TURKEY–Asklepion & Troy

Asklepion was a healing temple in the Ancient Greece, built in the name of Aesculapius, God of Health and Medicine in Greek mythology. Built as early as the 4th century BC, it was not until the 2nd century the Asklepion gained prominence under the Romans.

Located on the slopes of Mount Geyikli of which springs were believed to have healing effects. Not only the Asklepion was the world’s famous ancient medical centre but it is also the world’s first psychiatric hospital.


We’ve arrived at the Asklepion.


It was a quiet day and we were the only tourists in Asklepion.




The large marble column bears Asklepion’s symbol which is two snakes facing each other across a wheel. As snakes shed their skin, they are ‘reborn’, so as patients at the Asklepion shed their illness, they regain health. The serpent which is also an emblem of modern medicine.


This is the tunnel leading to the treatment building. Asklepion was more of a modern spa than a hospital. The treatments included massage, psychotherapy, herbal remedies, mud and bathing treatments and drinking of the ‘magical water’.
 
 
Rooms where patients were cured by the sound of water and music.


The doctors posed as the Aesculapius, God of Health and Medicine and used these pipes high up at the wall to whisper to the patients encouragement and healing words.


Walked through an underground passage to reach the theatre of Asklepion.




The water from sacred fountain was believed to have healing effects.


The theatre of Asklepion has 3,500 audience capacity and it is built in half circle form.




The honorary box lies in the middle of the lower section for the elite person.


The view from the top of the theatre.






Seat of the theatre are made of marbles.






It’s time to leave the Asklepion.


After exploring the Asklepion, we got on the bus and travelled to Canakkale to explore the legendary city of Troy. That’s another 200km away. Time to have a nap.


Had a toilet break on the way to Troy. The toilet sign was eye-catching.


Troy is located in the province of Canakkale in western Turkey, not far inland from the Sea of Marmara. Troy is one the most famous ancient sites in Turkey because of the legendary Trojan War that took place here in the 12th century BC.

The Achaeans (Greeks), led by Agamemnon, laid siege to the city of Troy for the years in order to retrieve his brother Menelaus’s wife, Helen, who had been abducted by King Priam’s younger son, Paris.

The Achaeans achieved victory by hiding soldiers inside a wooden horse and pretended to sail away, apparently defeated. Believing the war was over, the Trojans joyfully dragged the horse inside the city and while they were sleeping off their celebrations, the Achaeans soldiers crept out, opened the gates for their comrades who had secretly returned and laid waste to the city.

I’m sure many of you have heard of this ‘story’. True enough, the Trojan War including the Trojan Horse is just a Greek methodology created by Homer’s epic poem, ‘The Iliad’.

Just when everybody thought that this storey was a myth, Heinrich Schliemann, a wealthy German businessman and amateur archaeologist used his fortune to finance a massive dig at the hill known as Hisarlik to find the legendary city of Troy.

Nine successive settlements were uncovered, each one on top of the last. The oldest dated back 5,000 years. The layers of ruins are numbered Troy I – Troy IX. Till today, after a century and a half passed since the days of Schliemann, Troy hasn’t been unearthed completely and works still continue to this day.


If you’re expecting a former glorious building here, you’ll be disappointed as the city has been reduced to rubbles. The site is small and not impressive as one would expect. This is part of the city walls that remains. Other fragments of buildings strewn about the site.


Troy II and VI shows an ancient city with majestic fortified citadel enclosing palaces and administrative buildings, surrounded by an extensive lower town. The layer that is most likely to be depicted in Homer’s Iliad is likely Troy VII where a portion of the wall is still intact.
 
 
This is where the Trojans performed their sacrificial ritual using animals.


The Trojan Horse used in the film Troy (2004). The main actor, Brad Pitt plays Achilles in the movie. I was told that this horse was a gift from Brad Pitt to the city of Canakkale. The horse is located on the seafront of Canakkale.

This is where we snapped most pictures, seriously. Haha.


The interior of the Trojan horse. My colleagues and I are busy sticking our head out the windows to be photographed by others below.

Anyhow, the history and legend that are attached to the ruins still makes Troy a remarkable and fascinating place to visit.

 
We stayed the night at Kolin Hotel in Canakkale, 30km away from Troy. It is a beautiful hotel that is situated near the sea.


Christmas decoration in the hotel.


The swimming pool and sea view from my room.

We are heading to Istanbul on the next day.


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