Aphrodisias:
Aphrodisias and its marble quarries, located in the Geyre village of Aydın, are among the most important ruins in Turkey. Dedicated to Aphrodite and become a symbol of the city's ancient splendor, the site's grand temple dates from the 3rd century BC, a century before the city and its marble quarries were built. The site is located on fertile land as it is fed by the Morsynus River. It hosted the Cult of Aphrodite and was the capital of Caria, a very famous Anatolian state.
Agora of Smyrna:
Smyrna Agora, with a modern flag in the city of Izmir, covers a rectangular area in accordance with the grid city layout of the region. It bears the traces of Hellenistic, Roman, Eastern Roman, Principality and Ottoman periods. Also, Port's two chief apostles, St. Paul and St. It is also of religious importance in that it was visited by John and is home to one of the seven churches of revelation.
Didim:
Located in what was once called the Sacred Way connecting it to Miletos, Didyma was a place of worship, not a city. It was well known in antiquity because of its famous oracle, meaning prophetic oracle, and the huge Temple of Apollo. Known as Didymaion, the third largest temple of the ancient world, the Temple consists of three layers, the oldest of which dates back to the 9th millennium BC. The divination practice observed here is unfortunately almost unknown to us, although we have some information. For example, we know that questions and answers are written here as opposed to Delphi, thanks to some written evidence proving this. Also, divination, a gateway to knowing the will of the gods, is believed to be the most influential after Delphi.
Ephesus:
Ephesus is exactly where the two foremost consuls of Christianity took place, and St. It has a lot of religious significance as Paul visited the area twice to carry out his missionary purposes. After Jesus was crucified, St. John and the Virgin Mary also came to this site, which will be their last surviving residence. Moreover, Ephesus is among the Seven Churches of Revelation mentioned in the Bible.
Hierapolis:
Hierapolis, which is believed to have been founded by the Attalid kings of Pergamon at the end of the 2nd century BC and named after the wife of Telephos, the legendary founder of Pergamon, literally means "divine city". It is home to a rich archaeological heritage such as baths, temple ruins, monumental arch, necropolis and theatre. The city's theater draws attention with its frieze depicting the processions, Dionysus, the birth of Apollo and Artemis, and more.
Caunos:
Kaunos represents an archaeological site that served as an important port city in ancient times, but lost this feature when the alluvial deposit coming from the sea filled its basin and separated it from today's Sülüklügöl (Sülülük Göl). The area is primarily known for its rock tombs, believed to have been built in the 4th century BC and can be seen from Dalyan while taking a stroll in the Aegean Sea.
Miletus:
The ancient port of Miletus, located in today's Söke district of Aydın, dates back to the Neolithic period and remains the focal point of the history of philosophy. The foundations of rational thought, geometry and astronomy were laid here. Thales, Anaximenes, Anaximandros, Isidoros, who are the architects of Hagia Sophia, and Hippodamus, known as the “Father of Urbanism” since he invented the grid urban fabric, lived here. It is also reflected in the site's extensive repertoire of inscriptions, including some intended for Jews and some for earlier civilizations. You should definitely discover these inscriptions and visit the colonnaded walking path of the site, the Faustina Bath and the Temple of Apollo, which we can count among the main attractions.
Pergamon:
Located on the Aegean coast, in the present-day Bergama district of Izmir, the Ancient City of Pergamon was once the capital of the Hellenistic Attalid dynasty. The theater, which is built on a sloping land surrounded by a wide wall, is actually the steepest theater in the ancient world and offers excellent sea views. The classical splendor of Bergama is reflected in the city's architecture, art, medicine, culture and education.