The Elevator

The Elevator was built in 1907, by Nesim Levi Bayraklıoğlu, a jewish businessman in Izmir to facilitate

access to Halirıfatpaşa at the top of Mithatpaşa Caddesi. The first a unique elevator in Turkey was bought by merchant Şerif Remzi Reyent for Izmir in 1942. There is a similar elevator in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. Memories of the time when the elevator was run by a resident named Josepho Polompo are still cherished by the surviving habitants. Avram Ventura, the author from Izmir mentions this period as ”the primary feature of the elevator was it that worked with water. On the left of building entrance, stood the engine room of the system and on the right was the little room where Josepho, who ran the elevator for years, used to sit. The cabin of the elevator was like a small room with interfacing doors.

On both sides were wooden benches for four or five people to sit. Josepho would wait a little while trying to attract pedestrians on the way, before running the elevator. To go down with the elevator we had to ring the bell outside, for him to send the elevator. Once in the cabin we had to shout or tap our feet on the floor of the cabin for Josepho to run the elevator. We watched the view of the bay through the windows of the elevator as it descended slowly”. The lift was used in spite of slow pace. “ Because” says Ventura and adds: “It was not easy to reach Halil Rıfat Paşa at the beginning of the century. You had to choose between a long way to walk and 155 stairs to climb. Both alternatives were impossible for the jewish who wanted to go to the synagogue above.”

The most precious place of the city

The elevator was donated to the municipality in 1983. The mechanism was converted to electricity in 1985. Later it was decided to restore it as a “culture, art and leisure center”. The Historical Lift, with its mystic Middle Age ambiance and renaissance figures, was restored in 1992. The same year, 302 street, stretching vertically from Mithatpaşa Street to the elevator, was named Dario Moreno, after the world famous artist who lived there. His house was also restored.

The most precious structure of Izmir, the elevator with its scenery, history, unique features, and elegant architecture, functions as a transport means of the metropolitan municipality management and houses three managements. The elevator restaurant is preferred by business people and statesmen; the terrace café is a point of attraction with its scenery of Izmir while the Conveys Bar is popular among the younger generation.