Get a Glimpse Into The Ancient City of Troy

The ‘City of the Gods’ Troy has always fascinated people from all over. Made famous by Homer’s poem Iliad, the city was once thought to be a legend. But during the 18th century, excavations revealed that Troy did exist. You can visit the legendary city in modern Turkey, a few hours drive away from Istanbul and live out your ancient Greek hero fantasies.

 

Explore the City of Troy 

 

Legend of Troy

The story of Troy and the Trojan Horse is one of the most famous legends in the world. It starts with the abduction of Helen, wife of the Greek King Menelaus by the Prince of Troy, Paris. This leads to an unending 10-year siege between Troy and Greece. The attack finally ended when the Greeks fooled the Trojans into thinking a huge wooden horse was a peace offering. The Greeks then attacked the city and burned it down into rubble. Thus effectively ending the reign of the ‘City of the Gods’.

 

Troy Historical National Park

The city of Troy is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. The 4,000-year-old ruins are located in northwestern Turkey’s Canakkale province. In 1996, the site became the Troy Historical National Park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

 

The park draws a massive crowd of curious people every year, even though the site is composed mostly of ruins. Even till date, people are still fascinated with the legend of Troy. Even the entrance to the park is characterized by a huge wooden statue of the famous Trojan Horse. 

The park is made up of 9 different levels of settlements, which shows that the city was destroyed and rebuilt many times. The layer that is thought to be described in Homer’s Iliad is Troy VI. You can still view portions of the legendary walls of this settlement. 

 

Temple of Athena

One of Troy’s most famous attraction besides the giant wooden horse is the remains of the Temple of Athena. The temple was once used by the Greeks and Romans to organize festivals in honor of the goddess Athena. It was a marvelous building during its heyday. But currently, only fragments of its ceiling and pieces of a marble column can still be seen on site. 

 

Troy Museum

The Troy Museum was opened in 2018 and is located close to the actual archaeological site. It is considered by many to be one of the best museums in the world. The museum showcases historical artifacts from Troy and nearby ancient cities as well. 

If you want to learn more about the ancient world, it’s highly recommended you visit the museum. The so-called Trojan Treasure, which consists of around 24 pieces of delicate gold jewelry dating back to the times of the Trojan, is displayed here. Besides the gold pieces, over 2000 artifacts are displayed.

 

Though there’s not much to do in Troy, it’s an excellent experience for those who love history and literature. Walking around the site, you’ll understand how advanced the Trojans were compared to other cities. When others were still living in small villages, the Trojans had mastered the art of building walls to protect themselves. The site will open your eyes to the beauty and mysteries of the ancient world.