Kastabala ancient city to host art events

OSMANİYE

With the completion of excavations and landscaping, the amphitheater in the ancient city of Kastabala, one of the religious, cultural and artistic centers of the region with the traces of the fifth century B.C., will host concerts, theater and art performances.

Located 12 kilometers away from the city center in the southern province of Osmaniye, the ancient city has witnessed history for approximately 2,500 years with its walkway, theater, castle and columns.

Kastabala, which has been the religious, cultural and hour center of the region for many years, is getting ready to return to its old days as interrupted excavation works have started again. The amphitheater, which was the art center of the ancient city, is planned to host art events again.

The excavations have been carried out under the presidency of Osmaniye Korkut Ata University (OKU) Archeology Department academic Faris Demir.

Speaking to the state-run Anadolu Agency, Demir said that Kastabala is also called “Hierapolis,” which means “holy city” in some sources.

Stating that the city has been the cultural and artistic center of the region for many years, Demir said, “The fact that there is an amphitheater in the city is the main indicator of this.”

Demir stated that the excavations in the theater started with the aim of uncovering the steps, some of which were underground.

“The seating areas in the theater consist of two parts. The upper part is destroyed, but there is a chance that it could be restored again. In the lower part, the six-step seating area, approximately two-and-a-half to three meters long, is under the ground. As soon as we reveal these parts, the theater will show itself more clearly. In the past, the cultural and artistic centers of the cities were theaters. That’s why we focused on the work here,” he said.

Demir said that the restoration work will be started immediately after the excavation and that efforts will be made to transform the theater into its former glory.

“After the restoration and conservation work in the theater is completed, this place will be used in artistic events such as concerts, exhibitions and theater. The city was the center in the field of culture and arts at that time. Our aim is to make the city a center like it was in the past by bringing up the theater. The city, where the life was very colorful in ancient times, is now quite desolate. We want to revive this theater and start the dynamism in the city again. Following the works, the visitors will be able to view the artistic activities in an atmosphere as if they were living in that period. We accelerated the excavations so that the theater can host such events as soon as possible,” Demir said.