Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Stratonikeia.


Leaving Kavaklıdere, we set out on the road for home. We had another couple of stops planned. The first one, Stratonikeia, lies shortly after the power plant as you leave Yatağan for Milas. It is located at the old village of Eskişehir.

Remains of Eskişehir
The town was established in the 3rd century B.C. when King Seleukos 1 gave his wife, Stratoniki, to his son Antiochus. Antiochus changed the name of the city and called it after his wife, his former stepmother Stratoniki. It was a city of some importance and was linked by a Sacred Road to Lagina.  It maintained its importance during the Roman era and was dependent on Aphrodisias during the Byzantine period.
Gate to the old city



Remains of the Bouleterion with Ottoman building in the background.
Not much is known how the city fared during the Turkish period but it continued to be settled during the 14th and 15th centuries. Many agas (landowners) remained here in the late Ottoman Period. Stratonikeia is one of those rare place where you can see buildings from the ancient times right through to the present.


Jig-saw Puzzle waiting to be solved

The Amphitheatre

A lone column stands sentinel.

Road to the gymnasium

Therefore there are buildings from many diffferent eras to be seen. Though the village of Eskişehir has moved to another location due to coal mining, there are still a few families living among the ruins. 


 The old village abandoned because of the coal mining, but protected now because of the ruins.

Old Doorway

Remains of the ancient city lie overgrown

Construction of the walls visible in this building


Lone poppy keeps watch
One old lady, spotting my old ladies, came over to talk to them. I had gone in search of a loo. On my return I was quickly summoned to interpret for them.
She is living on her own, and life is difficult. She came to the village over fifty years ago when she was little more than a child to get married. She has back problems, and her ankles are swollen. She had little money for medicine. I have asked my friends about social welfare in Turkey. If I understand correctly, if you have nothing the state provides but if you own a house or a small bit of land it is very difficult to get help.

East meets West
She was delighted to talk to us. She asked if I would return when the figs and the grapes were ripe, we would sit and drink tea. My Mum and herself exchanged warm hugs as they left. I think my Mum was feeling" There, but for the grace of God, go I."

7 comments:

  1. Your photos of the structures are so marvelous. I love all the colors and textures of the stone and how they are constructed. Thanks for stopping by my blog.

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  2. What a fascinating place! Living in Canada where few buildings date further back than 1850, your photos are just incredible.

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  3. I am so enjoying your journey. Your photography, in particular, is beautiful. That amphitheatre and the road to the gymnasium were my favorites. What a wonderful visit.

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  4. Thank you all.
    Larry, I too love the colours and textures here. A lone column stands beside a lone poppy in what looks like an orchard. Kara this village is such an interesting one and not well known. Even though most of the buldings are abandoned there was a great feeling of tranquility and peace here. You look at the msrble slabs on the roads and you can't help but wonder about the people who wandered these streets for hundreds of years

    Jeanie, My favourite photo also is the road to the gymnasium. In Turkey amphitheatres litter the place, but the road to the gymnasium leads you in. I'm glad you're enjoying our trip.

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  5. I love all the photos but that first one with the blue green shutters is just marvelous. Those shutters just jump out at you. I love photos of old ruins...the passage of time in the buildings tells such a story...the road to the gymnasium is wonderful too....leads the eye right along...

    Mary, could you add a gadget to your site so I could share your posts on Twitter and Facebook? When I read a post I like, I often share it, and I don't see a button on yours anywhere. I would really love to be able to share some of these wonderful photos...

    ~cath xo

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  6. Hi Cath, thank you for the kind comment, I'll go looking for the gadget this evening. Not the most technical of people....but I am stubborn so usually get there in the end:-)

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  7. Thank you so much Mary for introducing me to this wonderful place. It's the "real Turkey" and I love it so much.
    Cath, if you highlight the full address in the address bar above, copy it and then you can past it into your Face book page, it will appear on your page, your friends can then click on it and it will bring them to this page.

    http://cilginkiz-hocam.blogspot.ie/2011/05/stratonikeia.html

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