A GUIDE TO TURKEY’S ANCIENT STONE TEMPLE SITES

A GUIDE TO TURKEY’S ANCIENT STONE TEMPLE SITES
  • In addition, the vast majority of Turkey’s ancient remains are in excellent shape.In total, there are 28 archaeological sites in Turkey that draw a substantial number of international visitors annually.
  • Göbekli Tepe, Ephesus, the Temple of Artemis, Bergama Acropolis, and Aphrodisias are among Turkey’s most significant prehistoric sites.

Geoarchaeological site in the town of GBEKLI

  • The Neolithic sanctuary of Göbekli Tepe (Potbelly Hill) may be found in Turkey’s southeast, not far from the city of anlurfa. Discovered in 1995, the site has been open to the public ever since.
  • At first, it was thought to be a medieval burial ground. Despite this, archeologists now believe the edifice at Göbekli Tepe to be one of the earliest sacred temples ever built by humans.
  • It is most likely the first place of worship in the world.
  • Göbekli Tepe is a Neolithic megalithic ring of megaliths. The limestone pillars are located at the summit of a mountain range.
  • They are thought to date back to 10,000 B.C., making them older than Stonehenge by over 7,000 years.
  • Animal reliefs and abstract pictograms adorn the megaliths.
  • Sumerian hieroglyphs, which are widely considered to be the earliest known human language, predate the Göbekli Tepe megaliths by 8,000 years.
  • Archaeologists are still excavating the Göbekli Tepe’s Neolithic period. Only 5% of the site has been discovered so far, based on current estimates.
  • The freshly opened anlurfa Haleplibahçe Museum houses a number of Göbekli Tepe antiquities. An exact reproduction of the sacred location can also be found in a nearby museum.

INTERACTIVE CITY OF EPHESUS

  • The ancient city of Ephesus is one of Turkey’s most well-known and popular tourist destinations. It may be found in western Turkey, close to the city of Selçuk.
  • Ephesus was originally a Greek settlement when it was founded in the 10th century BC.
  • During the reign of Augustus in 27 BC, he designated it as the capital of Roman Asia Minor.
  • As a result, it grew to a population of over 250,000, making it one of the largest Mediterranean cities.
  • Ephesus was not only an important commercial port in Roman times, but it was also a popular pilgrimage destination because of the Temple of Artemis, which was dedicated to the city’s patron goddess.
  • A number of well-preserved Ephesus monuments can be seen today.
  • They get a glimpse into the past of a bustling metropolis.
  • There were originally more than 12,000 scrolls in the Library of Celsus. Aside from that, the Ephesus Grand Theater was the largest theater in ancient times, holding 25,000 spectators.
  • A museum in the heart of Ephesus showcases a wide range of objects unearthed from the gladiator burial excavation, including a number of rare discoveries.

Artemis’s Temple in Greek Mythology

  • One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World was the Temple of Artemis, a place of worship devoted to the Greek goddess.
  • Due to both its antique magnificence and its heritage, this is one of Turkey’s most fascinating historical sites.
  • The British Museum commissioned Western archaeologists to excavate the Temple of Artemis as the first ancient site to be excavated in the 19th century.
  • Numerous fires and earthquakes have decimated and reconstructed the majestic temple.
  • Beginning in 323 BC, the last stages of construction were completed, making it the greatest temple in antiquity.
  • Parthenon in Athens was twice as big. Intricate relief figures from Greek mythology adorn the columns of the temple’s façade. In 286 CE, the Goths demolished the temple for the final time.
  • A foundation and parts of the last Temple of Artemis can still be located at the site today, including an 11-meter-tall column.
  • The rubble from the site was used to build the column, which was then assembled to seem like an original.
  • A fire destroyed the original Artemis statue, which is now on display at the Ephesus Museum in Selçuk.

Bergama Acropolis Archaeological Sites

  • Bergama Acropolis is a must-see when in the vicinity of Istanbul.
  • Located on the steep side of a hill northeast of Bergama, this is the most spectacular archaeological site in Turkey.
  • It attracts up to one million tourists every year. In 2014, the UNESCO World Heritage List included Pergamon.
  • The Temple of Trajan, the Greek Theater, and the Altar of Zeus are the most well-known of the Acropolis ruins in Bergama.
  • Pergamon was founded in the second millennium BC and is one of the oldest cities in the world. It was able to withstand both Persian rule and Alexander the Great’s conquest. Before Ephesus, Bergama served as Asia Minor’s Roman capital.
  • Bergama’s library, which rivaled the famed library of Alexandria in size because to the invention of parchment, became one of the largest in the world.
  • The city was also a center for healing, research, and the arts, and its exquisite statues were well-known.
  • One of the Seven Churches of Early Christianity was located at Bergama. The Bible mentions the city’s name.

APHRODISIAS, THE OLD CITY

  • The Greek and Roman remains at Aphrodisias are among Turkey’s most significant.
  • It may be found in Turkey’s southwest, in a valley about 160 kilometers (100 miles) from Izmir.
  • After it was taken over by the Roman Empire, Aphrodisias was an ancient Greek town named after the goddess Aphrodite.
  • The sanctuary of Aphrodite is the most well-known edifice on the site. The Sebasteion, or Temple of Emperors, was built between 20 CE and 60 CE at Aphrodisias. Marble reliefs that once adorned the walls of the old building have been preserved.
  • Previously, Aphrodisias was a significant supply of marble. Facades and sculptures all around the ancient world were made from this stone.
  • So, Aphrodisias became a haven for master sculptors. The Aphrodisias Museum features their stunning work.

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