The ancient city of Miletus is located on the west coast of Anatolia and is one of the twelve Ionian cities of Turkey. Its history goes back far into the Neolithic period and begins from 3500-3000 BC.
Location of Miletus
At that time, the city was located in the northwest of the peninsula, and its borders were the Heraclean Bay and the Meander River, which flows into the Aegean Sea. To the east, the peninsula was bordered by the Carian Mountains. This area is rich in mountain plateaus, ravines, through which flowed many small rivulets. Due to the fact that there were many mountain springs, the inhabitants were mostlu engaged in farming, cattle breeding, horticulture and winemaking.
Due to its favorable location, trade was very popular there. There were four harbors and thanks to the the Tragasai Islands, they were protected from storms. Miletus’ merchant ships traveled all over the Mediterranean Sea, quite often they even entered the Black Sea and reached the Crimean Greek settlements. There was even a Miletus colony in ancient Egypt.
Sacred Road Connects Temples of Apollo and Artemis
Like other ancient cities of Turkey, Miletus represents the ruins of ancient buildings and cultural monuments. Miletus is famous for the famous Sacred Road. According to legend, the gods Apollo and Artemis were born in this city. A temple of Apollo was built in the neighboring Didyma, and a temple of Artemis was built in Miletus. These two places were connected by the Sacred Road.
The sights of Miletus will amaze you with their scale. There you can see the perfectly preserved ruins of the ancient theater. During the heyday of Miletus it could accommodate up to 15 thousand spectators. This theater is the most majestic structure in the city. It was built in the second century, on ancient Greek foundations. Its size is impressive; the diameter of its amphitheater is about 140 meters! The texts of the so-called linear writing were found here, as well as fragments of ancient frescoes in the Minoan style. This ancient city was divided into two parts – the outer and the inner parts. The inner part was an insurmountable fortress surrounded by two rows of walls. The city quite often had to defend itself from raids. It was attacked by the Lydians and Persians.
Miletus is an open-air museum now
Today Miletus is a city of antiquities. There are no modern buildings there, as it is an open-air museum. Therefore, tourists stay in the neighboring town of Didim, and come to Miletus for excursions.
There is a lot to see in the town. In addition to the ancient theater, there are well-preserved ruins of a Byzantine castle, which historians date back to the VIII century. You can also see fragments of paving stones and city walls. And if you climb up the hill, you can enjoy a stunning view of the entire ancient city.
At the bottom you can see Hellenistic tombs, behind which there is a small round foundation. Two thousand years ago, there was a monument here, erected in honor of victory in a naval battle. It was decorated with stone lions and a colonnade.
A little farther away were the famous Thermae of Faustina. They were built back in 150. They were dedicated to the wife of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. These thermae completely copied the Roman ones and probably served as a basis for the appearance of the Turkish bath – hamam. The central courtyard was decorated with Corinthian columns and the inner rooms with statues of the Muses. Today they are in the Istanbul Museum.
Other sights of Miletus are no less interesting. For example, the building of the mosque, built in the early Ottoman architectural style. The stone carvings are also amazing! The mosque was built in the early fifteenth century after the return of Emir Menteshe Ilyas-bey from Tamerlane captivity. Well, if you want entertainment in a more modern way, you can go to the resorts of Didim, which are almost the ideal vacation spot for tourists. Like many resorts in Turkey, Didim is great for those who prefer water sports, diving, surfing, sailing, mountain hiking, hunting, nature.
Didim has approximately 200 luxury hotels where everyone can stay – relax and then go to see the ancient Miletus.
The magical places of Miletus have all the conditions to relax both mind and body. Nearby there are luxurious golden beaches, warm and gentle Aegean Sea. At the foot of a high hill stretches the widest beach Altinkum, which means “golden beach” in Turkish. It is the cleanest and longest beach in Turkey, stretching for fifty-five kilometers!
Discover Miletus!