Smyrna is one of the oldest cities in the Aegean region, with a history of 5,000 years. It was the center of the bishopric of the Asian provinces of the Roman Empire.

In the 4th century AD, the Byzantine Empire ruled Smyrna, and the city continued to expand. In the 11th century, the Byzantine Empire abandoned Smyrna in the face of a powerful offensive by the Seljuk Turks. Chakabey, Prince of the Seljuk Empire, was given the title of town and renamed Izmir. From the 11th century to the early 15th century, Izmir suffered from wars**, including the Byzantine Empire's counterattack, the Crusader raids, the invasion of the Venetian army, and the attack of the Timurid Mongol cavalry. In 1415, the Ottoman Sultan Mehmat Chere captured Izmir with his army, and the city was placed under Ottoman rule until the fall of the Ottoman Empire after World War I. After being annexed by the Ottoman Empire, Islam spread after a large number of Turks moved in. After the First World War, it was occupied by Greece. In 1923, Kemal defeated the Greek occupation forces and regained Izmir, returning it to Turkish territory.

Izmir is located in the birthplace of ancient civilizations in the Aegean Sea and has preserved many monuments to this day. The city center has a clock tower with a history of nearly 100 years, which is the symbol of the city. There are the remains of an ancient Roman market from the 2nd century AD. There are more than 60 Islamic mosques in the city, including the Hissar Mosque built in the 15th century, the Sadrfan Mosque and the Kemerat Mosque built in the 16th century, which still exist today and are treasures of Ottoman architectural art. Others include the Roman Avenue, the arched aqueduct bridge in Kzeljuluk, the statue of Ataturk (Kemal's honorific title, meaning "Father of Turkey"), the Archaeological Museum, etc. The ruins of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World, were excavated in Ephesus. Because of its beautiful scenery, "Smyrna" became synonymous with beauty and light in the eyes of the ancient Greek writer Lucionus and the ancient Roman orator Plinius. Archaeological excavations have shown that the earliest settlers of the city were Greeks, founded by the Ionians and later captured by the Ionians. In 1500 BC, Izmir came under the rule of the Hittite Empire. In 1000 B.C., the city reached its first heyday, and it is believed that the famous Greek poet Homer settled here. In 600 BC, Lydia, a powerful empire in Asia Minor, conquered Izmir. The Lydian king Aliat ordered the extermination of the cultural traces of the Greeks, and Izmir entered a period of decline that lasted for 300 years. During this period, the Lydian Empire was destroyed by Cyrus the Great of Persia, and Izmir remained in ruins. In the 4th century BC, Alexander the Great of the Macedonian Empire defeated the Persians, captured Izmir, and ordered the rebuilding of a new city in the area around Mount Pagos (present-day Kadifikale district of Izmir city), and Izmir entered its second heyday. The city is famous for its wealth, beauty, library, trade market, medical research, etc., which attracted Alexander the Great to visit the city several times.

Today, Smyrna, also known as Izmir, is an important tourist city in Turkey, with many historical sites in the city and suburbs, such as the ruins of the ancient Greek city of Efes, the last retreat of the Virgin Mary, etc. In addition, the ruins of the ancient city of Seljuk have attracted the attention of experts in Turkic history. Izmir's beautiful scenery attracts millions of foreign tourists every year. The Chesmai seashore at the western tip of the Izmir Peninsula and Bird Island, 60 kilometres south of the city, are part of the Mediterranean's Blue Tour. Relying on the unique tourism resources, the municipal government holds large-scale international art festivals and international trade fairs every year, making these two events more and more internationally known.