Izmit

I spent the weekend in Izmit, one hours drive from Istanbul. It's a part of the Koceali Province that totally has a population of 1,4 million people.

The city, at that time called Nicomedia, served as the capital of the Roman Empire around 330 a.d. Also Hannibal lived here in his late years. Unfortunately there is not much signs to remind of these times now.
Unluckily is quite a dirty city with a oil refineries, paper factories and a growing tire industry.