Fodor's Expert Review Aphrodisias
Though most of what you see today dates from the 1st and 2nd century AD, archaeological evidence indicates that the local dedication to Aphrodite follows a long history of veneration of pre-Hellenic goddesses, such as the Anatolian mother goddess and the Babylonian god Ishtar. Only about half of the site has been excavated. It's much less crowded than Ephesus, and enough remains to conjure the ancient city. Once you reach the pretty, rural site, you'll take a short, bumpy ride on an open-air shuttle from the parking area to the main gate. The lovely Tetrapylon gateway has four rows of columns and some of the better remaining friezes. Behind it, the vast Temple of Aphrodite was built in the 1st century BC on the model of the great temples at Ephesus, and later transformed into a basilica church. Its gate and many of its columns are still standing. The impressive, well-preserved 1st century AD stadium could seat up to 30,000 spectators to watch footraces, boxing and wrestling matches.... READ MORE
Though most of what you see today dates from the 1st and 2nd century AD, archaeological evidence indicates that the local dedication to Aphrodite follows a long history of veneration of pre-Hellenic goddesses, such as the Anatolian mother goddess and the Babylonian god Ishtar. Only about half of the site has been excavated. It's much less crowded than Ephesus, and enough remains to conjure the ancient city. Once you reach the pretty, rural site, you'll take a short, bumpy ride on an open-air shuttle from the parking area to the main gate. The lovely Tetrapylon gateway has four rows of columns and some of the better remaining friezes. Behind it, the vast Temple of Aphrodite was built in the 1st century BC on the model of the great temples at Ephesus, and later transformed into a basilica church. Its gate and many of its columns are still standing. The impressive, well-preserved 1st century AD stadium could seat up to 30,000 spectators to watch footraces, boxing and wrestling matches. You'll also find the once-magnificent ruined residence, the fine Odeon (also known as the Bouleuterion, or Council House); an intimate, semicircular concert hall and public meeting room; towering public baths; and the sprawling agora. The 7,000 white-marble seats of the city's theater, built into the side of a small hill, are simply dazzling on a bright day. The adjacent School of Philosophy has a colonnaded courtyard with chambers lining both sides.
In the museum, just before the ticket booth, Aphrodisias bursts back into life in vivid friezes and sculptures that seem almost about to draw breath. The museum's collection includes dozens of impressive statues and reliefs from the site, including Aphrodite herself, with excellent labeling (particularly in the grand display in the Sevgi Gönül Salonu) explaining their significance and symbolism.
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