Kutahya and Aizanoi

We were hosted on Saturday night in Kutahya, a small city to the west of Eskisehir, by the hospitable and gracious parents of Burcu Ozkulhanci, a physics doctoral student at Auburn University and the fiancee of Alice's student, Gokhan Ozden.  Havva and Rasik were more than accommodating to accept four strangers into their home and provide food and beds for all.  As we arrived too late on Saturday to eat the dinner that Havva had cooked, it was deferred to the next day.

Sunday started with a big spread of typical Turkish breakfast (a first for Claudio) and we recharged gladly after Saturday's strenuous day.  We all set out (in two cars) for the Roman city of Aizanoi, about 60 kilometers away to the southwest.  This city is now the home of the current village of Cavarhisar and so there is an interesting mingling of ancient ruins and contemporary village.  It is all in a lovely setting with small river running through it.

The Mini-Kent (small city) apartments - home of Casa Ozkulhanci

Rasik, Alice and Havva at the immaculately decorated Casa Ozkulhanci

The men at breakfast - Claudio's first exposure beyond his traditional Italian fare of espresso and biscuits

The spread included two types of kaymak - the ridiculously rich cream made from yoghurt.  The area is known for its kaymak

The special type of borek made with the region's poppy seeds.  The Afyon area, just south of Kutahya, is renowned for its poppy fields and is a major source of opium/morphine/etc.  No, we did not get a rush from the breakfast borek though Claudio was hopeful

Our introduction to this place was the first of two Roman bridges spanning the river.  These bridges are in use today (and are the only two bridges in the village).  They are in remarkably good condition and are also graceful.  One can only admire Roman engineering.  They built to last and their aesthetics were quite pleasing.

The first Roman bridge at Cavarhisar, still the main crossing over the river

Detail that shows how Roman engineering and construction was made to last

The river which is picturesque but has some litter along the banks.  When will the Turks stop littering and start cleaning up their outside area?

The main attraction is the Temple of Zeus.  This is unique in several ways.  First, it is one of the best preserved in Turkey.  Second, it has a huge and completely well preserved vault underneath that was probably used a second worship area to the ubiquitous Cybele.  Third, there is a fantastic facade of Cybele that once graced the temple but is now set alongside it.  While admission is free, the caretaker passes out very nicely done booklets and maps to the entire village/ancient city both in English and Turkey.  Apparently they hope to increase tourism at this little visited site.

The Roman city of Aizanoi built during the reign of Hadrian

The main attraction

Havva views the splendor

Even the mightiest of empires and structures fall

The incredibly tall columns - Ionic I think?

Havva and Alice inside the structure

Another column view

Claudio, Havva and Mehmet consult about the history of the place

Detail of Roman writing along the wall

The basement vault area where supposedly Cybele was worshiped (an upgrade from the usual cave she was worshiped in)

Another view of the vault which now stores some massive rocks and remnants of the temple area

Self portrait in the vault (cliche but it works)

Two feet are all that are left of this statute

The amazing carving of Cybele that once was on the temple pediment and now stands watch before the temple

Alice checks Cybele out

Alice and Mehmet hang with Cybele

Another view - we couldn't get enough of this combination of statue and temple

Detail of the lady's face

Bull and Gorgon from some remnants in a yard next to the temple

A grave remnant - doors and lions were the main themes on these Roman grave monuments

We spent some time walking among the Temple of Zeus before heading to mosaics of the bathhouse, through a chicken yard in town.  The caretaker wanted to get to lunch and had to accompany us to this sight.  It was disappointing as the fine mosaic floor is under reconstruction and the most interesting part of it (one with figures) is completely covered.  The part that is exposed is quite dirty.

The village baking house with ancient stone at its bottom right foundation

The caretaker explains that the bread had been baked the day before

A typical village house - this fronting on the Roman bath complex

The mosaics are housed inside a shed and undergoing renovation

The dirty but well preserved bath floor

Impressive geometric designs

The cool pool outside the bath shed with the hot pool just beyond where the oven for heating the water was still standing

Detail of village construction - maybe not up to Roman standards but still made to last compared to modern building

We drove back across the village to the temple area and viewed the other set of baths (bathing was a big deal to the Romans) then walked to the Stadium/Theater area.  This, again, is unique in that these two large structures share a common wall.  That is, they were built back to back.  They are not in such good condition now as earthquakes have taken their toll.  But enough remained to get the sense of the place and the size of the city (the stadium seats many thousands of people).

The other bath area (you can never be too clean) near the stadium/theater complex

No mosaics are in this bath complex

View of the temple from the bath complex

Spring had come to Cavarhisar.  Thriving field next to the bath area

The stadium of Aizanoi

The best preserved seats are in one area.  The rest were significantly disturbed by earthquakes

A side of the stadium / theater

View from entering the complex where you get to the theater first followed by the stadium beyond

Another self portrait at the stadium

A lot of fallen rock surrounded this area

A monument at the stadium

Detail of the monument which Claudio postulates are the names of the champions who performed in the stadium.  He is Roman so he should know

Next was the second Roman bridge which led to the shopping area.  This part of the ancient city is surrounded by modern village and, in fact, the village moved their mosque when some of the ruins were discovered.  One part is a round building which formed the city's stock exchange (supposedly).  This "macellum" was actually a food and goods exchange and sits next to the remains of the minaret of the former mosque of the village.

The second Roman bridge - also in great condition and being used continuously for 2000 years

The trading area of Aizanoi

The circular structure is easy to see

View from the old minaret next to the bourse area

Details of wreath at entry to bourse

Flower detail on another entry column here

The scary stairs up the old minaret - you couldn't be too fat and get up here.  Both Alice and Claudio ascended (separately) for the views and photos possible

Claudio, Mehmet and Rasik tell Alice to come down to get going

View of a vacated village house from the top of the minaret

Nearby is the agora, or shopping street.  This was built using bits from an older Temple to Artemis.  An early example of recycling.  It is pretty and lies next to the gentle river.

