Work in 30 pct of Aspendos to be finished in four years

ANTALYA

Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy has said they plan to complete the excavation and restoration works within four years in 30 percent of the ancient city of Aspendos, only 2 percent of which has been excavated so far.

The ancient city, a popular tourist destination in the southern province of Antalya, was visited by 270,000 people in 2023. Ersoy also noted that they initially allocated 1 billion Turkish Liras for the works.

Speaking at a meeting held at the ancient theater in the Ancient City of Aspendos, Ersoy said that the ruins in Türkiye are important places of attraction and that the ancient city of Aspendos is one of them.

Noting that the excavations in Aspendos, initiated in 2013, have been continuing under the direction of Associate Professor Mustafa Bilgin since 2022, Ersoy said that only 2 percent of the ancient city has been excavated to date.

Emphasizing that Aspendos has two important features, he said, "These two structures are the aqueducts and the ancient theater, which were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in 2015. These structures show the architectural and engineering practice under the roof of the Roman Empire and stand out with their features that amaze people even today.”

He stated that the ancient city, which attracts attention with its two-story shops, baths, gates, monumental fountain, basilica and temple, as well as its aqueducts and ancient theater, is an exceptional door opening to the splendor and elegance of the past.

“The ancient city hosted 270,000 visitors in 2023 and was among the most popular ruins. We will intensify excavation and restoration works within the scope of the ‘Heritage for the Future Project’ in Aspendos. In the first phase, work will be carried out on the two-story shops and stoa complex in the western part. Excavations will be carried out in the monumental fountain building, which is standing today almost as a whole. This place will become one of the masterpieces of the ancient city,” the minister said.

Stating that the original streets in the ancient city will be revived and visitors will have the opportunity to visit them, Ersoy said that they will also implement the visitor reception center and landscaping project in the ancient city.

He also gave information about the excavations in the ancient city in the next four years, noting that more areas of the ancient city will be unearthed.

“We plan to complete the excavation and restoration work in 30 percent of the ancient city in Aspendos in four years. We allocate an initial funding of 1 billion liras to achieve this goal. I hope that the result will be beneficial to the cultural and tourism life of our country,” he said.