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Getting Ruined in Turkey

  • June 14, 2016
  • By 50 Shades
  • 18 Comments
Ephesus-Ruins

Ephesus-Ruins

Forget Athens in Greece and Rome in Italy! Turkey is undeniably one of the best countries in Europe for visiting ancient ruins. Basically wherever you roam throughout Turkey you will glimpse an acropolis perched high atop a hill and well-preserved Roman or Greek ruins are aplenty.

Ottoman Statue and Topkapi Palace in Istanbul

Ottoman Statue and Topkapi Palace in Istanbul

Once you have seen the some of the magnificent historical sites in the capital of Istanbul, like Hagia Sophia Museum – where you can observe both Ottoman and Byzantium effects under one great dome; Topkapi Palace – which served as the home of the Ottoman sultans and their court until the middle of the 19th century; Hipperdome – built for chariot races by the Emperor in the 3rd century; Anatolian Fortress – a 14th century castle from the Ottoman’s first attempt to capture Istanbul.

Fortress on the Bosphorous River, Istanbul

Fortress on the Bosphorous River, Istanbul

You head west towards the Lycian Way and Aegean coastline where there are some of the best preserved ruins in the modern world today, some of which date back as far back as the second century of BC.

Excavation works at Hierapolis

Excavation works at Hierapolis

Troy

Troy with its 4,000 years of history, is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. It marks the meeting place of Anatolia, the Aegean and the Balkans, making it a vitally important source of information about the historic relationships between these regions.

Troy Ruins

Troy Ruins

Troy is located on the mound of Hisarlık, which overlooks the plain along the Turkish Aegean coast, 4.8 km from the southern entrance to the Dardanelles.

Troy’s fame mainly derives from being the fabled location of the Trojan War. There are several ancient accounts of this conflict, mainly fiction, the most famous of which was written by Homer in The Iliad.

Small Amphitheatre at Troy

Small Amphitheatre at Troy

Troy historical site has a mix of Greek and Roman monuments, many built by prominent figures such as Alexander the Great and the Roman Emperor Augustus. Plus there are the famous walls of Troy, which played such an important role in the Trojan War, some of which remain, can be seen at the site.

The famous Trojan Horse Replica at Troy

The famous Trojan Horse Replica at Troy

Pergamum

Pergamum (or Pergamon) was an important kingdom during the second century BC, having grown from a city-state captured by Alexander The Great. The ruins lie to the north and west of the modern city of Bergama.

Pergamum Temple

Pergamum Roman Temple

In 129 BC, Pergamum became part of the Roman Empire, accounting for the presence of Roman artwork and temples, and later became part of the Byzantine Empire. Roman Pergamum is believed to have sustained a population of approximately 150,000 at its height in the 1st century AD.

Pergamum Amphitheatre

Pergamum Amphitheatre

The historic ruins of Pergamum are split into three main areas. In the Acropolis, you can find sites such as its library, gymnasium, very steep theatre and arsenal as well as the Roman Temple of Trajan.

Roman Statue at Pergamum

Roman Statue at Pergamum

In the city of Bergama also of note is the the cathedral-sized Red Hall, sometimes called the Red Basilica, which was originally built as a giant temple to the Egyptian gods Serapis and Isis in the 2nd century AD. It’s still an imposing-looking place, though rather scattered and battered.

Red Hall Bergama

Red Hall Bergama

Ephesus

Ephesus, probably the most renowned and visited ruins in Turkey, is an ancient city in Turkey’s Central Aegean region, near modern-day Selçuk. Its excavated remains reflect centuries of history, from classical Greece to the Roman Empire.

Ephesus Roman Dancers

Ephesus Roman Dancers

Thought to have been founded in the 10th century BC by an Athenian prince named Androklos, Ephesus grew into a thriving city until 650BC when it was attacked and damaged by the Cimmerians.

Ephesus Paved Street

Ephesus Paved Street

Ephesus is a treasure trove for enthusiasts of Ancient Roman and Greek history, allowing them to walk through its streets and view its magnificent houses, community buildings, temples and stadiums.

Ephesus Library

Ephesus Library

Some of the most impressive sites at Ephesus include the Library of Celsus, the ruins of which stand two storeys high, the Temple of Hadrian which was built in 118 AD, the classical theatre where it is believed Saint Paul preached to the Pagans and the Cave of the Seven Sleepers.

Ephesus Building

Ephesus Building

Hierapolis

Hierapolis was an ancient city located on hot springs in classical Phrygia in southwestern Anatolia. Its ruins are adjacent to modern Pamukkale in Turkey and currently comprise an archaeological museum designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Hierapolis Crypts

Hierapolis Crypts

It is said to have been founded by the rulers of Pergamum, the Attalid Dynasty, and is usually attributed to their King Eumenes II (197BC-159BC).

The Travertine Cascades of Pamukkale and Ruins of Hierapolis

The Travertine Cascades of Pamukkale and Ruins of Hierapolis

Most of the ruins at Hierapolis date from the Roman period. The Romans occupied Hierapolis in 129AD and the city grew into something of a multicultural haven, with Romans, Jews, Greco-Macedonians and others living there side by side.

Hierapolis Stadium

Hierapolis Stadium

There’s plenty to see at Hierapolis, including its theatre, Hellenistic layout and streets, many standing columns, the nymphaeum and a large necropolis to name a few sites. Visitors can also take a dip in the hot springs, a unique experience.

Hierapolis Hot Springs

Hierapolis Hot Springs

For those of you who love to get “ruined” in Europe and lost amongst ancient European civilizations, I would highly recommend a trip to Turkey. Not only does it offer some of the best restored ruins but most of the historical sites are a lot less crowded than the sites in Rome and Athens. I would happily get ruined here again and again!

