During the restoration and improvement works carried out by the municipality of Antalya (formerly Atalea, founded by King Attalus II of Pergamon) in southern Türkiye, new architectural structures have emerged.
The Hıdırlık Tower was built by the Romans in the 2nd century AD as a mausoleum for a senator and his family, but later served as a fortification and lighthouse, located where the ancient city walls meet the coastal walls.
The works involve covering the archaeological remains around the tower with a metal and glass structure to protect them from the elements while making them accessible to the public.
According to the Antalya municipality, the steel column assembly on the wooden and glass cladding infrastructure on the south side of the tower has already been completed, and the installation of the glass surfaces where the ancient ruins can be observed has also largely been completed.
To preserve the silhouette of the cliffs, the installation of transparent glass railings surrounding the area included in the project has also begun. In addition, cleaning and repointing of the exterior walls are also underway inside the historic tower.
Within the framework of the project carried out under the supervision of the Antalya Museum Directorate and the KUDEB, while the conservation works of the historical remains continue, archaeological excavations are meticulously ongoing, the municipality statement continues.
Thus, on the southern side of the tower, a columned structure estimated to be about 800 meters long was unearthed, although only 100 meters have been uncovered so far. Archaeologists believe it to be a long Roman colonnaded avenue, but its function is not yet clear.
Additionally, conservation work is also being carried out on the floor mosaics unearthed on the southern side of the tower.
Kaleiçi, the area where the discovery was made, is the historic center of Antalya, which until modern times was almost entirely enclosed within its walls. It boasts numerous remnants and structures dating back to the Roman, Byzantine, and Seljuk periods.
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