Everything About the Ancient City of Magnesia, Aydın

The conqueror of little-known ancient cities, Most Reader Çok Traveller, proudly presents: Magnesia Ancient City

With its public toilet, Artemis Sanctuary, agora, assembly, sports facilities, where 32 people could fulfill their needs side by side, the historical BC. The ancient city of Magnesia dates back to the 4th century. "The ancient city where magnets live"City of Races” because it has one of the best preserved stadiums in the world with a capacity of 30.000 people. The stadium is simply magnificent, breathtaking with its 189 meter long track. Let's look at the details of the ancient city together.

City of Races Magnesia Ancient City Video

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Where is Magnesia Ancient City, How to Go?

Where is the Ancient City of Magnesia If you ask, the ancient city located within the borders of Germencik district of Aydın is only 4 kilometers from Ortaklar and 35 kilometers from Aydın.

On the way to Bodrum or Didim, when you exit the İzmir Aydın highway, you will see the brown sign of Magnesia on the Ortaklar – Söke road. You can reach the ancient city entrance by following the signs.

• The ancient city of Magnesia is 35 kilometers from Aydın and you can reach it in 25 minutes.
• You can reach the Ancient City of Magnesia from İzmir to approximately 95 kilometers in 1 hour.
• Izmir Airport is 78 kilometers away and you can reach it in 45 minutes.
• You can reach the Ancient City of Magnesia from Istanbul, approximately 560 kilometers, in 5-6 hours by using the Osmangazi Bridge.

Antique City of Magnesia 2020 Entrance Fee and Visiting Hours

The entrance fee to the Ancient City of Magnesia is 2020 TL for 10. If you have a Museum Card, you can enter it for free.

You can see the visiting hours of the ancient city below:

• Summer Period: 08:30 – 19:00
• Winter Period: 08:00 – 17:00

However, I recommend that you take into account that there may be application changes in the hours during the corona period, and not to stay up too early or too late.

History of the Ancient City of Magnesia

According to sources, the ancient city was founded by Magnets from Thessaly. Thessaly is the name of one of the 13 regions that make up Greece. According to the legend, Apollo guided the Magnets and the Magnets established their first settlements in Anatolia on the banks of the Menderes river. However, due to the epidemics caused by the floods caused by the constant change of the river bed and the Persian attacks, the city was settled on the skirts of Gümüş Mountain, which is its current location, in the BC. It was moved in the 4th century. The whereabouts of the first city is still unknown.

Throughout history, the ancient city remained under the rule of Persians, Macedonians, Seleucid Kingdom, Pergamon Kingdom and Roman Empire. Its last visitors were the Aydınoğulları Principality, but it is estimated that the city was abandoned in the 1300s due to epidemics and floods.

The first excavations in the ancient city were made by the French in 1842-43, and by the Germans between 1891-93, and they took the artifacts unearthed at that time to their countries. During the Ottoman Empire, unfortunately, the necessary importance and value was not given to the ancient artifacts. Until Osman Hamdi Bey took over the Archeology Museum. Some of the works taken to France and Germany are exhibited in the Louvre Museum in Paris and the Pergamon Museum in Berlin.

The following articles may interest you:

• Istanbul Archaeological Museums
• Osman Hamdi Bey's Life Story

Places to Visit & See in the Ancient City of Magnesia

The ancient city is surrounded by walls. The city plan of the ancient city, spread over an area of ​​1300×1100 square meters, is in grid order. From the entrance of the city List of places to visit in Magnesia Ancient City is listed below.

List of Places to Visit in the Ancient City of Magnesia

1. Sanctuary of Artemis
2. Temple of Artemis Leukopheyene
3. Artemis Altar and Sanctuary
4. Latrina – Public Toilets
5. Sacred Agora Propylon
6. Sacred Agora
7. cryptoporticus
8. Temple of Zeus
9. State Agora and Assemblies
10. Gymnasion & Hamam Junction
11. Stadium
12. Bazaar Basilica
13. Odeion
14. Structure with Hypocaust
15. Circassian Musa Mosque & Cemetery
16. Chapel
17. Theater
18. Temple of Athena
19. Tumulus of Themistocles
20. City Walls
21. necropolis

The details of the Temple of Artemis, Latrina, Parliament, Agora and Stadium are listed below.

The Fourth Great Temple of the Hellenistic Period: Sanctuary of Artemis, Leukopheyene Temple and Altar

The most important work of Hermogenes, the famous architect of the Hellenistic period, is the Leukophryne Temple in Magnesia. The temple was built for Artemis, the patron goddess of the city. The temple, which was built on a temple built in the Archaic period, was built using 8×5 columns in the Ionian order. With its dimensions of 67,5×40 meters, it is the fourth largest temple of Anatolia in the Hellenistic period. Unfortunately, what is left of the temple is its pedestal, which once stood on pillars, as if it were on the ground, in the photo above.

The Ionic column heads of the temple were exposed and displayed in a covered area.

32 Person Public Toilets: Latrina

To the north of the Sanctuary of Artemis, the public toilets of the city are located. The perforated marble sections made to sit in the toilets, which are built in such a way that 32 people can line up and meet their needs, can be seen clearly. There are also two fountains and clean water channels in the toilet. This section is covered and surrounded by wire mesh for protection, you can see it from behind the bars.

Sacred Agora & Bazaar Basilica, One of the Biggest Bazaars of its Period

One of the important areas of Magnesia is the Sacred Agora, which is separated from the Sanctuary of Artemis by a door. It was one of the largest bazaars of its time, with an area of ​​26.000 square meters and 414 columns. Now it still maintains its impressiveness with its high walls and some columns.

While the building located in the continuation of the Agora is thought to belong to the Roman period, reliefs describing the adventure of the dog-legged Scylla described in Homer's “Odyseia” were found during the recent excavations. It is thought that this place was used as a covered bazaar before Christianity and then as a basilica.

State Agora and Assemblies

The structures with the largest area in Magnesia are the State Agora and the section with the Assemblies. You reach here when you go straight from the Sacred Agora. It is estimated that these structures are Magnesia's People's Assembly, the City Council and the Council of Elders.

One of the World's Best Preserved Stadiums

The most important part of the Ancient City of Magnesia is definitely the ancient stadium, this is the place you must see if you come here. The ancient stadium is located 1.2 kilometers from the entrance. Its door is locked, if you tell the box office clerk at the entrance that you are going to the stadium, he will open the door for you. You can go up to the stadium entrance with your car. Unfortunately, there is no transition from the section where the agora is to the stadium side, there is a wire fence in between.

Thanks to this stadium, the name of the ancient city is known as the City of Races. The 30.000-seat stadium is magnificent. The stadium, with a track length of 189 meters, is considered one of the best preserved stadiums in the world. AtinaStructurally, it resembles the Panathenic Stadium in . In Anatolia, I compared it to the stadiums of Aphrodisias and Kibyra at first sight, but this place is really big and impressive.

On the walls decorated with reliefs of gladiators, the types of competitions and the awards given are explained. There are 150 different reliefs.

Magnesia Ancient City Map

When you enter the ancient city, you will see an information board in front of you. on the information board Magnesia Ancient City map and you will see the direction signs. Unfortunately, the direction signs do not guide correctly, do not take them as a reference, ask the officials at the entrance to determine your ancient city tour plan.

Excavations of the ancient city continue. It is said that only a small part of the city has been brought to the surface. Also, in the ancient city, the floors can be muddy because all of the soil is a wet geography. I suggest you spare at least 2 hours to visit the entire ancient city.

If you come to this environment Places to Visit in Didim and its Surroundings You may also be interested in my article.

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