15th INTERNATIONAL PLANNING HISTORY SOCIETY CONFERENCE RECONSTRUCTION OF ANATOLIA FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF NATION-STATE: ROLES ATTAINED TO ANKARA AND İZMİR EMEL KARAKAYA Address: İzmir Yüksek Teknoloji Enstitüsü Şehir ve Bölge Planlama Bölümü Gülbahçe Köyü Urla/ İZMİR TURKEY e-mail: emelkarakaya@iyte.edu.tr ABSTRACT After the proclamation of the Republic, there were 117 cities and towns planned and rebuilt in the Early Republican Period (1923-1940) in Turkey. The fundamental reason lying under the reconstruction of Turkish cities at that era was to develop a modernized nation and a new urban life for the young Republic. Success in urban planning, indeed, was evaluated as the success of the Republic. Within planned 117 cities and towns, there were some cities that had more emphasis. Cities such as Ankara, İzmir, Adana, İzmit, etc. were being created as trade, agricultural or industrial foci to reduce the economic, political and social dominance of İstanbul within Anatolia and Rumelia. Having an anti-imperialist attitude against primacy of İstanbul, these cities were aimed to be developed to provide fair distribution of economic development, power and sources. For this reason, Ankara was declared as the capital city and the city of İzmir was planned as a trade focal and fair city. This paper reveals the spatial and economic roles attained to Turkish cities, specifically, Ankara and İzmir through urban planning in the Nation State of Turkey between the years 1923 and 1940. INTRODUCTION In 1923, proclamation of the Republic of Turkey remarked the beginning of a new era for Anatolia. For construction of the Republic, a new institutional, social and cultural environment had to be reformed. Hence, urban space and its reformation was one of the main strategies. According to Tekeli (2005: 7), nation- building process of Turkey has four spatial elements of Nation- Building project as follows; 1. Ankara’s declaration as capital city 2. Railway Programme to provide unity of internal market 3. Industrialization Programme 4. People’s Houses [Halkevleri] However, when the investment programmes, the First İzmir Economy Congress 1923, the First Industrial Programme 1933, the Second Industrial Programme 1936, and other several documents are investigated, it is obvious that there are two additional spatial strategic elements of Nation- Building project as follows; 5. Selection of trade, agriculture and industry focal (related to industrialization programme) 6. Planning programme and urbanism.