More tourists expected in Aizanoi with new projects

Excavation and restoration works will be accelerated this year in the ancient city of Aizanoi, which is home to the best-preserved Zeus Temple in Anatolia and called the "Second Ephesus."

Located in the Çavdarhisar district in the western province of Kütahya, the ancient city, which was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in 2012 and is 50 kilometers away from the city center, welcomes approximately 60,000 local and foreign tourists every year. Authorities are aiming to attract even more tourists to the region by accelerating excavation and restoration works.

Speaking to the state-run Anadolu Agency, Kütahya Governor Ali Çelik said, Aizanoi was a settlement with a history of nearly 5,000 years and hosted many civilizations.

Stating that their goal is to add the ancient city to the permanent list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Çelik said: "Excavations have been carried out by Turkish archaeologists for 11 years in Aizanoi. We are making an effort to present this place as a cultural heritage to our country and the world as soon as possible by speeding up the works.

Çelik said that as the weather conditions get better, the restoration of a stadium and a theater in the ancient city would continue, along with the project regarding the Penkalas Stream passing through the region.

Talking about the work planned to be carried out in Aizanoi, Çelik said: "Initially, excavations will be carried out in the agora [bazaar] in front of the Zeus Temple. Projects for the restoration of the old houses surrounding the cultural heritage will be completed. Restoration of the ancient dock walls on both sides of the Penkalas Stream will continue at great speed. In line with the spirit of that period, water will accumulate between the...