Linking up with Travel Photo Thursday

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By 50 Shades, June 14, 2016 Kathy was a 50 something year old when she started up this blog 6 years ago, but has since turned over another decade and is now in her early 60s. She is married with two adult children and lives on the Tweed Coast of New South Wales, Australia. Kathy enjoys living life to the fullest and loves to keep fit and active by maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly. Some of her interests include reading, photography, travelling, cooking and blogging! Kathy works part-time as a freelance writer but her real passion is travelling and photographing brilliant destinations both within Australia and overseas and writing about it.
  • 18

50 Shades

Kathy was a 50 something year old when she started up this blog 6 years ago, but has since turned over another decade and is now in her early 60s. She is married with two adult children and lives on the Tweed Coast of New South Wales, Australia. Kathy enjoys living life to the fullest and loves to keep fit and active by maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly. Some of her interests include reading, photography, travelling, cooking and blogging! Kathy works part-time as a freelance writer but her real passion is travelling and photographing brilliant destinations both within Australia and overseas and writing about it.

18 Comments
  • Jan
    June 14, 2016

    Oh I loved Turkey when I visited maybe 20 years ago, every bit of it from Marmaris to Istanbul. I would so love to go back but finding the idea a bit scary these days, particularly Istanbul. I hope things settle down as I need to see some of it again and explore some more areas.

    • Kathy
      June 15, 2016

      Yes it’s such s shame that Turkey is a bit of a no go zone at present. It has so much to offer and is a great alternative to some of the busier European capital cities. The ruins were amazing! ?

  • budgettraveltalk
    June 14, 2016

    I agree that the array of ruins in Turkey is incredible and only Ephesus gets crowded. It is even possible to explore ruins completely by yourself.

    • Kathy
      June 15, 2016

      I think we were one of a handful of tourists at Troy and then at Pergamum we were completely alone. The other two places – Ephesus and Heirapolis were very crowded and about 40 degree heat! I adored Turkey ?

      • budgettraveltalk
        June 20, 2016

        Yep me too! We purposely didn’t go to Troy, as we’d heard it wasn’t worth while, but loved Pergamum and Heirapolis. I liked Ephesus but it was a bit crowded for my liking. I think Ruins are best experienced with few people. In some situations crowds can add to an experience, but not so ruins. The ruins at Ani in Eastern Turkey were my favourite Turkish Ruins. There were only a couple of other people and the ruins were spread along the Euphrates River and in stark fields with snow capped mountains in the background. I would love to return.

        • Kathy
          June 20, 2016

          I haven’t heard of ruins at Ani in Turkey but we didn’t travel to this part of Turkey so that would explain why. I think I enjoyed Pergamum the most as we were the only ones there and the views from the hill over Bergama were stunning. Ephesus was great but way too crowded for us too. :)

  • Michelle Weaver (@pinkypoinker)
    June 14, 2016

    I’ve never been and always thought Troy was in Greece. I’d love to visit Troy. It has such a romantic history.

    • Kathy
      June 15, 2016

      Troy does have a certain mystique about it but most of the ruins are still buried. Ephesus was amazing and very well preserved. Shame it gets very crowded here though. You would love Turkey for its history. Very unique. ?

  • Jo
    June 15, 2016

    Would love to visit Troy too and the idea of ruins still buried is intriguing. Just like in Petra in Jordan where only 15% of the site has been explored by archaeologists. Amazing that in this day and age we know so much and yet have so much history to discover still.

    • Kathy
      June 16, 2016

      I agree totally. There are possibly hundreds more ancient cities buried under the ground somewhere waiting to be discovered. Troy, because of the Trojan war and the movie ‘Troy’, was a very interesting place to see. However I think I enjoyed Ephesus the most. I hope you are still enjoying your cruise. :)

  • Life Images by Jill
    June 15, 2016

    Wow the history in these places simply amaze me and the fact that buildings are still standing after thousands of years. So different to Australia. I would love to visit Turkey one day. Thanks for the tour Kathy. Happy travels, have a fabulous week and thank you for stopping by my blog last week.

    • Kathy
      June 16, 2016

      The history is fascinating in Turkey. Some of the ruins, which were otherwise rubble, have been painstakingly re-constructed to the original form. Ephesus in particular has had a lot of its buildings re-constructed. I think that this is what I love about Europe the most – just so much history. :)

  • Ratheesh R Nath
    June 16, 2016

    Enjoyed reading this blog. so glad i found it. Going to Turkey in July with friends.

    • Kathy
      June 17, 2016

      Thank you Ratheesh. I’m so happy that you found this post helpful. You will love Turkey. :)

  • Jim ~ ReflectionsEnroute
    June 19, 2016

    Love the article, love Turkey! Swimming in the hot springs at Hierapolis was one of my favorite things in Turkey, I recommend goin in the off season and having the pools all to yourself. I also love climbing around the ruins that are found all through the country.

    • Kathy
      June 20, 2016

      Thank you Jim. I adored Turkey as well. It’s a shame it is a bit off limits at the moment. I am travelling to Italy next year and I’m already thinking about the crowds at the main tourist attractions. That is the downside to travelling I guess. What I liked about the ruins in Turkey is that they were mainly deserted and in fact we had Pergamum all to ourselves the day we visited! :)

  • Ruth
    June 21, 2016

    Very nice! I am really into history, so, I fill like Turkey would be paradise for me. I went once to Ephesus and I was totally impressed by the ruins.

    • Kathy
      June 22, 2016

      Ruth you would love exploring the ruins in Turkey. They are spread everywhere throughout the country. I would like to return to see Cappadocia where the cave houses are. :)

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