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Research
has shown that people eras beyond history have live
in and around İzmit, which is the junction of the
world's most important roads, since3000 B.C. The first
evidences of İzmit, in which people have continued
to dwell to this day, can be traced back to the 12th
century B.C. At this time the Phrygians ruled the
region after which a group migrating from Greece's
city of Megara to find themselves a new place to dwell
formed a city in the Başiskele district and called
it ASTAKOZ. After the Kİng Lysimakhos of Thrace destroyed
the city of ASTAKOZ a new city called NICOMEDIA was
built on the hills on which the present İzmit is located.
The city was built in 262 B.C. by King Nicomedes who
was appointed by Alexander the Great to conquer Anatolia
and was named or the king's wife. Nicomedia, as the
centre of the rising Bithinia Kingdom, becomes a great
Hellenistic city. It is granted to the Romans in 91-94
B.C. In 284 B.C. the Emperor Diocletionus makes Nicomedia
the capital again. In his era Nicomedia is the world's
fourth largest city after Rome, Antioch and Alexandria.
In the last quarter of the 11th century Nicomedia
is taken over by the Seljuks. Nicomedia was retaken
in the 1st Crusade and after remaining under the ocupation
of the Latins for a while was returned to the Seljuks.
In the era of Orhan Ghazi the city was taken by the
governor of the Adapazari and Hendek regions, Akcakoca,
and brought under the rule of the Ottoman State. At
first the city's name was Iznikmid, meaning neighbour
of Iznik, and later became Izmit. Izmit was part of
Istanbul until 1888 when it became a separate city.
Prior to the War of Independence the city was freed
from English and Greek armed occupation on 28"
June 1921. After the Republic was declared Izmit became
the centre of the Kocaeli province. During the Republic
period industrial investments made in the region the
city's industrial foundation is set and both state
and private ventures increase. Today Kocaeli is an
advanced industrial city and is surrounded by railway
and the most advanced motorway network. Also, with
its Derince and Izmit ports it has sea routes to all
four corners of the world. Kocaeli is a small province
with regard to its land measurement and is an interesting
worldwide example with its production in industry,
added value and people working in this sector. Its
natural beauties, beaches, plateaus, skiing centres
and historical sites as well as the coasts of the
Black Sea and the Marmara Sea are also important for
the province of Kocaeli with regard to commerce and
tourism.
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