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Aphrodisias
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.
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.
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.
Caravanserail
Built in 1618 by the Ottoman
vizier Okuz Mehmet Pasa, the
attractive Caravanserail
was served for the sea trade
of the region. The delicate
model of the Ottoman
architectural style,
consists of an open square-like
rectangular court which is
surrounded by a two storied
and roofed portico. There
are two doors in the north
and in the west. The door in
the west is the main
entrance of Caravanserail,
having two different arch
ways on the left and on the
right. The left arch way,
with its small backdoor, is
considered to be used as a
left luggage place, whereas
the right one was used by
the guardians protecting the
Caravanserail. Rather
than the simply looking
entrance door, there is an
alternative door opening to
the market of the town, on
the northern side of the
Caravanserail. The
construction is covered with
a flat roof, supported on
the northern surface. By the
excavations, a fountain was
revealed in the middle of
the courtyard and was
decorated as a pool. The
court is surrounded by cross
vault porches.
The Caravanserail
was used by tradesmen for
the works of repairing until
1965. It has been serving as
an authentic hotel and
restaurant since 1965-70.
Virgin Mary
Located on the top of the "Bulbul"
mountain 9 km ahead of
Ephesus, the
shrine of Virgin Mary
enjoys a marvelous
atmosphere hidden in the
green. It is the place where
Mary may have spent her last
days. Indeed, she may have
come in the area together
with Saint John, who spent
several years in the area to
spread Christianity. Mary
preferred this remote place
rather than living in
crowded place.
The house is a typical
Roman architectural example,
entirely made of stones. In
the 4th century AD, a church,
combining her house and
grave, has been built. The
original two-stored house,
which consisted of an
anteroom (where today
candles are proposed),
bedroom and praying
room (Christian church area)
and a room with fireplace (chapel
for Muslims). A front
kitchen fell into ruins and
has been restored in 1940's.
Today, only the central part
and a room on the right of
the altar are open to
visitors. From there one can
understand that this
building looks more like a
church than a house. Another
interesting place is the
"Water of Mary", a
source to be found at the
exit of the church area and
where a rather salt water,
with curative properties,
can be drunk by all.
Paul VI was the first
pope to visit this place
in the 1960's. Later, in
the 1980's, during his
visit, Pope John-Paul II
declared the Shrine of
Virgin Mary has a
pilgrimage place for
Christians. It is also
visited by Muslims who
recognize Mary as the
mother of one of their
prophets. Every year, on
August 15th a
ceremony is organized to
commemorate Mary's
Assumption.
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