Antalya is a remarkable city with its unique historical buildings, climate, and nature. Aspendos Ancient City, one of the most popular structures of Antalya, welcomes thousands of tourists every year.
Where Is Aspendos Located?
Well, where is Aspendos, which attracts attention with its long history and impressive structures? Aspendos is located in the Mediterranean region and is within the boundaries of the very popular city of Antalya.
Aspendos is situated 10 km from the center of Serik and 47 km away from the city center of Antalya. Aspendos, which has become the symbol of the city, ranks first among the must-see places in Antalya
How to Get To Aspendos?
Antalya stands out in cultural tourism with its antique cities. The city, where settlements have been established for thousands of years, has been preferred as a living space by many civilisations. Among the ancient cities that have allowed the city to reach a multicultural structure, Aspendos has managed to attract attention.
The ancient city of Antalya Aspendos, although extremely old, has been carefully preserved until today. The Roman settlement area, which contains many different structures, has also become the starting point of impressive legends.
The ancient city of Aspendos, which has become the centre of attention with its original and magnificent architecture as well as its durable structure, has a fascinating appearance.
There are various transport methods to go to Aspendos. In addition to private car and taxi transportation, you can take the buses from Antalya Bus Terminal to Serik. You can travel to the ancient city in a short time by using minibuses from the Serik district to Aspendos.
History and Story of Aspendos Ancient City
The history of Aspendos Ancient City, located in Antalya, is quite old. It is thought that the ancient city, which dates back to the 10th century BC, was founded by the Achaeans. The city, which has been used as a settlement area since the Old Bronze
Age, came under the rule of the Persian Empire in the 5th century BC. After the Battle of Eurymedon in 467 BC, the city was ruled by Alexander the Great.
With the rule of Alexander the Great, The brightest years of the ancient city began. Impressive structures were built during the Roman Period. Aspendos ancient city was ruled by different states such as Byzantium and Seljuks over time. During these processes, the structures built in the past were maintained. Especially, the traces of the restoration works carried out by the Seljuks can still be seen.
Aspendos ancient city, that remained under the auspices of the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Turkey, was opened to visitors after a detailed restoration in 1930. In the past, the settlement area was famous for its wine, olives, viticulture as well as horses.
Within the ancient city are the ruins of the Aspendos Ancient Theatre, aqueducts, basilica, agora, bath, stadium, monumental fountain, acropolis, monumental arch, and assembly building.
Historical and Architectural Features of Aspendos Theatre
When talking about the ancient city of Aspendos, the first question that comes to mind is, "Where is the Aspendos Theatre? It is very easy to learn the exact location of the theatre in the ancient city. Aspendos Theatre is 10 km away from Serik district in the east of Antalya. When you reach the ancient city, which is extremely close to Belkıs Village, Aspendos Theatre will appear in all its splendour.
Aspendos' Ancient Theatre and Aqueducts made it into the UNESCO Tentative Heritage List in 2015. The theatre, which has defied time with its hundreds of years of history, is thought to have been built by the Roman Empire in the 2nd century AD. This structure, which has the best acoustics in the world, was built by Emperor Marcus Aurelius to Architect Zenon, the son of Theodorus of Aspendos. The inscriptions at the entrance of the stage building read that two brothers named Curtius Crispinus and Curtius Auspicatus dedicated the building to the gods and the emperor.
The architecture of the ancient theatre is majestic and remarkable. The stage building consists of two floors, as in ancient Roman theatre buildings. Different types of columns were used on both floors of the theatre building. The use of Ionic columns on the lower floor and Corinthian columns on the upper floor allows the building to have an intricate appearance. Sculptures have been placed in the niches between the columns to add an aesthetic touch.
The relief of Dionysus on the central door of the building is surrounded by plants and motifs. The events in the ancient theatres were held in the name of Dionysus, known in Ancient Greece as the god of wine. Especially during the vintage, people organised various festivities to express their gratitude to the gods and to increase fertility.
The doors of the theatre building were used for different purposes. While the doors on the ground floor were designed for use by the artists in the play, the doors below were prepared for the entry of animals during fights.
Unlike other theatre buildings built in the same period, the stage, not the view, is seen from the seats. The fact that the perimeter of the building is completely closed strengthens the acoustics and allows the audience to hear the sounds easily.
It is known that the width of each seat is 45 cm. The Aspendos Ancient Theatre has a large audience capacity of 9000 people and this capacity can be increased up to 15,000 people. The orchestra section of the theatre, which has a total of 41 seating rows, is semicircular.
There is a seating area called "Emperor's Lodge" in the lowest section. It is noteworthy that some seats have names on them. Stone and marble were used for the construction of the building.
Turquoise tiles were found in the stage building from the restoration carried out during the Seljuk period. It is believed that the stage building was used for a time as a palace by the Seljuk ruler.
Aspendos Ancient Theatre has been challenging history by hosting the International Opera and Ballet Festival since 1994.
The Legend of Aspendos Ancient City
There are many rumours about the ancient city of Aspendos, which has become the centre of attention of tourists from all over the world. The prominent among these rumours is the legend about the King of Aspendos and the architect brothers.
The daughter of the King of Aspendos reaches the marriage age. The king wants the man who will marry his daughter to be someone who will be useful to the city and the people. He sends a messenger to the city and announces that he will marry his daughter the one who builds a useful structure for the city. Many young men set to work to build various structures.
Among the young men are two architect brothers. One of the brothers builds aqueducts in the ancient city. Aqueducts meet the water needed by the people. Although the king makes his decision when he examines this structure, he also wants to see the structure built by the other brother in order not to be unfair. So he decides to go to the ancient theatre.
The King of Aspendos was fascinated when he saw the ancient theatre. In addition to its impressive architecture, the theatre has perfect acoustics, and the slightest sound made on the stage is heard from the back rows. While the king is standing in the back row, he hears the sentence "You must marry your daughter to me" in a whisper. While
looking for the place where the voice comes from, he sees the architect Zenon on the stage and decides to marry his daughter to him.
Places to Visit Near Aspendos
● Zeytintaşi Cave
● Uçansu Waterfall
● Sillyon Ancient City
● Serik Central Mosque
● Pednelissos Ancient City
● Lycian King Road
● Martyrdom Park
Although the visiting hours of Aspendos, which you can visit individually or by participating in touristic trips, vary according to the season, the opening time is determined as 08.00. You can visit the structure, which has a paid entrance fee, with a ticket or by using a museum card.
The accommodation phase is extremely important in the exploration process. Comfortable accommodation allows you to have a pleasant trip. You can explore every point of the city in detail by staying at Calista Luxury Resort, which provides high comfort to its guests to spend a perfect holiday process.
