Aspendos / Antalya
Aspendos-Antalya-Turkey
Aspendos-Antalya-Turkey
Aspendos-Antalya-Turkey
Aspendos-Antalya-Turkey
Aspendos-Antalya-Turkey
Aspendos-Antalya-Turkey
Aspendos-Antalya-Turkey
Aspendos-1-Antalya-Turkey
Aspendos whose another name is Belkis has been settled on a crossroad junction at 42 km away from Antalya to direction of Alanya. Its worwide famous amphitheater is the sole unbroken Archaic construction of this settlement. This theater has been costructed in 161 -181 years A.C. in the period of the emperors Antoninus and Licus Vicerus and it is has been located on the East side of Aşir hill. The architect of this 1500 person capacity magnificent building has been Zenon the son of Theodoros. There are some achaducs which have partially been remained like theater and they fascinates the people visiting here.
In XIII. Century Seljuks have restored the scene building of the theater and they had been used it as an caravanserai. In the Archaic area excluded from the theater in Aspendos, there have been ruins of many Archaic buildings such as Council Building Bouleterion, stadium, public baths, fountains, stores that can be visited. At the North side of acropolis, there are acaducs has a length of 3 km and they constitute a very interesting view.
For centuries, there have being told many legends about the theater and achaducs. The most famous story among these legends is told like that:
“The King of Aspendos has a so beautiful and attractive daughter who is the sole child of the King. Numerous young nobels want to get marry with the girl. Because of the high amount of the applicants, the King, in order to solve this case in justice, declares that: I am going to get may daughter married with the one who constructs a magnificent building. There two Architacts desiring to get marry with the princess and they present two wonderful buildings to the city. One of them constructs the amphitheater and the other one constructs the achaducs. Because of the perfect installation of both two structures, the King could not decide and he declares again: Cut the body of princess into two equal pieces. Therefore, her body is cut into two pieces, one of the pieces is presented to the architect of amphitheater adn another one is presented to the architect of achaducs. So, the princess had died, and architects had taken nothing but the King could keep his promise.”
According to an other legend; the amphitheater is constructed completely. One day, the King visited the newly finished theater. He climbs the seats on upper level of theater. When he is walking around the stairs at this level, he suddenly hears a whisper like that: ” 1 am going to get marry with King’s daughter, I am going to get marry with King’s daughter”. So, The King gets surprised. When he is trying to find the origin of the voice, he notices the architect Zenon who is standing on the scene. At that time, the King again notices the excellent aqustic of the theater created by the architect, the the King shouts at him: “Dear architect, from now on, my daughter belongs to you”. And again according to the legend, these two youngs got married with a perfect wedding ceremony.
23 April Children Festival has being celebrated in this theater with international ceremonies.
