“Like the fire of Smyrna, there has been none in the world...” It was the fire that marked the end of the Infidel Smyrna during those dark days of September 1922. Nevertheless, many years later, places like Kay, Agia Fotini, Kordelio, and Bournova have not been forgotten. But what was Smyrna like before it was destroyed? George Poulimenos authored a travel guide of the city of Smyrna, as it was in the fateful year of 1922. At the beginning of the book, general information about Smyrna is provided (population, climate, history, economy, information for travelers), along with the religious calendar for the year 1922 for all the communities of the city’s residents. This is followed by twenty-seven highly detailed original maps designed by G. Poulimenos based on old maps of Smyrna.

These accurately depict the streets and the significant public and private buildings of the city (government buildings, public services, customs, consulates, railway stations, schools, churches, mosques, synagogues, verhanes, hotels, theaters, cinemas, restaurants, hospitals, factories, etc.). Each map is complemented by old photographs and brief informative texts containing the most important information about the specific area.

The suburbs, villages, and nearby settlements (Kordelio, Bournova, Bujas, etc.) are mentioned at the end of the book. Through the pages of this guide, useful to visitors both then and now, the mythical city, the metropolis of the Asia Minor and Aegean Hellenism, the unforgettable Smyrna, comes to life.