Exporing where East meets West in Türkiye

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Friday, 17 April 2026 - After a quiet morning in Şirince, we continued south along the coast to the ancient city of Stratonikeia. The site combined extensive ruins, ongoing restoration work, and remarkably preserved public buildings including the gymnasium, theater, and council chamber. By evening we arrived in Bodrum, where our hotel overlooked the harbor.

turkey2026 — Virginia Ann took a great picture of our hotel grounds with wisteria covering the walls. Our room was up this road and then a bit more - a long walk.

turkey2026 — We then went to walk about in Şirince.

Here a woman is brewing tea in sand - the sand is heated to a very hot temperature.

turkey2026 — A very touristy village with several homes and cafés brightly painted.

turkey2026 — One of the streets with several shops and the lonely cat.

turkey2026 — Heated sand was built directly into the café table. The sand keeps the tea pots at a constant high temperature.

turkey2026 — One alleyway was packed with shops and hanging displays.

turkey2026 — Wisteria bloomed throughout the village. Spring flowers softened the stone and stucco buildings.

turkey2026 — Güvercinada Castle guarded the harbor at Kuşadası. The Ottoman fortress was built in the 16th century to defend against sea attacks.

turkey2026 — We then continued our travels south down the coast stopping at the ancient ruins of Stratonikeia.

turkey2026 — Sarcophagi rested beneath the trees near the ruins. Cal immediately stopped to photograph them.

turkey2026 — A column with a Greek inscription stood near the entrance. Inscriptions appear throughout the site.

turkey2026 — The ancient city of Stratonikeia, known as the "city of gladiators and eternal love," The site features ruins from Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman periods, as it has been continuously inhabited for centuries.

turkey2026 — Marble fragments lay scattered throughout the ruins. We continued to be amazed by how much of the ancient cities still remains.

turkey2026 — A small column stood beside a remarkably preserved wall. Roman engineering has endured for centuries.

turkey2026 — Stratonikeia contains significant structures like a large Gymnasium. This entire building was only one part of the gym. Originally constructed in the second quarter of the 2nd century BC, it was remodeled in the Augustan and Antonine periods.

turkey2026 — The Gymnasium estimated dimensions are 115 x 291 yards, which would make it the largest known gymnasium in the classical world. Only the north side of the complex has been excavated.

turkey2026 — Even the Roman latrine was elaborate. Public facilities here were built with marble and columns.

turkey2026 — Columns still surrounded the latrine area. The structure was surprisingly ornate for its purpose.

turkey2026 — Roman latrine toilets featured stone benches with multiple openings positioned side-by-side, allowing many people to use the facility simultaneously. A continuous flow of water ran through a channel beneath the seats to flush waste away into the sewer system.

turkey2026 — A bull was carved into the side of a sarcophagus. Decorative carvings appeared on many tombs.

turkey2026 — Stratonikeia restoration efforts feature a mix of original gray stone and new white marble sections, part of ongoing reconstruction efforts at the site.

turkey2026 — The headless figure is a replica of the "Dancing Muse", a Hellenistic sculpture from the 2nd century BC, discovered at the site in the bath's cold room in 2023. The niche and surrounding marble walls are part of a major project that completed in late 2025, which included refilling the bath's pool with water for the first time in 1,900 years.

turkey2026 — One wall still stood almost intact. Much of the surrounding structure disappeared long ago.

turkey2026 — Columns and stone pieces were scattered across the site. Many pieces are still waiting to be restored.

turkey2026 — The Bouleuterion (ancient council chamber) served as a town hall or council house for local political meetings. It was constructed during the late Hellenistic period, around 130 BC.

turkey2026 — A Christian cross had been carved into the stone. Medieval Christians later reused parts of the ancient city.

turkey2026 — Columns lined one section of the ruins. The site combines Greek, Roman, and later architectural styles.

turkey2026 — A bright Turkish poppy grew among the stones. Spring flowers appeared throughout the ruins.

turkey2026 — Part of the restoration efforts are believed to be part of an ancient library first built during the Hellenistic period and later redesigned in the Roman era.

turkey2026 — A Corinthian capital showed intricate carved detail. Acanthus leaf designs were common in Roman architecture.

turkey2026 — Restoration crews still have thousands of pieces to assemble. The work resembled a giant three-dimensional puzzle.

turkey2026 — The theater and temple were under renovation while we were there. While many of its architectural members (like column capitals and pediment pieces) are well-preserved and cataloged on-site, the overall structure is currently in a ruined state.

turkey2026 — The ancient theater in the city of Stratonikeia was built on the natural slope of Kadıkule Hill. The theater is estimated to have had a capacity of approximately 12,000 spectators.

turkey2026 — Detail of the steps in the theater.

turkey2026 — The temple at the top of the Stratonikeia theater is known as the Augustus-Imperial Temple. It was built during the Early Imperial Period. It is a peripteral temple built in the Ionic order. The temple was likely dedicated to the Roman imperial cult to Emperor Augustus.

turkey2026 — A set of stone steps climbed beside the theater. It may have been part of an entrance passage.

turkey2026 — Grass and wild plants slowly reclaimed the ruins. Nature and archaeology existed side by side here.

turkey2026 — Empty sarcophagi stood in a long row near the site. Most had long since been opened or moved.

turkey2026 — We arrived in Bodrum and the view from the hotel was magnificent. The Bodrum Castle dominated the harbor.

turkey2026 — After dinner the harbor and castle were just as beautiful.

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