Antalya unveils glass-floored observation terrace at Hıdırlık tower
ANTALYA
Glass surfaces allowing visitors to view ancient ruins at the Hıdırlık tower in the southern province of Antalya have been completed within the scope of extensive restoration plans.
Initiated by the municipality in 2020, the archeological excavations align with the Conservation Board’s decision to transform the tower into a prominent cultural and touristic center.
As a result, ancient ruins and structures have been uncovered in the region. The ongoing project aims to showcase these artifacts to visitors, offering a panoramic view of the Mediterranean Sea.
The municipality is currently engaged in restoration and conservation efforts in the area. Structural steel fabrications of the glass floors on the south side of the tower are now complete, along with the installation of glass surfaces that reveal the ancient ruins beneath.
Additionally wooden and glass flooring on the north side of the tower has also been installed.
As excavations and conservation efforts continue, recent work has focused on a columned structure believed to date back to the 1st and 2nd centuries A.D., uncovered in the tower’s southern part.
A 13-meter trench was identified between floor mosaics and the columned structure, yielding artifacts from the 1900s during the filling process. Conservation of these patterned floor mosaics is ongoing, with expert archeologists overseeing the work.
Excavations this season uncovered an area of 1,000 square meters around the tower, resulting in the discovery of 75 crates of ceramics.
