One of the most scenic ancient cities not only in Turkey but whole ancient Mediterranean sea region, Priene is a lovely cozy site where one can relax in the tree groves while appreciating ancient Greek history and the way they lived thousands of years ago. It is also one of best preserved Hellenistic Greek cities and was financed by Alexander the Great himself. Oh, if you see any archaeologist working around (which most probably you may come across in summer) don’t hesitate to say Hi!
OVERVIEW
FOUNDATION AND BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CITY
Priene was initially founded by the colonists from Thebes (Greece) about 10-11th century BC. The original city was located actually in a different area; although it is proposed that the old city was located somewhere at the mouth of river Meander (modern Menderes), it was never found and the former mouth of the Meander river is now a farming area due to the centuries(or even millennia) of silting.
The construction of the current (“new”) city was overseen by Alexander the Great after defeating the Persians and was financed from his own pocket. Then the population of old Priene was moved to the new city. Mausolus, ruler of Halicarnassus (modern Bodrum) and builder of Maosoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the 7 ancient wonders of the world, also played a key role on the construction, and it was completed about 350 BC, on the slopes of Mount Mycale (modern Samsun), overlooking the Aegean Sea (back then) before the port was filled with alluvium and lost access to sea.
After the loss of the port, the city lost its significance and trade, and it is thought that it has been abandoned circa 10th century CE. During Byzantine times, the name of the city was “Samson”.
DISCOVERING PRIENE: THE CITY ITSELF WITH PICTURES
Priene is a splendid city with many well preserved monuments, public buildings and an orderly city planning which fascinated professionals. The reason why it is so preserved, according to classic historians, is because of its relatively unimportant political standing compared to neighbouring Greek cities such as Pergamon and Ephesus in those times, which saved the city from major looting and destruction. Go below to see explanatory pictures 🙂
Bouleuterion (Council chamber) of Priene, apparently one of the best preserved in the world. This is where townspeople met to make fateful decisions for the city!
GEOGRAPHY, SURROUNDINGS AND SCENERY
Priene is located on a steep hill under the shadow of Mount Mycale, which provided excellent defensive position in ancient ages, and today provides a beautifiul scenery.
Looking down the hill, one will see the green fertile plains of river Meander (Menderes), used today for farming purposes. Local people mentioned that the plains are very fertile due to the silted nature of the river mouth, which used to open to Aegean sea.
The city is located in a very beautiful grove, which grants good relaxation from the hot summer days of the area. We were very exhausted in Miletos for example, due to the lack of any shadow source and the burning heat of the sun. It is a great relief that gives even another reason to visit the ruins!
LAST REMARKS AND CURRENT STATUS OF PRIENE
Despite its majesty, Priene is unfortunately doesn’t have the popularity it deserves and is less visited due to the presence of the more well known ruins of Ephesus, Miletus and Didyma which are located nearby and are more accesible due to the close distance to beach towns. However, due to the recent archeological finds and the surprisingly well preserved nature of the remains, and discovery of its uniquely well planned city planning, Priese is getting more recognition and press nowadays, and has even made it to the UNESCO tentative list and receives funding from several local and international organizations.
What awaits you in Priene is not only historical ruins but also the lovely natural scenery, with lovely cliffs overlooking green fertile farming plains of Meander and the towering mount Mycale, providing peace and relaxation to visitors and gives wonderful photography opportunities.
TRAVEL ADVICES AND INFORMATION
The best way to make a trip to Priene (as my recommendation) is to rent a car and include a day trip to Miletus, Didyma and Priene, as all these spectacular ancient ruins are located quite near to each other, approximately 45 mins drive and each offering a truly unique experience (Renting a car is fairly cheaper in Turkey). Doing a road trip in my opinion is the best to explore history of this region alongside backpacking. The sites are located approx. 22 kms from Didim, 42 kms from Kusadasi and 130 kms from Bodrum, all are quite popular beach towns in western coast of Turkey.
SPECIAL THANKS
Most special thanks to Peter (from Poland) and Vendy (from Czechia) with whom i did the trip together. They made it even more enjoyable and fun, truly a great memory! (their pictures are in the gallery below).
GALLERY
The rest of the pictures can be viewed in the gallery below. Feel free to leave a comment, whether positive or negative, but constructive comments are most appreciated!
