Travel Turkey: “Kibyra Will Become Like Ephesus and Pamukkale”

September 20, 2024 BTT

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The ancient city of Kibyra, located in Burdur, has recently become a popular tourist attraction, particularly due to the Medusa mosaic and the monumental fountain. Over the past eight months, Kibyra has seen a 45% increase in visitors, with 22,500 people visiting compared to the same period last year. Excavation leader Prof. Dr. Şükrü Özüdoğru said, “In the coming years, Kibyra will become an important historical site like Ephesus and Pamukkale.”

The ancient city of Kibyra, located in the Gölhisar district and with a 2,300-year history, has been under excavation for about 18 years. Among the key findings are the Medusa mosaic, which was uncovered during the Odeon excavations between 2009 and 2012. This mosaic is unique in its construction technique, and along with the monumental fountain, which was excavated in 2019 and restored to function with running water by 2023, it has drawn considerable attention.

The Medusa mosaic, made of colorful marbles and depicting the mythical “snake-haired, sharp-toothed female monster” believed to turn evil onlookers into stone, has significantly increased Kibyra’s popularity. The ancient city, excavated by faculty members from Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University (MAKÜ), is also listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List and has become a major tourist destination in recent years. In the first eight months of last year, 15,500 people visited the ancient city, but this year, visitor numbers have surged by 45% to 22,500.

“Highly Influential After Medusa”

Prof. Dr. Özüdoğru, a member of the MAKÜ Archaeology Department and the head of the excavations, stated that Kibyra would become a major historical tourist attraction like Ephesus and Pamukkale in the coming years. “Since 2006, we have uncovered significant monumental structures in Kibyra. Among these, our Medusa mosaic is unique in its construction technique and has gained international recognition. In 2019, we completed the excavation of a monumental fountain, and in 2023, we restored it to its original state, reintroducing water from its original source. This restoration, following the Medusa mosaic, has been quite influential in drawing visitors,” he said.

“Visitor Numbers Increased Tenfold After Fountain Restoration”

Prof. Dr. Özüdoğru emphasized that the number of visitors to Kibyra has steadily increased in recent years. “After the fountain restoration, the number of visitors increased nearly tenfold. We hope this upward trend will continue as our excavations progress. Kibyra will become an important historical site, just like Ephesus and Pamukkale in Turkey,” he added.

Excavations are ongoing in the agora area, where the fountain is located, and new structures continue to be uncovered.