I am back on the road! After two quiet years and little traveling (we all know the main reason), I was very excited to be exploring the world again. And Turkey was first on my list. I always liked it here. Whether it is the mediterranean food, the people or the history, Turkey is full of unique places and history. Especially ruins. I have seen a few on my last trip in 2019, but there is so much more of the ancient ruins of Turkey to see. Did you hear of Sardis or Tripolis? Or how about Aphrodisias named after Aphrodite, the goddess of love?
So, for this trip my route was, more or less set. It would be one month of history, ruins, beach time, the wonders of Cappadocia (can’t wait) and the big city Istanbul. All subject to changes of course.
So lets start with some ruins…
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The Ancient Ruins of Turkey – Izmir to Sardis
Izmir seemed like a good starting point as many of the ancient ruins are within a 150 km radius. North, South, East. So, for the first week of my Turkey trip, I rented a car and was ready to go. I was heading towards the city Denizli (near Pamukkale) and Sardis was first my first stop.
The drive from Izmir was quite simple and the landscape pretty to look at. Surprisingly there were lots of wine grapes around and the mountains in the background were as high as 2300m. The villages are quite simple with locals doing their thing, and you can always find a guy making his very own ‘Lahmacun’ (Turkish pizza) in his wood fired oven. Delicious!
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Sardis and the Temple of Artemis
The ruins of Sardis, once the capital of ancient Lydia, are located just over 100 km inland from Izmir in Manisa Province. It was a wonderful introduction to the ancient ruins of Turkey.
The enormous columns, detailed craftsmanship carved into the stone and impressive ancient designs were stunning to see in person. Furthermore, the warm, sunny weather and complete lack of other tourists made the experience even better. I certainly had some fun exploring!
It is a small area to cover, however just further up the road you find the Temple of Artemis.
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The Temple of Artemis
As with many of the ruins, when you approach the archeological site, it seems very small. Until you get closer and closer. How grand and magnificent the buildings must have been. The grand columns are one of my favourites to see and I feel so little standing nAs with many ancient ruins in Turkey, the archaeological site appears quite small when you first approach it. However, the closer you get, the more impressive it becomes. How grand and magnificent these buildings must once have been!
The enormous columns are always among my favourite things to see. Standing beside them makes me feel so small. Furthermore, the mountains in the background create the perfect scenery. It was certainly a great morning for taking some fun photos!
In general, I won’t write too much about the history of the ruins. Instead, I will include a link for anyone interested in learning more. Personally, I love the beautiful scenery and backdrops these places provide for my photos, not to mention all the walking I do while exploring them. For me, it is a wonderful way to learn a little more each time.
So, read more about the history of Sardis and the Temple of Artemis here and enjoy the photos. As always, they tell the story best.
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Tripolis
The ruins of Tripolis are located only 20km from Pamukkale (remember my trip in 2019? – Pamukkale and Hierapolis) and I decided to make a spontaneous stop after noticing a sign. Due to only recent excavation and discovery works, Tripolis is one of the least known ancient ruins of Turkey, but it might change sometime soon. Especially after more excavation work.
Nevertheless some of the early Byzantine Fortification Walls are standing and part of the roman road is exposed. The theatre is still uncovered, however it was interesting to see it ‘before’ the excavation work, hiding beneath. Don’t you agree?
I am glad I stopped. It was only 4km off the road and it created the perfect finale for the day. Read the full history here.
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Well, I certainly had my share of the ancient ruins of Turkey on my first day here. It was time to find my hotel in Denizli and have a good night rest. Tomorrow is a new day and there is more Ancient Ruins of Turkey to see. Kibyra was next.
But let’s eat some delicious local food first. Let’s see what ruins the next day will bring. Little did I know that I would see something amazing… !!
Read: Kibyra – the amazing ancient City.
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