Promotion meeting for ancient city of Aphrodisias in Türkiye

Ancient city of Aphrodisias promotion meeting was held with the participation of Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy

A promotion meeting for the ancient city of Aphrodisias, located in Karacasu district of Aydın province of Türkiye, was held with the participation of the Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Aydin Governor Yakup Canbolat and other officials in the city.

Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy stated that Aphrodisias has the potential to become an archaeological site that breaks visitor records once key projects in the area are completed. These projects have been allocated a total budget of TL 1.75 billion ($56.9 million).

Ersoy pointed out that Aphrodisias was one of the leading centers of sculpture during the Roman period.

Stating that most of the ruins seen in the city belong to the Roman period, Ersoy said, “Aphrodisians introduced themselves to the Roman world with their mastery in the art of sculpture, and we will introduce their heritage to the whole world with our conservation efforts.”

Ersoy mentioned that teams comprising Turkish scientists are assigned to ancient cities with foreign excavation heads. Professor Bahadır Duman, who is also the head of Tripolis Ancient City Excavation, has been assigned to Aphrodisias, he added.

Shedding light on the scope of the “Heritage to the Future Aphrodisias” project, Ersoy emphasized that they will open the bathing rooms to visitors as part of the project and stated that they will reveal a new structure in Aphrodisias with the excavations to be carried out in the Agora and make the city walls visible.

Stating that they will also carry out documentation, conservation and restoration works for the Ottoman-era baths and Geyre houses in Aphrodisias within the scope of the project, Ersoy said that they are planning two new areas for exhibitions in the ancient city, which has many inscriptions and marble sarcophagi with reliefs.

It was mentioned that they would also open the ancient city to visitors as part of night museology by illuminating the monumental buildings and sightseeing routes.

Source: Newsroom & Anadolu Agency