The market area which is next to the river and the round bourse building

The colonnaded area

The pediment has been reassembled to give a view of its original appearance

The decoration on the Ionic (?) columns are impressive.  These are reused from a Temple to Artemis that was on the site

Rafik and Havva enjoy the outing - Rafik's first time to Aizanoi despite being a life long resident of Kutahya, less than an hour away

Alice and Randy at the colonnade

Detail of a column

The city name can be made out on this fragment even to those of us who don't know Latin

Wonderful carved deer which once was on the pediment of the Temple to Artemis but was reused by the ancients as a flagstone for their shopping area

It was a little sad to see this magnificent carving lying on the ground to be trampled on

If the ruins of Aizanoi were in a more trafficked area they would undoubtedly attract many visitors.  They are as interesting and large as many other Roman ruins in Turkey.  But since they are tucked away in a beautiful, but lonely, setting the few visitors who venture this way can enjoy undisturbed communion with the ancients and friendly interchange with the village locals who farm and live among the ruins.

Animal lover Claudio took a liking to this puppy.  He was the bathroom attendant's.  We left him some crackers.  The bathroom attendant and Alice bonded when she had to clean mud off her shoes and socks after walking through the marshy area around the stadium.  He offered her a cigarette (declined) and showed her  a picture of his much missed wife who had died two years before.  Now, this grizzled rustic was making a family with the playful puppy

Village lady who was hanging out in the Aizanoi market area when we were there.  She told Mehmet she had to go somewhere and he asked where.  She said the cemetery as she was headed for death.  She did allow her picture to be taken and then off (for the cemetery?)

We drove back to Kutahya and walked a little through the old area with its Ottoman houses stopping to by handcrafts at an upscale embroidery shop (embroidery is a specialty of Kutahya) and at the ethnographic museum which was weak except for its ten or so small rooms depicting workers from about 100 years ago doing tasks such as saddle making or copper smithing.  It also had an annex with gem stones from the region especially opals.

The restored old city center of Kutahya

An upscale embroidery shop was housed in a multistory Ottoman house

The place specialized in bridal gear and bedding and table ware

Across the street is the ethnographic museum which included small rooms devoted to workman of past eras including this saddle maker

Also in the ethnographic museum is this impressive carpet loom - Cary and Anne, this photo is for you and Yarnhouse Studio in Opelika, Alabama (a little commercial pitch)

Next was the splendid archeology museum which is housed in a venerable medrese.  This collection was well put together and displayed with the centerpiece being the elaborate tomb from Aizanoi.  We drove thence to the kale (castle) area atop the hill and drank salep and tea in the oddly out of place revolving restaurant.  The castle area is now a city park and well used by the populace that Sunday afternoon.  But, it lacked historic atmosphere and its best features, the towers, were not really reachable.

The medrese of Kutahya that now houses its very nice archeology museum

The central piece of the Roman sarcophagus taken from Aizanoi

Detail of this treasure

Another side with Roman warriors and miniature (by the scale) horses

Yet another view of the sarcophagus side

A lady also from Aizanoi now replaced to Kutahya

Claudio was amused and fascinated by these monkey containers (note from later - Alice read in the Turkish Airline magazine that Kutuhya is famed for its unique frogs that breed during a certain time of year and they carry the little frogs on their back.  So this statue is probably not monkeys but frogs.)

This silly and unique items (there were three of them) were open mouthed monkeys with a similar baby monkey on the back  (again - the note - these figures are much more likely to be the unique frogs in the region which carry others on their backs!)

There are clay toys from Aizanoi.  You can imagine a Roman youngster happily playing with push toy birds

A tiled house of Kutahya - the city is famed for its porcelain

View of the city from the castle area

One of the Byzantine era towers

Another tower - there were about six to eight of these giant towers still standing

Two building types - stone and brick with Kutahya in the background

Drinking tea and salep (read the blog entry on Bursa for a definition of this) at the oddly modern revolving restaurant atop the castle area.  We stayed for one full revolution

Finally, we returned to Casa Ozkulhanci for the delicious dinner prepared for us the night before.  This included meat stew, pilav, sarmak, mushroom and pickle salad (yes, you read that right) and the best su boregi (water borek).  It was topped up with stewed pumpkin with tahini sauce.  I passed on this dessert but it is one of Mehmet's favorites.  We said a grateful goodbye to our hosts and headed to Ankara, stopping at a vinegar store on the highway (Mehmet wanted to buy vinegar) and at Sensus, a fantastic wine shop in Eskisehir.

Havva at work in her kitchen making Turkish coffee

The dinner spread was bountiful and much appreciated

The ladies at the table

Randy and Mehmet concentrate on chowing down

This weekend trip was tremendous in the breadth and depth of our experience with the ancients (and not so ancients).  While the Phrygian wonders stand out, the Roman, Byzantine, Selcuk and Ottoman contributions abounded.  The entire region is pretty close to Ankara, Bursa, Izmir and Istanbul but receives few touristic visitors.  It is authentic, naturally gorgeous and diverse, and easy to navigate.  Make the effort to visit this central western region of Turkey, ancient Phrygia, and you will be aptly rewarded!

Two geese waddle off from the bath area ruins of Aizanoi.  One of the most striking memories of this weekend was the almost seamless blending of ancient wonders with present day life.  The people of this region live daily and comfortably among these venerable ruins.  The ruins immersed in the process of plant, animal and people living their lives add a splendid dimension that cannot be found in the sterile protected sites found in the more touristic areas such as Troy or Ephesus