It is known that in the land of Seferihisar county the oldest settlement is Teos and in the years of B.C. 2000 it was established by Cretans who had escaped from Achaeans and it is also known that it is a Carians’ city. Thus, it can be said that since the year of 4000 people have been living in this region. There are several theses about the establishment of Seferihisar. According to the first one; Seferihisar was established as a base by the Carthaginian Hannibal who was defeated by Rome during the Punic Wars III (Rome- Carthage Wars).
Second thesis is that Seferihisar was established by the Aryan race Etruscans who migrated via the Anatolian territories to Rome in the B.C.7th century. It was alleged that when they arrived the Anatolia, Etruscans wanted to approach the waterside so they first established the Seferihisar as an accommodation place and then a large part of Etruscans benefited from Teos and Sığacık harbor for migrating to Italy and some of them stayed in here and in the year of B.B.5th century Seferihisar was a powerful city. These are all belonging to second thesis. It is regarded as the name of the Seferihisar came from the ancient Roman General Tysaferin and until the Seljuks it was called as Tysaferin or Tysaferinopolis, during the Turkization of Anatolia the word ‘hisar'(fortress) was suffixed to the town name then it became Tysaferinhisar. The name of Tysaferinhisar, which has been used for centuries, today is known as Seferihisar. Like the other regions of Aegean, between the years of B.C.7th and 5th centuries Lydians, Iranians, Athenians, Spartans ruled in Seferihisar. After that, Iranians, Kingdom of Pergamon, Macedonians, Ancient Greeks, Romans, Byzanties dominated this region. In 1084 Seljukian commander conquered the Seferihisar, after the second Crusades (1147-1149) this region was annexed to Seljuk Empire. With the division of Seljuk Empire in 1308, Seferihisar entered into the domination of Aydinid dynasty in 1320, then in 1394 Ottoman Empire conquered the Seferihisar. In 1402 at the end of the battle of Ankara Seferihisar was invaded by Mongols, in year of 1425 Seferihisar again fall under the domination of Aydinid dynasty but after the death of CüneytBey, Seferihisar came under the domination of Ottoman Empire.
In the years of 14th,15th,16th centuries, Seferihisar became science and culture center with its madrasah in Düzce(Hereke). According to Ottomon territorial integrity, the income of Seferihisar was devoted to Mecca by Valide Sultan, the mother of Murad III. Early 19th century the population of Seferihisar was over 20 thousand, the plague, which showed up in the villages, decreased the population and in Seferihisar about four or five villages was annihilated.
When Izmir became the center of the Aydın province in 1850, the district of Seferihisar became municipality in 1884.
There are several mosques from the Ottoman and Seljuk Empire in the center of county. Turabiye Mosque was built by the Seljuks in 1197, between the years of 1783-1784 Turabiye Mosque was repaired by Ottomans and was opened to worship again. In the Ottoman period Güdük Mosque, Hidirlik Mosque (1767-1768) and Ulu Mosque (1816-1817) was built. Because all of these mosques have been repaired throughout history, today they are still open to worship. Besides, there are 2 Turkish baths from the Ottoman period but today they are in wrack. One of the historical values ,which was found in Seferihisar and around, is tumulus. The Güneşlikent Tumulus which is located in the Tepecik neighborhood , approximately it has a height of 20 meters, and 80 meters diameters. Unfortunately the Güneşlikent Tumulus had exposed to several unlicenced digging in the past. Also there are 10 tumulus in the Hıdırlık neighborhood 2 of them are officially registered but 8 of them are not registered. In republic period, between the years of 1951-1960 Turkish armed forces may have completed their preparatory training from the second Turkish lot in the Seferihisar.
In the center of Seferihisar there is a martyrdom for martyrs who died at the Liberty War and the Republic period, at the entry of the city there is a Martyrs Fountain (Şehitler Çeşmesi), located on the street of İzmir Caddesi.
The Liberation of Seferihisar and Çolak İbrahim Bey
Until the date of May 15, 1919, approximately 50% rum, 50% natives and Morean immigrants Turkish people had lived together in Seferihisar. With the occupation of İzmir, occupation years had started, on September 11, 1922 the Seferihisar county got rid of the occupation.
Çolak İbrahim Bey ,who graduated from the military college, , accepting Mustafa Kemal’s offer, joined the nationalist forces with two militia cavalry. Giving Çolak İbrahim Bey the regular army and mountain battary, in 1920 under the name of the 3rd Cavalry Divisions, at the Western front behest, cavalry divisions were established. Çolak İbrahim Bey proceeded through the mountain passes ,which were located at the east of Seferihisar and on September 11, 1922 afternoon he entered the Seferihisar. His entrance side is on the Kurtuluş Caddesi (back then the name of the street was Sığırtmaç Sokağı).
The name of Çolak İbrahim Bey was given to an old Greek neighborhood where Greek immigrants lived. In 1982, 2 busts were erected, one is on the Çolak İbrahim Bey neighborhood park and the other one is in front of the Şehitler Çeşmesi (Martyrs Fountain).
Atatürk’s visit to Seferihisar
One of the most important dates for Seferihisar is, April 11, 1934 , that day, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk visited Seferihisar county and Sığacık. Before Atatürk had entered the Seferihisar, he first went to Sığacık and examined the coast. When he came across with a primary school teacher, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk asked teacher’s notebook. He noticed that even though Turkey adopted the alphabet reform, teacher used the old alphabet system in his notebook. After that Mustafa Kemal Atatürk asked questions to a little student whose name was Mehmet İnce and returned back to Seferihisar. He was hosted at military mess and left the county with greeting the people.
Cultural Treasures
Mosques and Masjids*:
1.Güdük Minare Mosque (Seferihisar County Town)
2.Hıdırlık Mosque
3.Turabiye Mosque
4.Ulu Mosque
5.Kasım Çelebi Mosque (Düzce Village)
Madrasahes and Turkish baths (Hamam):
1.Hamam
2.Sığacık Turkish Bath
3.Düzce Village Turkish Bath
4.Ulamış Village
5.Kasım Çelebi Madrasah (Düzce Village)
Foundation-Monument-Aqueduct-Thermal
1.Şehitler Foundation
2.Ulamış Village Martyrs Memorial
3.Aqueduct (Düzce Village)
4.Cumalı Aqueducts (Kavakdere Village)
Tumulus:
1.Güneşlikent Tumulus
2.Tumulus-A
3.Tumulus-B
Ancient City
1.Teos Ancient City
2.Lebedos Ancient City
3.Karaköse(Karakisse) Ruins
4.Myonnesos Island
*not used for the Friday noon prayers, small mosque.