{"id":1576,"date":"2020-01-08T15:14:50","date_gmt":"2020-01-08T12:14:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/?p=1576"},"modified":"2026-03-27T17:15:19","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T14:15:19","slug":"ancient-cities-in-turkey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/ancient-cities-in-turkey\/","title":{"rendered":"A tapestry of stories: 18 famous ancient sites in T\u00fcrkiye!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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1. Ephesus, the grandest ancient city in T\u00fcrkiye<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Turkey's
T\u00fcrkiye’s largest ancient city of Ephesus located in Izmir.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Why is Ephesus considered T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s grandest ancient city? Because it features all the typical characteristics of an important settlement of its time \u2013 and many of these structures are still intact. Wide avenues and narrow streets, public plazas, inns, bazaars and more; due to its port, Ephesus was a prominent commercial hub during the Roman Empire. It held religious significance as home to the Temple of Artemis, and political importance as an administrative center. A population of 250,000 citizens inhabited Ephesus during its Golden Age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That Golden Age did not endure. Earthquakes buried the port; the Temple of Artemis was destroyed. The flooding of the Menderes River covered Ephesus in sand and mud. The city was abandoned, hidden for a thousand years, only to reappear when archaeologists began to excavate in the area. The excavations lasted more than one hundred years, uncovering the Library of Celsus, the amphitheater, Yama\u00e7 House, Kuretler and Liman avenues, the Temple of Hadrian, the Door of Hercules, the Trajan Fountain, the Agora, and the Basilica. The city was so enormous that, to date, only the city center has been excavated \u2013 about 20 percent of its entire area. It is believed that many other sites exist, extending towards the Sel\u00e7uk district and other nearby cities. When you visit Ephesus, we recommend that you enter via the Magnesia Gate, one of the two entrances; from that entry, your exploration of the city will be mainly downhill. To feast your eyes on this ancient wonder,\u00a0book a flight to \u0130zmir<\/a>\u00a0and discover Ephesus, T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s grandest ancient site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2. Aspendos, the famous theatre with incredible acoustics<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Aspendos
Aspendos Amphitheatre, one of the world\u2019s best-preserved ancient theatres<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the village of Belk\u0131s, in the Serik district of Antalya, Aspendos was a prominent stop on trading routes due to its location along the Eurymedon River. The city includes a stadium, an agora, baths, shops, and cisterns, as well as the parliament building, a monumental fountain and a Hellenistic-era temple. But the most famous surviving ancient structure in Aspendos is its magnificent amphitheater, with a capacity of 12,000 people. One of the world\u2019s best-preserved ancient theatres, the Aspendos Theatre features superb acoustics: It is alleged that the sound of a coin tossed on the center stage can be heard even in the furthest seats. This remarkable theater continues to host performances and events. Book a flight to Antalya<\/a> and explore the historical ruins of this unique ancient site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3. \u00c7atalh\u00f6y\u00fck Neolithic City, bearing the fine traces of settled life<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Bearing
Bearing the fine traces of settled life with 9,000 years of history; \u00c7atalh\u00f6y\u00fck<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

With a history reaching back nine thousand years, \u00c7atalh\u00f6y\u00fck was the site of important human developments, such as the beginning of agriculture and hunting. The urban settlement, which at its peak is believed to have had a population of 8,000 people, extended over an area of fourteen hectares. As its name suggests \u2013 \u00e7atal refers to a fork and h\u00f6y\u00fck means mound \u2013 the mounds are fork-shaped, eastern and western. Researchers believe that the structures found in \u00c7atalh\u00f6y\u00fck are mainly domestic; bi-level, two-roomed houses built with sun-dried mud, straw, cob and reeds. The entrances to these homes were via openings in the roofs; the roofs were also used as \u201cstreets\u201d and public areas. Intriguingly, floor and wall paintings were found on the interiors and exteriors of the houses; small figurines, mainly female, were also found. While excavations of other ancient sites, such as G\u00f6beklitepe, indicate that art was used to adorn structures such as temples, the \u00c7atalh\u00f6y\u00fck excavations suggest that private homes were used as places of worship.  To reach \u00c7atalh\u00f6y\u00fck, which is on the Plain of Konya, you can book a flight to Konya<\/a> and then rent a car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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4. The Ancient City of Zeugma, a mosaic paradise<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Ancient
Ancient City of Zeugma at the Gaziantep mosaic museum, one of the largest in the world.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Set near Gaziantep, along the Euphrates River, the Ancient City of Zeugma was an elegant settlement and the site of numerous villas. What was found in these villas was utterly remarkable: Stunning mosaics that retain their ability to enchant viewers. Many of these mosaics are now exhibited in the world\u2019s largest such museum, the Zeugma Mosaic Museum. The \u201cGypsy Girl\u201d is probably the best known of the recovered mosaics: The figure\u2019s large eyes and penetrating gaze have led many to compare her to the Mona Lisa, while her earrings and headscarf have given her the nickname of the \u201cGypsy Girl\u201d, though some researchers have suggested that the figure depicted is Alexander, rather than a woman. The mosaic was found under a collapsed column in the ancient city in 1998, during a rescue excavation. The column had hidden the mosaic from looters; other mosaics were not so lucky. Fortunately, numerous artifacts, including mosaics, were later recovered and repatriated to T\u00fcrkiye. To see more of these incredible artworks, book a flight to Gaziantep<\/a> and visit the Ancient City of Zeugma, as well as the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, in Gaziantep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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5. The Ancient City of Phaselis, an important port settlement<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Having
Having been touched by many civilizations over the years, Phaselis has many Roman and Byzantine traces<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Phaselis, an ancient Lycian city, was founded along the beautiful Phaselis Bay. Perhaps selected for its lush forests, the settlement was established by colonists from the island of Rhodes. Phaselis is on a small peninsula extending to the Mediterranean Sea, thus it is believed by some that the city was intended to be a transit point for timber shipped to Mediterranean ports from the Taurus Mountains. There are three ports in Phaselis: images of ships adorn the city\u2019s ports, agoras and city coins. The visible ruins in Phaselis date to the Roman and Byzantine periods, though the city\u2019s history predates those eras. The ruins of the Hellenistic Period Phaselis theater, three agoras and monumental aqueducts can be seen, along with the remains of a small basilica from the Byzantine period and two baths, one large and one small. The hillside behind the north harbor was the city\u2019s cemetery area. Book a flight to Antalya<\/a> to explore the ancient city of Phaselis and swim in Phaselis Bay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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