Turkish “Sagalassos” .. The city of emperors and lovers

Sagalassos is a Roman city in the Turkish state of Antalya that has stumbled against time, and it’s white ruins have witnessed an earthquake that could not erase its magic escaping from the era of legends.

The city includes the “Antonin” fountain, Roman baths, theatre, library, historical administrative, religious and commercial centers, and the Arc de Triomphe.

By walking through its ancient streets, the visitor realizes that he is embarking on a historical journey and stepping over 5,000-year-old ruins.

To show its beauty at its best, a team photographed the ancient city using an FPV drone.

Sagalassos is one of the most prominent urban examples of the fragrant and beauty of the Roman civilization, in addition to being one of the 5 centers of ceramic production in the past.

At first sight, a visitor to the ancient city can notice the Roman bath and guest house, and then the Arch of Triumph.

As for the Lovers’ Spring, it is one of the most visited places for tourists in Sagalassos, because visitors believe that whoever drinks from it “becomes lovers.”

Surrounding the “Fountain of Lovers” are the honorary columns, the theater and the archaeological library, where visitors to Sagalassos pass these monuments one by one.

The theater, which could accommodate about 9,000 spectators, was a place for Roman sports and performances, such as the gladiator, which was one of the most famous details in the daily life of the Romans.

The history of Sagalassos dates back to about 3,000 BC and has been on the temporary list of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) since 2009.

The ancient city is located in the district of “Aglansson” in Burdur and is called the “City of Emperors and Lovers”.

It sparkles with its charm and the beauty of its details on a high hill at an altitude of about 1,750 meters above sea level, surrounded by deep valleys.

And during the period between January and August 2022, “Sagalassos” received 40,000 visitors, thus maintaining its position among the preferred tourist destinations in Burdur, which is administratively affiliated to the state of Antalya in southwestern Turkey.

“The name of the ancient city was mentioned for the first time in sources dating back to the era of Alexander the Great,” said Peter Talwin, deputy head of the excavation team at Sagalassos.

“Sagalassos has become the largest and most important city in the ancient Sidia region at the time of the Roman Empire,” Talwin, a faculty member at Suleyman Demirel University in the Turkish state of Isparta, added.

He explained that “the archaeological city witnessed a strong earthquake in the seventh century AD, which led to the collapse of many of its ancient monuments.”

He pointed out that “the city was discovered in the nineteenth century, and its population throughout history has remained between (3,500-5,000) people.

“The elevated position of Sagalassos has contributed to its preservation to this day,” he explained.

He stressed that “the city is an unparalleled place for archaeologists,” adding, “We continue to discover ancient buildings in it.”

In turn, said Inge Uytorhofen, a researcher in ancient apartment buildings in the city of Sagalassos that the city was home to the wealthy in the past.

“So far, we have been able to excavate 88 rooms, but we are continuing to excavate as well,” added Uytorhoven, a faculty member at Turkey’s “Koç” University (privately).

For his part, Murat Kale Agassioglu, director of the Burdur Museum, said that Sagalassos received 40,000 visitors during the first 8 months of this year.

He added, “We expect the number of visitors to the ancient city to reach 100,000 by the end of this year.”