Side's historical heritage: Temple of Athena welcomes visitors

Dedicated to Athena, considered the city's chief goddess, and positioned side-by-side with the Temple of Apollo, the temple offers visitors a glimpse into its past splendor through its ancient ruins.

Restoration work on the Temple of Athena, initiated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, was completed last year, with some of its columns re-erected by placing original pieces back in their positions. The temple, which is among the first spots visitors to the city want to see, attracts great interest from both domestic and foreign tourists with its architectural structure and columns that bear traces of history.

LEGACY FOR THE FUTURE PROJECT

Head of the Side Ancient City Excavations and Faculty Member of the Department of Archaeology at Anadolu University, Prof. Dr. Feriştah Alanyalı, stated that the ancient city is one of the areas supported under the "Legacy for the Future Project," which has been implemented by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism since 2023.

Explaining that restoration work had been initiated in the temple area in previous years, Alanyalı said, "Our work had been somewhat stagnant in recent years. Since 2022, we have primarily completed structural research on the Temple of Athena and its surroundings and carried out a partial anastylosis (re-erection) project. With the excavations we conducted on privately owned plots to the north of the Temple of Athena, we obtained very important data that will shed light not only on the restoration of Athena and its surroundings but also on the history of the city's urbanization."

"A SPECIAL EXAMPLE, EVEN IF THERE ARE OTHERS LIKE IT"

Pointing out that the temple is a structure positioned right on the edge of the harbor, Alanyalı continued her words as follows:

"The fact that the temples of Apollo and Athena are side-by-side is a special example, even if there are others like it. Because the city's two important gods were positioned side-by-side next to the harbor. These are two temples built for Apollo, the god associated with Side's own name, and for Athena, who is considered the city's chief goddess. Therefore, these two temples are very important not only for the people of Side but also because it is a cult center whose fame and reputation have spread beyond the city. Especially Athena, as the guarantor goddess of trade in the harbor, is an important cult center that has held its place in the city, right on the edge of the harbor, throughout the entire Ancient Age."

Recalling that the back corner of the Temple of Apollo was re-erected in previous years, Alanyalı said, "A partial anastylosis was performed on the front corner of the Temple of Athena. Thus, since it was not possible to re-erect all the columns, the depth and size of the area were intended to be conveyed to visiting guests by raising the front side of one temple and the back side of the other."

With the completion of the restoration at the Temple of Athena, the city's settlement history and its place within the religious history of the Ancient Age have been highlighted, making it more perceptible to visitors.