Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Life
  • Health
  • Environment
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion
  • Science
  • Religion
  • History
  • Feature
  • Expat Corner

Discover ancient city of Aizanoi like the Romans with new riverboat tours

by DAILY SABAH WITH AA

ISTANBUL Jul 01, 2020 - 1:00 pm GMT+3
Edited By Yasemin Nicola Sakay
Foreign and domestic tourists will be in for a special treat once the riverboat project is complete. (AA Photo)
Foreign and domestic tourists will be in for a special treat once the riverboat project is complete. (AA Photo)
by DAILY SABAH WITH AA Jul 01, 2020 1:00 pm
Edited By Yasemin Nicola Sakay
RECOMMENDED
The coastal town of Trilye, in Bursa, Türkiye. (Shutterstock Photo)

Hidden cultural, historical treasure of Türkiye's Marmara: Tirilye

Travel

Boats will once again sail the waterways that run through the ancient city of Aizonoi, and just as the Romans did centuries ago, modern visitors will be able to also enjoy this way of experiencing the city and exploring its historical ruins.

The 5,000-year-old site located in Çavdarhisar, Kütahya in western Turkey will soon be offering riverboat tours as part of the Aizanoi Penkalas Project that began last year.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Elif Özer, an archaeology professor at Pamukkale University and head of excavations at Aizanoi, said the project will be the main focus of the team, along with restoring the site's theater and stadium.

Aizanoi is home to one of the best-preserved temples in Anatolia dedicated to Zeus, the Olympian god of the sky and thunder and king of the Greek gods. Dubbed the second Ephesus of Turkey, the city was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in 2012. Excavation efforts have been ongoing at the site for the last nine years.

"Most of the structural remains that have survived in Aizanoi located on both sides of the Kocaçay River (Penkalas) were built during the Roman era. On both banks of the river, there were protective walls made out of large cut stones to protect the city against the rising waters of the Kocaçay, the waters of which continue to rise," according to the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry.

Among the many artifacts recovered, Özer said the Roman coins found in Penkalas River (Kocaçay) depict a reclining man.

The ancient site experienced its golden age in the second and third centuries. (AA Photo)
Though damaged by natural disasters such as earthquakes and landslides, the ancient theater and stadium remain mostly intact. (AA Photo)
Aizanoi is located 57 kilometers (35 miles) from Kütahya's city center. (AA Photo)
Municipal and archaeological teams are working to get the waterways ready for boat tours. (AA Photo)

"With the project, for which preparations began in 2012 and work started last year, (we plan to place) sailboats between the two bridges as was done in ancient times by raising the water level of the river," she explained. Around 1,000 dressed stones and sculptures dating back to the ancient Roman period were also recovered from the river, she added.

"Under normal circumstances, we aimed to complete most of the project this year, but we had to halt the work due to the pandemic. We aim to finish the project next year," Özer said.

According to Özer, although there have been modern examples of such projects in other countries, none focused on ancient cities.

Recent excavations around the Temple of Zeus indicate the existence of several levels of settlement in the city dating as far back as 3000 BC. In 133 B.C., it was captured by the Roman Empire. In 1824, European travelers rediscovered the ancient site.

Between 1970 and 2011, the German Archeology Institute conducted excavations, unearthing Aizanoi's theater and stadium, as well as two public baths, a gymnasium, five bridges, a trade building, necropolises and the sacred cave of Metre Steune – a cultist site thought to be used prior to the first century B.C.

Turkish archaeologists have been carrying out work at the ancient site since 2011.

RECOMMENDED
The coastal town of Trilye, in Bursa, Türkiye. (Shutterstock Photo)

Hidden cultural, historical treasure of Türkiye's Marmara: Tirilye

Travel
  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Jul 01, 2020 3:11 pm
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    travel history aizanoi ancient cities discover turkey romans
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states’ early diplomatic maneuvering occurred in the broader context of the nations’ strategic interests and should not be confused with unequivocal support for Russia. (Shutterstock Photo)

    Gulf states changing the face of Ukraine war

    gulf-states
    Leader of the far-right Danish political party Stram Kurs, Rasmus Paludan, stands outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm, Sweden, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023. (AP Photo)

    Far-right politician Paludan to burn Quran in Denmark

    ISLAMOPHOBIA

    Türkiye condemns Quran burning in Copenhagen

    türkiye-denmark-relations

    7 killed in armed attack on synagogue in East Jerusalem

    ISRAEL
    No Image
    A look at Srebrenica genocide after 26 years
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021