Foundation:  In 1427 three immigrant  shepherd families,  Eşeoğulları,  Efendioğulları and Köseogulları  came to Kirazlı region and established their camps on these fruitful and green lands. At those times,while establishing the village lots of water pipes and cubes were found. So the village village was called KÜPLÜCE (Cubely), Later on,because of its fruitfulness, the name was changed to AKÇAOVA. There are almost every kind of trees on the plain such as cherry,  sour-cherry, plum, apricot, grapes, fig, olive, nuts, pomegranate, quince, walnut and pine. Also agricultural products such as tobacco, sesame, corn, chickpeas and beans are grown.

The good produce of sour cherry and cherry and giving the importance to these fruits, caused the name of the village. So, once more the village was renamed as KIRAZLI. Parallel  to agriculture, stockbreeding was developed; animals increased such as cow, sheep, goat, etc.

Suitable to  name "KİRAZLI (CHERRY LAND) Cherry Festivals began to be held from 1975; during these festivals beauty contests were organized, and cherry production was inspired. Recently Cherry Festivals are delayed because of economical problems for now.

HISTORY of KIRAZLI VILLAGE

In Izmir, there were Italians making up about 5000-6000 people. The allied nations showed Izmir under Italian territory at St.Jean de Maurienne Conferance in 1917. There was a police station beside the house of Muhtar Hüseyin Uluçay. This police station was used as a station by Roums previously. Between 1914-1917, Greeks lived here. but they had to leave on September 07th, 1922. In 1917, Italians were serving as horsemen-patrols; on the other hand native Roums, Italians and Greeks were going to the Monastery for prayers which was at Değirmendere region, where the water sources of today's Kuşadası area.

In 1922, with the beginning of independance movements, Italians and Greeks began to escape through Çamlık. While escaping, they were taking some of the inhabitants of Kirazlı Village with them, and killing who refused. At last, due to the entrance of Turkish cavalrymen to the city without an important opposition in September, 7th 1922, the Turkish Flag began to be waved over. The Roum police station became Turkish station from then on. At the same time, the victorious commander of Turkish army, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Paşa,arrived in İzmir with the other Turkish commanders,   Fevzi   Pasa,   İsmet  Pasa and Nurettin Pasa.

During these years, there were  50 or 60 houses  in  Kirazlı; and the population was about  300. The Mosque of Kirazlı Village was restored in 1954, and today is still in use. It is supposed that it is 100 years old. Değirmendere region is pretty rich for underground water resources.

District of Kuşadası gets a very important part of its water from this region.Kırk Ayak (Forty Foot) Stairs which are at Asar Altı region are at Yayla Köyü side and keep the main walls of 1st or 2nd century Roman period observation castle.

Kirazlı, which is the region of tombs, and caves, has the true pride of tourism for belief tourism, cave tourism, hunting tourism, horse-back riding and tracking tourism to native and foreign tourists.

ASLANLI  (YAREN) CAVE

Today, underground caves deal with different sciences like archeology and medicine. Because, caves give us information of the past. They seem like a mysterious world enlightening us with underground movements, fossils, stalagmites and stalactites, plant and animal world of underground, geological knowledge, some chemical and physical knovvledge. hydrological and hydrogeological knowledges.

Underground caves are like curing hospitals and laboratories because of the gases like carbondioxide, oxygen, nitrogen and sulphur. Also, mineral waters are very important for human health. In the caves, it is possible to see and use the curing waters which cannot reach the surface.For reaching Aslanlı Cave at Kirazlı Village, Yayla region, you have to leave the car at Dereboğazı part of Kuşadası-Kirazlı road and follow the 3 kms. jang soil-road on the left, on foot  for half an hour; or for ten minutes by another kind of vehicle.

It is a partly perpendicular, partly horizontal type of cave, where the inhabitants know but cannot enter. The first examination was made by L. Nazik and N.Güldalı from İzmir project team of Mine Checking and Research [MTA] General Directorate, in December 1985.

GEOLOCICAL &  GEOMORPHOLOGICAL STRUCTURE

It is a cave that developed inside of mezozoic age Dolomithic  marbles on a big surface. After a 6 m. long downward slope, the cave descends to the west with 26° angle, through a line which has east-west direction. After 40 meters , it enlarges and looks like a slope-floor hall. This part of the cave is covered with either muddy soil or big rock blocks which have fallen from the ceiling.

Also on this stack, stalagmites and stalactites have formed, and the wells were covered with curtains and flag-travertens. It is called Aslanlı (lion)Cave" because of the lion-like stalagmite.

Hydrologically, it is a dry cave. The temperature of the cave is about 18-20 °C. A large bat colony and other small animals have been seen here.  The cave is 110 m. long, 36 m. deep, and it is known as "Yaren [Friend] Cave" inhabitants. Curing of asthma and chronic bronchitis with carbondioxide, oxygen, nitrogen and radioactiveness of its hot and moist air, are possible only after touristic planinning.

Though the end of 1994, the soil pathway  to Yaren Cave   was   enlarged   for   large vehicles. Inhabitants of Kirazlı, due to this situation, await the extension of the cave mouthi mounting of a stairway, concrete path and stairway and illumination for sanitary tourism.