Aphrodisias Tour

"The City of Love" welcomes you to present the best examples of masks, sarcophagi ornaments friezes or any type of marble art that you can ever see.

Located on the fertile plains of the River Meander, Aphrodisias was a neighbor to various leading cities like Hierapolis and Laodiceia. The Mount Salbakos (Babadag) which stretches all along the city provided great source of beautiful blue and grey marble to the People of Aphrodisias, thus remarkable works of art were created without any doubt. The city soon became popular with the school of sculpture. Favored by the Roman Emperors and generals like Sulla and Caeser, it was also granted high priviliges of autonomy and tax-free status by Augustus declaring "I have selected Aphrodisias to be my own from all of Asia." The City, dedicated to Aphrodite, took its name from the goddess of beauty and love. Not only from the name but also from the works of art on the edifices as well as the dedication of Kenan Erim, who was the chief Archaeologist, you feel the love here in this site. After the Christianity was accepted widespread, the name was changed as "Stavropolis" meaning the city of Cross.

Let's begin our excursion from one of the highlights;

Tetrapylon was the monumental gateway to the temple of Aphrodite. Still welcomes you charming with all its beauty and size. The pilgrims of the day would enter the sanctuary along the Tetrapylon, having 4 rows of 4 columns, which gives the name to the structure.


The Temple of Aphrodite, situated in the center of the city, was one of the main concentration areas serving as the heart of the city. Originally dating back to 1st century BC, the sanctuary has 14 columns still standing ouy of 40. The local Museum is the current home to the statue of Aphrodite, which has similarities with Artemis of Ephesus, especially by the symbols on her dress. After the Christian era, the temple was turned int a Basilica serving as a Church in the 5th Century AD by the Byzantines.

The School of Sculpture made tjw city worldwide reputable with its remarkable workshops and its talented artists who would also go to anywhere in the Rome Empire to Work. This is obviously why you can see piles of masks as if they arw telling you What they felt, friezes describing very well all the legends and myths of the time. Walking next to those statues and ornaments giving you a glimpse of the ancient days is amazing.

Odeon, “Bouleterion” located to the South of theTemple, is one of the best preserved edifices of the city. It was mainly used as a meeting hall of the Senators where they made the most important decisions. *As you walk to the North, you arrive at the Stadium which is the best preserved of all unearthed.It was built for the athletic events which could hold 30.000 spectators.It wouldn’t be wrong to say that it is larger than most of the other ones in the Mediterranean, measuring 262m by 59 m. It was surrounded by the galleries outside where one would go and buy food, drinks or souvenirs before or after the shows or matches, just like today.

Sebasteion; richly decorated with detailed friezeson both porticoes uswd to be the processional way. One can easily lose himself in the moment, impressed by the size of the building feeling like the ancient people of Aphrodisias, walking on the ceremonial way.

Baths of Hadrian with its huge size still impress you as well as the techniques that they used to heat the water and the air inside.

Theater was built completely in the 1 st century BC. Gladiatorial events started to be arranged in the Roman times. Apparently the theater was dedicated to Aphrodite and to the people of this beautiful city by a previous slave of Octavian, Zoilos.

Agora; a huge market basically used fort he socializing of the locals, musical shows, speeches given by the local philosophers and literature competitions. It was situated just in the heart of the city so that people from nearby places like the Baths, Odeaon would be interested in what was going on and make business here.

Aphrodisias Museum

Walking step by step within the Poplar trees , you arrive at the exit of the ancient site, where the local museum is waiting for you to show the numerous remarkable finds at the different sections. You will be easily taken by the stunning cult statue of Aphrodite.There are halls dating back to 5000 BC as well as Hellenistic and Roman times.

You will find the local food is different than what you had before, you can have a break on the way back home but it will worth waiting for a late lunch.

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