Ancient stadium to rise as thriving archaeopark in Bolu

BOLU

Significant efforts are underway to transform an ancient stadium dating back to the Roman period into an archaeological park in the northwestern province of Bolu in a bid to render the site a major tourism attraction.

Marking the sole instance of its kind in the city, the stadium was discovered during archaeological excavations in 2008.

Since 2022, local authorities from the Culture and Tourism Ministry and Bolu Museum have been jointly leading the refinement works regarding the historical treasure. Taking over two years to conclude, the studies, conducted under the leadership of Associate Professor Davut Yiğitpaşa from Ondokuz Mayıs University’s Archaeology Department, also involved several graduate students.

Within the scope of the studies, authorities have recently carried out the cleaning and lighting installations in the area following the completion of the excavation phase. For the first time on Dec. 25, about 16 years after the discovery, the lights were illuminated around the Roman-era stadium, providing a unique opportunity to view the splendor of the ancient structure after dark.

İbrahim Emre Gürsoy, the provincial director of culture and tourism, shared the latest updates with the press, emphasizing the potential of the ancient stadium to become a significant cultural and tourist attraction in the future.

"A project for an archeological park is in the works, a project that will turn this area into a popular tourist destination. We're also working on other historical sites around the province,” he pointed out.

Gürsoy revealed that the project will include consultations with the Chamber of Architects, as well as collaboration with architects from the Culture and Tourism Ministry to design a plan that enhances the site's appeal.

He also noted that Bolu has been facing some challenges in terms of touristic destinations around the city center. Therefore, the ongoing work at the site covering the Roman-era stadium will mark an important step toward filling these gaps, according to Gürsoy.