Our City
Tire is located in the eastern part of İzmir. It is bordered by Bayındır to the north, Ödemiş to the east, Selçuk and Torbalı to the west, and the province of Aydın to the south.
The district covers an area of 891 km². It has 1 township (Gökçen) and 64 villages.
The local economy is based on agriculture, trade, and industry. Agricultural products include cotton, wheat, barley, tobacco, sesame, figs, olives, walnuts, and all kinds of fruits and vegetables. Beekeeping is well-developed, and cattle farming for both meat and milk is advanced. The Tire Organized Industrial Zone hosts many national and international factories.
Tire became part of Turkish sovereignty with the establishment of the Aydınids principality in 1308, and in 1426, it passed under Ottoman rule. Tire holds a significant place in Ottoman history as the mint for copper coins (mangır) and silver coins (akçe) was located here from the 15th to the 18th centuries. The Tire Museum displays notable archaeological and ethnographic artifacts from the region.
In terms of architectural history, Tire boasts a wealth of classical Ottoman architecture, including mosques such as Yeni Mosque, Tahtakale Mosque, Yeşil İmaret, Lütfü Paşa Mosque, and the Yavukluoğlu Complex. Tire also continues to preserve important local cultural heritage traditions such as cobbling, shoemaking, mattress making, basket weaving, saddlery, felt making, and textile production.
The Gastronomy and Culinary Culture of Our District
When it comes to the cuisine of Tire, the first thing that comes to mind is olive oil. Then, a variety of herbs… Tire is almost a paradise of herbs, with its fertile plain irrigated for thousands of years by the Kaystros (Small Menderes) river and the Aydın Mountains at its back. It is possible to find the same herb under different names in nearly every village.
Some of the herbs consumed by the people of Tire include: ivy, wild carrot, mallow, spiny herbs, nettle, cress, turnip greens, artichoke, wild radish, sorrel, mustard, garlic mustard, lemon balm, wild thyme, wild spinach, and many others. These herbs are gathered (not from the roadside), washed, and then sautéed with onions, leeks, and tomato paste in olive oil. Mixed herb sauté is a labor-intensive dish.
Additionally, some herbs are boiled and mixed with olive oil, lemon, garlic, and salt for a fresh dish. One such herb is turnip greens, which are particularly boiled in the winter, topped with olive oil, vinegar, and salt. While some families also sauté turnip greens, they are mainly known for being boiled. Other herbs that are boiled and eaten with a sauce include cabbage shoots, cauliflower flowers, wild radish, and beetroot.
One of the most delicious dishes in Tire is made with Şevketi bostan (a springtime herb), lamb, chickpeas, and the root of this plant, which is a close relative of artichoke. The root of Şevketi bostan is dug up, peeled, and chopped. It is then cooked with olive oil, onion, and tomato paste.
In April, the fresh shoots of the Melengeç (wild fig tree) are broken, boiled, and mixed with olive oil, vinegar, and garlic before being served. In the past, the fruits of the Melengeç tree were eaten both raw and roasted. The fresh shoots can also be consumed raw. Melengeç leaves a pleasant freshness in the mouth when eaten, and drinking a glass of water afterward feels like drinking syrup.
In Tire, salads are almost considered a side dish. The people of Tire never sit down to eat without a salad. They are also quite creative with the types of vegetables used in their salads. To add acidity, they use unripe grape vinegar, mulberry, and lemon. Some of the vegetables and fruits used in Tire salads include lettuce, arugula, watercress, dill, green onions, tomatoes, red cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, leeks, white cabbage, green apples, quinces, and vine leaves. Olive oil is an essential ingredient in these salads. In spring, acacia or lilac flowers may also be added.
A well-known dish in the region called Okma involves large chunks of tomatoes and dried onions, with the addition of curd, olive oil, and other ingredients to enrich the salad-like dish. This dish is quick to prepare and should be eaten fresh, making it another indispensable dish in Tire cuisine. Okma is a perfect summer dish. The older generations of Tire say that the tomatoes for this dish should be hand-massaged to extract the juice, and the curd should be mashed with a spoon. This mixture, combined with olive oil, dried onions, mint, thyme, lemon juice, parsley, cucumbers, and salt, makes a dip-like dish, often referred to as “Gariban pilavı” (Poor Man’s Rice) in Tire.
Other notable dishes of Tire cuisine include Sura, Kapama, Gıylangı, Mustafa Soup, Heybeli Soup, Posalı Kavurma, Kolböreği, Arnavutciğeri, Gazel Aşı, and Keppat Jam.
https://www.kulturportali.gov.tr/turkiye/izmir/genelbilgiler