The two-storey marble court of the gymnasium at Sardis

Archaeology & History · 3 sites

Ancient Trade Routes & Caravan Cities

For thousands of years, the roads of Anatolia carried gold, silk and spices between East and West. These cities grew rich on that trade, and their monuments still tell the story.

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Black SeaMediterranean SeaAegean Sea1Sardis2Mardin3Ani
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The two-storey marble court of the gymnasium at Sardis
1SardisManisa

The City of Gold

Associated with the wealth of the Lydian kings and the early development of coinage, Sardis played an important role in ancient commerce. Its archaeological remains tell the story of a city whose prosperity helped shape the economic history of the ancient world.

A narrow vaulted stone lane in old Mardin
2MardinMardin

A Crossroads of Civilizations

For centuries, Mardin stood along routes connecting Anatolia and Mesopotamia. Its historic architecture, bazaars, and religious monuments reflect a rich heritage shaped by merchants, scholars, and communities moving between different cultural worlds.

The towering medieval city walls of Ani
3AniKars

The Medieval Silk Road City

Once an important medieval centre on regional trade routes, Ani flourished through commerce and cultural exchange. Its monumental churches, defensive walls, and abandoned streets evoke the rise and transformation of a city that once stood at the heart of a connected medieval world.

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Ancient Trade Routes & Caravan Cities
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Archaeology & History

More themes to explore

The Library of Celsus in Ephesus in warm evening light20 sitesAncient Cities of TurkeyMarble streets, great theatres and temples, from Ephesus to Zeugma.Carved T-shaped stone pillars of Göbekli Tepe5 sitesPrehistoric Sites & Early CivilizationsThe first temples, towns and empires, from Göbekli Tepe to the Hittites.Colossal stone heads on Mount Nemrut in golden light8 sitesAncient Kingdoms & Sacred SitesMount Nemrut, Lydian Sardis and the sanctuaries of Lycia.The vast dome and interior of Hagia Sophia5 sitesByzantine & Christian HeritageHagia Sophia, Sumela and the rock-cut churches of Cappadocia.The historic peninsula of Istanbul with its mosques at sunset6 sitesHistoric Cities & Ottoman-Seljuk HeritageIstanbul, Mardin, Safranbolu and the masterpieces of the Seljuks.The bays and pine forests of Phaselis from above2 sitesLycian Civilization & Ancient Coastal CitiesAncient harbours between pine forests and turquoise bays.A carved human head and stone pillars at Karahantepe4 sitesArchaeological Wonders of Southeastern TurkeyKarahantepe, Harran, Dara and the Commagene tombs of Perre.The statue of Artemis of Ephesus in the museum5 sitesArchaeological Museums & Ancient TreasuresThe collections that bring Turkey's ancient sites to life.The ruins of Pergamon on its hilltop6 sitesPrivate Archaeological Discovery ToursSites paired into private journeys, shaped around you.

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