İzmit, Turkey
Nicomedia
İzmit is a regional capital of 196,571 people in Kocaeli, Turkey.
Why visit İzmit
Townapedia lists 46 museums and landmarks, 22 parks and trails, 274 places to eat, 10 places to stay and 7 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Arbeila, Geragathe, Sabri Yalım Parkı and Park Lunasan.
Weather in İzmit
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About İzmit
Nicomedia (; Greek: Νικομήδεια, Nikomedeia; modern İzmit) was an ancient Greek city located in what is now Turkey. In 286 AD, Nicomedia became the eastern and most senior capital city of the Roman Empire (chosen by the emperor Diocletian who ruled in the east), a status which the city maintained during the Tetrarchy system (293–324 AD).
From the Wikipedia article Nicomedia (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do7
Museums and landmarks46
Arbeila
Monument and historic site · 3.7 km
Ancient city of Bithynia in modern-day Turkey
Geragathe
Monument and historic site · 5.4 km
Settlement of ancient Bithynia inhabited during Byzantine times
Koubaita
Monument and historic site · 3.3 km
Ancient city of Bithynia in modern-day Turkey
Nicomedia
Monument and historic site · 1.0 km
Ancient city of Bithynia in modern-day Turkey
34 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds22
10 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes274
Cafe 45s Record
Cafe · Chicken, Sandwich, Friture, Kebab, Local, Pasta, Coffee Shop, Turkish
7/A Tahsin Marmara Sokak
Mo-Su 09:30-21:30
Beyaz Yalı Cafe&Restorant
Restaurant · Turkish · 0.9 km
Oramiral Salim Dervişoğllu Caddesi, Kocaeli
Mo-su 09:00-02:00
Kerem Mert Cafe
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.6 km
19 Nigiz Sokak, Kocaeli
Mo-Su 09:00-21:00
Konyalı Etli Ekmek & Fırın Kebap
Restaurant · 1.6 km
41
Mo-Sa 09:30-21:30; Su 11:00-21:30
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262 more on the map.
History
It was founded in 712–711 BC as a Megarian colony and was originally known as Astacus (; Ancient Greek: Ἀστακός, 'lobster'). After being destroyed by Lysimachus, it was rebuilt by Nicomedes I of Bithynia in 264 BC under the name of Nicomedia, and has ever since been one of the most important cities in northwestern Asia Minor. The great military commander Hannibal Barca came to Nicomedia in his final years and committed suicide in nearby Libyssa (Diliskelesi, Gebze). The historian Arrian was born there.
Nicomedia was the metropolis and capital of the Roman province of Bithynia under the Roman Empire. It is referenced repeatedly in Pliny the Younger's Epistles to Trajan during his tenure as governor of Bithynia. Pliny, in his letters, mentions several public buildings of the city such as a senate-house, an aqueduct, a forum, a temple of Cybele, and others, and speaks of a great fire, during which the place suffered much.
Jewish diasporic presence is attested in Roman Nicomedia, also providing evidence of Jewish migration from Macedonia to Asia Minor. A third-century CE tomb inscription found in the city, belonging to Aurelius Esthelasios and Aurelia Thamar, is decorated with several Jewish symbols: the menorah, shofar, and the Sukkot species of lulav and etrog. Aurelius is described as a "reader" (anagnostos), i.e., of the Hebrew scriptures.
From the History section of Nicomedia on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay10
Churches and places of worship43
Yeni Cuma Camii
Place of worship · Sunni
Pertev Paşa Caddesi, Kocaeli
Shopping65
Gas and EV charging6
Schools, colleges and libraries35
Healthcare51
Elif Eczanesi
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.7 km
32 Turan Güneş Caddesi, Kocaeli (İzmit)
Delilbaşı Eczanesi
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.7 km
Devlet Hastanesi Sokak, Kocaeli (İzmit)
Maruf Eczanesi
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.7 km
Devlet Hastanesi Sokak, Kocaeli (İzmit)
Map of İzmit
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Cengiz Topel Havaalanı (KCO) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 13 km away.
