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Assos Behramkale Adatepe

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Assos Behramkale Adatepe

Being in the magical land of Assos, the Land of Stones, feels like you travel ages back in time: the streets are the same, the houses are the same… It is as if the Goddess Athena is still watching us from above. It is incredibly exciting to see the columns of the harbour where fishermen used to clean their nets. As you gaze into sea, your eyes meet the Lesbos Island, so close that you can even see the houses light up at night.
The ancient city of Assos was established on an extinct volcanic hill, surrounded by andesite rocks, at an altitude of 236 meters. The Assos stone is famous for being durable despite its low workability. Locals used to call it the “man-eating stone.” The urban settlement is surrounded by city walls that are 20 meters high and that stretch 3,200 meters. Having survived to this day, these walls were built in the 4th century BC.
Athena, the daughter of chief god Zeus and one of the 12 Olympian gods, was the tutelary deity of Assos. Therefore, you will find a temple dedicated to her in the city. The Temple of Athena, located on the highest hill of the ancient city, is, for want of a better word, a masterpiece. It was the first and only Doric-style temple built in Anatolia during the Archaic period, and it still preserves its fascinating atmosphere. Some of the friezes (reliefs) on the columns are kept in the Boston, Louvre and Istanbul Archaeological Museums.
Behramkale, which has been a protected area for about 30 years, is an old village established during the Ottoman period. The Behramkale Village, a settlement consisting of 150 houses, offers intact examples of the stonework of the architecture of Assos.
Philosophy has a special place in the world of Assos. Aristotle, one of the most important philosophers in the world, spent three years in Assos. He founded a school of philosophy here between 347-344 BC. These lands are still important to today’s philosophers. Örsan K. Öymen has been organizing philosophy meetings in Assos since 2000. He currently serves as an associate professor at Yeditepe University, Department of Philosophy.

Beaches of Assos: Kadırga Bay, Sivrice, Assos Harbour

The history of Adatepe Village, located on the foothills of Mount Ida, dates back to ancient times. The Altar of Zeus, located at the entrance of the village, welcomes the visitors. Adatepe, which is known for olive cultivation, is also home to philosophy, literature and art history seminars held at Taşmektep.