It is an elevator tower in Turgut Reis Dec., which houses two elevators operating between Mithatpaşa Street and Şehit Nihatbey Street, one of which is 58 m higher than the other. the elevator, built by the Jewish businessman “Nesim Levi (Bayraklıoğlu)” in 1907, was built to provide fast and easy transportation between two districts, one of which is reached by 155 steps Decked from one to the other. Today, it is used by Izmir Metropolitan Municipality as a place of entertainment, culture and recreation; it is an important tourist stop of the city.
Since the Karataş region of Izmir has been used as a January stone quarry throughout history, the coastline (today’s Mithatpaşa Street) and the Halil Rıfat Paşa district above were separated from each other by cliffs. Stairs were built between the two districts, which the Turks called the “Karataş Stairs” and the Jews who settled in the above district called the “Devidas’ Stairs”. Dec. At the top of the stairs was the house of the Devidas family, and in the largest house below was the house of a merchant named Nesim Levi (Bayraklıoğlu). It is told that after Baba Devidas fell on the stairs one day and broke his foot, his friend Nesim Levi developed the idea of building an elevator similar to what he had seen in European cities. The elevator tower was made with bricks brought from Marseille. Its construction was completed in 1907. its income was used to cover the expenses of the Karataş Jewish Hospital until it was sold in 1942.
French Hebrew inscription on the elevator entrance door, as well as the French “Ascenseur Construit Par Mon. There is an inscription written by Nissim Levy 1907′”.The elevator tower is built of brick on a stone building foundation, and after the stone building section of the elevator, the brick slabs, which continue to crumble in two stages until the balcony, were brought from Marseille.At the destination of the elevator there is a wooden balcony carried by iron consoles and whose cast-iron railings are decorated with various motifs.
It was operated by Jozef Palambo for many years.the elevator, which changed hands in 1942, was donated to Izmir Metropolitan Municipality in 1983 on the condition that it would be used for the same purpose after it had been closed for some time due to reasons such as the operators quitting their jobs and dying. it was restored in 1985 during Burhan Özfatura’s term as mayor. before the restoration in 1985, one of the elevators in the tower was operated by steam and the other by electricity. in 1985, both of the elevators were arranged to run on electricity. During the period of High-rise, the restoration limited to the street on Dario Moreno Street underwent another renovation and was opened for service on June 20, 1993.
The owners of the building have been Nesim Levi Bayraklıoğlu (the bani of the building), Şerif Remzi Reyent (bought in 1942), Ayla Ökmen and Izmir Metropolitan Municipality (since 1983) respectively.
Currently, the elevator is in operation and the upper floor is served by a cafeteria and a small viewing balcony. The elevator is reached from the street, which is officially known as “Dario Moreno”, popularly known as “Elevator Cul-de-Sac” Dec. The tower rises in brick after two sections, which are stone. There is a wooden balcony carried on iron consoles at the place where the structure reaches Şehit Nihatbey Street. A bird’s eye view of Izmir city can be viewed from this balcony.
