Temple of Athena
Ionic columns.
Dosseman — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Rabe! — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Rabe! — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Rabe! — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Rabe! — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Rabe! — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dosseman — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dosseman — CC BY-SA 4.0
Priene is an ancient Greek city of Ionia on the slopes of Mount Mycale above the plain of the Büyük Menderes river, near the village of Güllübahçe in Aydın province, western Turkey, about 22 km in a straight line south of Kuşadası. The city was rebuilt in the 4th century BC on a regular grid of crossing streets, making it one of the clearest examples of Greek town planning. It was once a port on the sea, but silt from the river filled the bay, and the sea now lies far away. Its best-known monument is the Temple of Athena Polias, designed by the architect Pytheos and funded by Alexander the Great; five of its Ionic columns still stand against the huge cliff behind. The city also has a small, well-preserved theatre with marble seats of honour, a council house, houses, baths and gymnasiums, all set among pine trees. An entry fee is charged. The site lies on a slope, so comfortable shoes help, and it combines well with the nearby ancient sites of Miletus and Didyma.
Ionic columns.
Seats of honour.
Over the plain.
Güllübahçe, Söke, Aydın, Turkey
About 22 km in a straight line.
Miletus and Didyma.