Dönertaş

Basmane is a very interesting district which is considered to be the back streets of Izmir. It is described as a very unique place that has held different faith groups throughout history. One of the most interesting points of Basmane, which can offer an extremely busy program despite being a small neighborhood, is Dönertaş. Dönertaş is located in an intersection area, extremely close to Anafartalar Street. Dönertaş is actually the name given to the historical fountain located here. It is estimated that Dönertaş Sebili remained from the 19th century. The plan of the fountain, which has at least as interesting an architectural structure as its name, is square. Dönertaş, a single-domed fountain, is one of the most obvious examples of Rococo style. The elegant decorations made on the marble structure have largely survived to date. Dönertaş offers textures from Baroque architecture as well as rococo style. Embossed decorations take us to the Tulip age. It is possible to find the bouquet vase and bracts frequently seen in the tulip period on Dönertaş. Flower and plant motifs are often used in these types of works as a means of expressing the love of the Turkish people for nature. On either side of dönertaş, two mosque paintings are depicted in the form of a külliye(islamic-ottoman social complex). A blessed night is portrayed in the depiction of the mosque. The realms of the dome and minaret are in the form of a crescent. On the other hand, lamps are hung between the minarets. The inscription of the fountain reaches today successfully. The writing here is legit and big. In this way, subtle touches of calligraphy can be found. Dönertaş, one of the most beautiful and historical fountains in Izmir, has a mechanics that revolves around it. It is estimated that the structure was built by Ismail Rahmi Effendi in 1814. Izmir Metropolitan Municipality performs the necessary renovation works in 2006.