- Kullar 7 km southeast, about 7 min by car
- Köseköy 7 km southeast, about 7 min by car
- Karşıyaka 8 km south, about 8 min by car
- Derince 10 km west, about 10 min by car
- Yuvacık 9 km south, about 9 min by car
- Gölcük 11 km southwest, about 11 min by car
- Ümraniye 73 km northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Üsküdar 82 km west, about 1 h 15 min by car
- İnegol 84 km southwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Istanbul 87 km west, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- Mapillary (see each image): photos
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Akça Mosque in İzmit, Kocaeli 07.11.2025 03, Wiki leylek, CC BY 4.0
- İzmit Körfezi genel, Ucandairebaskani, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 15 July Martyrs' Monument İzmit 22.11.2025 03, Wiki leylek, CC BY 4.0
- 15 July Martyrs' Monument İzmit 22.11.2025 01, Wiki leylek, CC BY 4.0
- 15 July Martyrs' Monument İzmit 22.11.2025 02, Wiki leylek, CC BY 4.0
- 15 July Martyrs' Monument İzmit 22.11.2025 07, Wiki leylek, CC BY 4.0
- 15 July Martyrs' Monument İzmit 22.11.2025 06, Wiki leylek, CC BY 4.0
- Fountain in İzmit, Kocaeli 22.11.2025 02, Wiki leylek, CC BY 4.0
- Fountain in İzmit, Kocaeli 22.11.2025 01, Wiki leylek, CC BY 4.0
- 15 July Martyrs' Monument İzmit 22.11.2025 04, Wiki leylek, CC BY 4.0
- Akça Mosque in İzmit, Kocaeli 07.11.2025 02, Wiki leylek, CC BY 4.0
- Akça Mosque Minaret in İzmit, Kocaeli 07.11.2025 04, Wiki leylek, CC BY 4.0
- Akça Mosque in İzmit, Kocaeli 07.11.2025 01, Wiki leylek, CC BY 4.0
- Manhole Cover in İzmit, Kocaeli 09.03.2026, Wiki leylek, CC BY 4.0
- Yeni Cuma Mosque in İzmit, Kocaeli 07.11.2025 11, Wiki leylek, CC BY 4.0
- Fevziye Mosque şadırvan İzmit, Kocaeli 22.11.2025 01, Wiki leylek, CC BY 4.0
- Yeni Cuma Mosque in İzmit, Kocaeli 07.11.2025 12, Wiki leylek, CC BY 4.0
- Yeni Cuma Mosque in İzmit, Kocaeli 07.11.2025 10, Wiki leylek, CC BY 4.0
- Yeni Cuma Mosque in İzmit, Kocaeli 07.11.2025 08, Wiki leylek, CC BY 4.0
- Yeni Cuma Mosque in İzmit, Kocaeli 07.11.2025 06, Wiki leylek, CC BY 4.0
- Yeni Cuma Mosque in İzmit, Kocaeli 07.11.2025 02, Wiki leylek, CC BY 4.0
- Yeni Cuma Mosque in İzmit, Kocaeli 07.11.2025 07, Wiki leylek, CC BY 4.0
- Yeni Cuma Mosque in İzmit, Kocaeli 07.11.2025 09, Wiki leylek, CC BY 4.0
- Yeni Cuma Mosque in İzmit, Kocaeli 07.11.2025 01, Wiki leylek, CC BY 4.0
- Şadırvan of the Yeni Cuma Mosque in İzmit, Kocaeli 07.11.2025 03, Wiki leylek, CC BY 4.0
- Yeni Cuma Mosque in İzmit, Kocaeli 07.11.2025 04, Wiki leylek, CC BY 4.0
- Izmit, İzmit-Kocaeli, Turkey - panoramio, Abdullah kıyga, CC BY 3.0
- Karte Nikomedia, Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Kocaeli Arkeoloji ve Etnografya Müzesi ana bina soldan, Cobija, CC BY-SA 4.0
- USS Gudgeon ;0856710, Unknown author, Public domain
- Gayret Museum, Kerem Barut ( en:User:KeRR in English Wikipedia), CC BY 2.5
- Kasrı Hümayun (1) 06, Kocaeligönüllüsü, CC BY-SA 4.0
- SEKA Kağıt Müzesi, Cobija, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Fevziye camii kapısı *©Abdullah Kiyga - panoramio, Abdullah kıyga, CC BY 3.0
- Portakal Hafız Konağı (1) 02, Kocaeligönüllüsü, CC BY-SA 4.0
- İzmit Orhan cami (1) 02, Kocaeligönüllüsü, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bağçeşme Mosque 20220308 (1), Sakhalinio, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Izmit Pembe Köşk 1379, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- USS Eversole (DD-789) underway on 6 July 1951, U.S. Navy Burau of Ships photo 19-NN - DD-789 Eversole - 138226, Public domain
- Yeni cuma camii (1) 06, Kocaeligönüllüsü, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kocaeli Fuar Alanı Park Lunasan Arka Tarafı - panoramio, HuSeYiN, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Street-level photo, Zafer, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, asturksever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, Zafer, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, Zafer, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Page built November 8, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.