Designed by the French-born, Izmir-based architect Raymond Charles Péré, the Izmir Clock Tower (once known as the Smyrna Clock Tower and sometimes called the Konak Clock Tower) is to Izmir as the Eiffel Tower is to Paris: a city icon and essential meeting point. Most Izmir city tours will include a stop on Konak Square to see the tower, and perhaps also Yali Mosque (also known as Konak Mosque) and the old governor’s mansion.
Izmir Clock Tower stands in Konak Square (Konak Meydanı), at the very heart of Izmir. It’s a 2-minute walk from the Konak metro station (Line 3), 5 minutes from the ferries at Konak Pier, and 10 minutes from the popular Izmir Archaeology Museum.
Both the square and the tower are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Twilight is a great choice for photographers as the sun sets over the ocean and night lighting gives the tower a rosy glow.
Formerly known as Smyrna, Izmir is Turkey’s (officially the Republic of Türkiye) third-largest city and the unofficial capital of the Turkish Riviera. Highlights include vibrant Kemeralti Market, the Kordonboyu waterfront promenade, hilltop Kadifekale citadel, known for its spectacular views, and the Agora Open Air Museum, one of the best-preserved Greco-Roman marketplaces in the world.