordon and the Second Kordon (Turkish: Birinci Kordon and İkinci Kordon), constitute the main arterial roads of the quarter. Kültürpark, the distinctive location of the İzmir International Fair, is also englobed by the area of the quarter of Alsancak in both administrative and practical terms.

In Ottoman times, the area was named "Punta" (meaning "the point"; the name cited as La Pointe in French sources or in sources that borrow from them) and was the part of the city where the Greek, Levantine or European inhabitants were concentrated.