Temple of Athena restored after centuries

ANTALYA

One of Türkiye’s most famous landmarks, the Apollo Temple in the southern Turkish town of Side, continues to attract visitors from around the world. Now, the nearby Temple of Athena is also being revived during its ongoing excavation and restoration works.

The restoration of the historical columns unearthed during the excavations of the Temple of Athena in Side, a peninsula-shaped city dating back to the 7th century B.C. and the most important port city of Pamphylia, will be finished soon as part of the restoration work carried out by the Antalya Surveying and Monuments Regional Directorate.

“At the beginning of the restoration, only one column was standing, and it did not even have a column capital. Now, a total of 20 columns have been raised. In the northeast section, four columns have been reerected, along with their capitals and other architectural elements. To stabilize the columns, they were reinforced with steel hoops," said Veysel Akın, Regional Director of Surveying and Monuments.

Akın added that the authenticity of other architectural elements belonging to the Temple of Athena had already been documented and incorporated into a restoration project approved by the Regional Conservation Board.

“We are raising the confirmed columns of the temple as part of our restoration work. Original marble steps were discovered during excavations on the eastern side. For the missing parts, we used marble dust and mortar to create imitation steps. Our goal is to complete the restoration soon and illuminate the site under the 'Legacy for the Future' project, preparing it for nighttime museum visits.”

Stating that the area where the temples of Apollo and Athena are located is known as the Sacred Port Area, Feriştah Alanyalı, the Head of Excavations at the ancient city of Side, explained, “Research conducted here in recent years shows us that this place is not just a temple of Athena and Apollo, but a large sacred area that includes other cult areas right next to the port. That's why in recent years we have been calling the area the temples area or the sacred area of the port. Although the first studies in the area were started in 1947 by Arif Müfid Mansel, in recent years, especially since 2023, it has become one of the most important areas where excavations and restoration work has been carried out in Side.”

Alanyalı, in expressing that the restoration work at the Athena Temple was continuing, said, “In fact, it is nearing completion. Restoration work will begin there very soon. The restoration, protection and repair work in the area began in the basilica and its surroundings before 2009-2010. However, there was nothing like this for the Athena Temple yet. The restoration work at the Athena Temple was accelerated as of 2023.”

Alanyalı emphasized that all the columns used in the restoration are original pieces from the temple.

“At the end of the 19th century, workers who came to the site to operate quarries burned many of the temple’s stones to produce lime, which was then used in construction. As a result, we have lost many of the temple’s components. However, in restoring the Athena Temple, we focused on the use of original pieces. All existing parts of the temple are used in the restoration,” she said.

Alanyalı said that the Temple of Athena and Apollo are major tourist destinations, saying, “The Apollo Temple is one of the most used images in Türkiye's promotional materials. It is the first place visitors want to see when they come to Side. Soon, the Temple of Athena will be illuminated and opened to visitors as part of a new environmental planning project.”