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Aphrodisias enjoys both an unbelievable historical richness and a beautiful natural scenery where all green tones from poplar to olive trees are present. The city was famous not only as a philosophy and medicine center but above all as a school of sculpture: the masterpieces realized there have been spread all over the Roman Empire and found back in the most popular temples such as in Didyma.
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Aphrodisias was a Carian town named after the goddess of beauty and love, Aphrodite, whose origins date back from the Hittite and Phrygian cultures. Lots of Aphrodite's characteristics are similar to those of the Ephesus Artemis but cannot be compared with the Greek Aphrodite.
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Aphrodisias knew her golden years during the Roman period as it was located alongside a main trade road. Even after the upcoming of Christians, Aphrodisias remained an important pagan center. Under the Byzantines, who renamed it "Stavropolis" (Town of the Cross), Aphrodisias became the residence of the bishop of Caria. When Aphrodisias had been conquered by the Turks, it received its current name "Geyre", most probably a deformation of "Caria". |
Today Aphrodisias is not only visited for its beautiful site but also for its opulent sculpture museum. During the 35 years continuous excavations, the temple of Aphrodite, the amphitheater, the thermal baths with their inlaid marble floors, the agora and the stadium, one of the best preserved and biggest in the world, have been brought to daylight. |
Aphrodisias was changed to Stayropolis then to Caria which became Geyre years after. The ruins which are worth seein in Aphrodisias are listed below:
 The Tetrapylon which is a monumental gateway built in the 2nd century AD during the time of Hadrian,
The Stadium which could hold 30,000 people,
The Temple of Aphrodite which was originally designed as an Ionic temple but then changed into a church during the Byzantines,
The Bishop's Residence which is said to have been the residence of the bishops during the Byzantines,
The Odeon which had the seating capacity of 1700,
The Baths of Hadrian which were built in the 2nd century during the reign of Hadrian,
The building of the Portico of Tiberius which might have been a gymnasium with a training area,
The Theatre which has the seating capacity of 8000,
The Tetrastoon which used to be a meeting place surrounded by small shops,
The Theatre Baths which have not been completely excavated and
The Sebasteion which used to be a shrine where the king was worshipped.
In the museum of Aphrodisias one can see the busts, decorative and religious sculpture and ceramics.
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How to Go?... Situated 170km away from Kusadasi, Aphrodisias is close to the village of Geyre, around Aydin. As there is no direct link to the ancient site, it is advisable to visit by tour or by a private car.
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| Pictures of Ancient Aphrodisias |
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Historical Places 
