The Troy ruins are located in the northwest of Turkey and only a few hours from Istanbul. The Trojan War, which comes to life with Homer’s narrative, inspires many movies and novels today. The remains of this mysterious city can be seen in the Troy archaeological site and museum in Canakkale.
In this article, you can find information about the history of the ancient city of Troy, where the Trojan War took place. In addition, the entrance fee and visiting hours of the Troy ruins and museum are noted.
The city of Troy, which is among the historical places to visit in Turkey, is located within the borders of Canakkale province. This city is also where Gallipoli, one of the most important fronts of the First World War, is located.
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The History of Troy
The history of Troy goes back to 3500 BC. However, the rise of the city dates back to the Hittite period in the late Bronze age. The popularity of Troy today comes from the Trojan War in the 12th century BC. The Trojan War, described in Homer’s epics, still inspires popular culture.
According to the story in Iliad, the incidents that led to the war started at a wedding ceremony that Zeus organized. Eris, the goddess of strife and discord, is not invited to the wedding of Peleus and Thetis and she sends an apple to the wedding and wants it to be given to the most beautiful goddess at the wedding.
However, Athena, Hera and Aphrodite can’t agree on who should have the apple. Then, Zeus assigns Paris to make the choice and sends both the apple and goddesses to him. Paris gives the apple to Aphrodite, but he wants something in return. Aphrodite will make Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world, fall in love with Paris.
When Helen falls in love with Paris, the Achaeans (that’s how Homer described the Greek communities) sees it as a humiliation. They gather an army under the leadership of the King Agamemnon of Mycenae and wage a war on Troy and that’s how the war begins.
Homer speaks of a war in Iliad that lasts for ten years. However, he describes the last month of the war in more details. The Trojan War inspired many films and novels in modern times. The trip of Odysseus, one of the Greek commanders at war, to his home (Ithaca) after the fall of Troy is narrated in Odyssey.
The city of Troy, which was thought to have been destroyed during the Trojan War, survived. The city, which also existed in Ancient Greek and Roman periods, lost its importance in the late antiquity. We know from today’s finds that the city had been rebuilt many times due to natural disasters or wars. The Trojan War, which was lost against the Achaeans, was one of these incidents.
Rediscovery of the Ancient City
Until the discovery of Troy in 1870, this ancient city was only a legendary place mentioned in epics. The discovery of a German archeologist, Heinrich Schlimann, however, proved that there was actually an ancient city named Tory where Homer mentioned it to be. The researches in the following years indicated the history of the city dates back to Hittites.
There was a belief that the Trojan War was a mythological story, but it turns out that a big war and destruction happened in the region. The Achaean League founded by the Achaeans, occupied a lot of cities in 13 and 12 BC
After the establishment of the confederation, Achaeans invaded various territories that also included Canakkale. Therefore, it’s highly likely that the Trojan War is a legend that is based on the wars that were fought during these years.
Things to See in Troy
Things to see in Troy include layers of 9 different eras of the city. To put it another way, the current findings indicate that this city was rebuilt nine times in a row. The city destroyed by earthquakes, fires, and wars was rebuilt every single time. And the objects from the different periods of the city can be seen at Troy Museum in Canakkale city of Turkey.
The Temple of Athena, found on the last layer of the city, is a unique monument that is identified with the city. This monument is made of marble and although it was built by Lysimachus, one of the commanders of Alexander the Great, it was renovated by Emperor Augustus centuries later. You can come across the works from the Hellenistic and Roman architecture in this temple.
On the layer that dates back to 1900 BC to 1300 BC, you can see the remnants of houses, a water canal and the walls. These structures are seen as an example of city planning in Hellenistic era.
Troy Ruins Entrance Fee 2023
Troy Ruins entrance fee is 330 Turkish Liras as of 2023. Museum Pass Turkey is valid at the entrance to Troy Ancient City in Canakkale. The information on the ticket price was last updated on August 6, 2023.
You can also visit the Troy Museum to crown your visit to the ruins of Troy. In this recently opened modern museum, archaeological finds from the Ancient City of Troy are on display.
Troy Museum Ticket Price 2023
Troy Museum ticket price is 330 Turkish Liras as of 2023. The museum, where historical artifacts in Troy are exhibited, opened in 2018 and created great excitement in the archaeological world. In the year it opened, The Troy Museum was included in Time Magazine’s list of the 100 Greatest Places in the World.
It should be noted that the ticket you buy to enter the ruins of Troy is not valid here. It is necessary to purchase a separate ticket. If you have Museum Pass Turkey, you can visit both museums free of charge.
Troy Ruins Opening Hours 2023
Troy Ruins opening hours are between 08:30 in the morning and 20:00 in the evening. Please also note that ticket sales at the box office end at 19:30. The archaeological site can be visited everyday of the week. Information on visiting hours was last updated on August 6, 2023.
Visiting times of the Troy archaeological site and the museum may change due to some events and renovations. Therefore, you can visit the official website of Troy to see the latest situation.
Conclusion
Troy is one of the must-see places in Turkey. If you want to get some inspiration from popular culture before visiting this place, you can watch Brad Pitt’s movie named after the city (2004) or the Netflix production The Fall of a City (2018).
If you want to join the daily tour to Troy from Istanbul, you can access the recommended guided tour from this link. Tickets are sold under the guarantee of GetYourGuide, an international travel site. You can cancel the tour up to 24 hours and get a full refund.
Written by Serhat Engul
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