7 of Turkey’s Most Impressive Historical Sites
The land we lived on was home to some people thousands of years before us. For this reason, a fascinating historical wealth lies in our grounds which are so precious in every period. The most beautiful symbols of this historical richness are the ancient cities that continue to rise in many places. In Turkey, as designated by the Ministry of Culture there are 77 ancient cities! The number of ancient cities is estimated to be around 100 with those who are not included in the list. We in this article will surely give you Turkey’s most special ancient cities you must visit. Here are seven ancient cities of ancient periods!
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Ephesus
When the ancient city is mentioned, the first place that comes to mind in Turkey is undoubtedly the ancient city of Ephesus. Because this is the only ancient city that has survived as the best remain standing city to the present day. The foundation of Ephesus was 6000 BC ‘s. It is known that Ephesus, which has lived its most magnificent periods in Hellenistic and Roman times, has a population of approximately 200.000 people. The Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the world, was also found in the ancient city of Ephesus.
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Göbeklitepe
Göbeklitepe, which is considered as a culture rather than a city, has a feature that changes history. This region, which is the city center, takes back to our civilization to about 12 thousand years ago according to the current studies. The ongoing excavations at Göbeklitepe continue to reveal significant information that will change all the information we have known so far about hunter-gatherer human communities.
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Çatalhöyük
Çatalhöyük, an ancient city dating back to the Neolithic period, is one of the first cities in the Mediterranean region. Also very well preserved until today. The population of the city in the southeastern province of Konya is estimated to be close to 10.000. The structures in the city are very close to each other.
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Pergamon
The ancient city of Pergamon, also known as Pergamum, is the ancient city of Bergama. There is a Roman settlement between the northwest of the city and the Bergama River. It is known that there is a theater of 30 thousand people with an amphitheater of 50 thousand people in the region. Today, the ruins called the Viran Gate are the surviving arches of the theater. German engineer Carl Humann first discovered the remains of the city in the 1870s.
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Troy
Troy, one of the most famous ancient cities in the world, is known to have existed uninterruptedly for more than 3000 years. The earliest settlement in the city dates back to the early Bronze Age with 3000-2500 BC. Afterward, the layers of Troy, which had been continuously settled, were discovered by 85 BC-AD 8th century ends with the Roman Period. Heinrich Schliemann first excavated the ancient city of Troy in 1871. Today, excavations are still being continued.
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Knidos
The ancient city of Knidos in Datça is known to be a very advanced city in science, architecture, and art. Major astronomers and mathematicians in history, Eudoksus, doctor Euryphon, famous artists such as the Polygonotos lived here.
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Phaselis
Phaselis Antique City, which is 35 km away from Antalya, is located on both sides of the main street connecting the military port and the southern port. The main street, which is 125 km long and 25 m wide, has sidewalks on both sides with three steps. The street forms a square to the middle and then reaches the southern port. It is known that there is a sewage and drainage system under this street which is furnished with smooth stones.
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