The Aegean Region - Turkey with Your Family: From Bustling Bazaars to Historic Sites - page 137

podium the height of an office
block, with a colonnade of
columns, an inner chamber and
then a high pitched roof topped
with a horse-drawn chariot statue,
all in white stone. It must have
been quite a sight. Nowadays, it's
not so impressive as many of its
stones were used in the construc-
tion of Bodrum's castle, however,
it remains an important part of
ancient history, which, if your
children are keen on knowing
more about Turkey, should inter-
est them enormously. A little
museum tells its story.
Open 9am-6pm daily, closed
Monday. Admission 10 YTL adults,
5 YTL children.

INSIDER TIP

Take a boat trip from Foça's
quayside to see the seals that
bob about in the waters and laze
on the rocks of the bay. They are
protected monk seals.

★
Hierapolis, which lies inland to
the east of the Aegean region, is
one of the most popular historic
sites visited by tourists. It is often
combined with a trip to the
nearby Pamukkale Travertine
Cascades and the thermal springs
(see p. 132). An ancient city,
Hierapolis was an early version of
a spa town. It dates from well
before Christ, although it suf-
fered an earthquake and was
rebuilt. Its history has been che-
quered, including at one stage
being partly submerged by water.
The ruins of a theatre, dwellings
and a graveyard are, nonetheless,
well preserved. Some of its ruins
can be seen in the waters used as
thermal baths. Your children can
swim and bathe amid the ruins
of columns and walls - an expe-
rience without parallel.
King Mausoleus's Tomb, the
Mausoleum, Bodrum
King Mausoleus's Tomb, the
Mausoleum, Turgut Reis Caddesi,
Bodrum. b [phone]
(tourist information).
One of the Seven Wonders
of the Ancient World , the
Mausoleum was built as the tomb
of King Mausoleus, the ruler of
the Caria, around the year 355
BC. Archaeology excavations
have suggested that it was once a
massive structure with a square

Hierapolis

★
This ancient city was the capital
of the area until the honour was
bestowed on Ephesus. It is said
the city had the most beautiful
and ornate buildings at the time.
Today, there isn't too much to
see other than its outstanding
acropolis theatre and an ancient
bath complex , but it does have
an interesting museum that tells
its story. Nearby is the town of
Bergama , famed for its lovely
architecture and carpets.
Pigeon Island, Ku@adasi

Pergamum

★★

FIND

Resembling a toy fort in the cen-
tre of an island, the 16th-century
Byzantine castle that sits proudly
on Pigeon Island off the seafront
at Ku @ adasi will really excite your
children, especially your boys.
It begs to be explored. Pigeon
Island, so called because it has
long been populated by large

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