Milatur Ancient Site

Miletus, an ancient city, was founded in the 2nd century BC on the coast of the Buyuk Menderes River in Aydin Province. It is considered that the city was founded by the legendary Cretan king Minos and his brother Serpedon. After the Mycenaean and Aka colonies, the Romans, Menteshe Principality, and Ottomans ruled the city. It was a wealthy and powerful city during the archaic period, but after it lost its port city feature with the receding of the sea, it lost its power. In the 13th century, it became a Turkish district. The area was settled until the earthquake in 1955. Today, visitors can see Hellenistic, Roman, and Turkish artifacts in the same place. The Hellenistic Age ruins are the theater, hereon, Apollon Sanctuary, Ionic stoa, gymnasium, warehouse, bouleterion, and south agora; the Roman ruins are Bath and St. Michael's Church; and the remains of the Turkish Period are the caravanserai, dervish lodge, Kirk Merdivenli Mosque, Ilyas Bey Mosque, and Complex.