Monday, May 4, 2026
It was quite cold and overcast today as we set out for Aspendos. Sleet began to fall during our photo stop at Lake Beysehir and we learned that it had actually snowed back in Istanbul. Crazy weather!
The Taurus mountains were visible in the
background.
Our lunch stop was a little family run
café with a view of the river, swollen with recent rain. The mulberry tree next to the balcony was
loaded with fruit just beginning to ripen.
The Aspendos theater was constructed
under the reign of emperor Marcus Aurelius between 160 and 180 AD. It is the largest theater of its kind, and
one of the most complete in the world.
It still stands at its original height of 22 meters and is accessed by
five doors. Most of the structure was
built into the hillside.
Unlike Greek theaters, which often used
the natural landscape as a backdrop, here the backdrop is built to the same
height as the theater itself. It could
be hung with landscapes or used as additional stages during a
performance. It is quite ornate and
impressive on its own.
A series of arched galleries formed the
semicircular crown of the complex.
A short hike behind the theater brought
us to the old town of Aspendos, with a fortress area and remains of a basilica.
