Çavdarhisar: Aizanoi and its ancient monuments

The visible remains date predominantly from the Roman Empire. In the ancient region of Phrygia, Aizanoi was the most important settlement center of Aizanitis. This connects Roman-influenced buildings with an important regional history. This context offers a more precise basis for choosing a destination than a single keyword: Aizanoi brings together evidence of religious architecture, public buildings, markets and transport.

Temple of Zeus, theater and stadium

The UNESCO World Heritage Centre’s description for the Tentative List calls Aizanoi’s stadium-theater complex unique in the ancient world. The stadium and theater are located immediately next to each other; the theater lies northeast of the Temple of Zeus. It accommodates 15,000 spectators, while the stadium holds 13,500 people. The difference between the two capacity figures is 1,500 places. Their locations and respective sizes distinguish these neighboring structures.

The Temple of Zeus offers other, very different evidence. A staircase leads both to an underground cella dedicated to Meter Steunene and all the way to the roof. Inscriptions on the front gallery praise Emperor Hadrian and Apuleius, who had rendered important services to Aizanoi. Incised on the outer marble walls and columns are depictions of Çavdar Tatars: Turkmen singers with kopuz instruments, mounted warriors with swords and spears, birds of prey, and tribal symbols. Religious dedication, inscriptions and images each provide a different perspective on the same temple.

Macellum and ancient price history

The round Macellum was used as a grain market in the second half of the 2nd century AD. Its walls bear price lists for goods sold in markets across the Roman Empire, as well as Emperor Diocletian’s price edicts from 301 AD. These records tell us about different aspects of market life: the use of the building as a grain market describes the Macellum’s function, while the inscriptions concern the prices of goods and imperial price edicts. The dates also refer to different events: the market use is attributed to the second half of the 2nd century, while the price edicts are dated to 301 AD. Thus, the building brings together its use as a market and specific evidence of ancient price regulation.

Bridges over the Penkalas

Aizanoi’s landscape also includes four monumental bridges over the Penkalas. Two are well preserved and still carry vehicle and pedestrian traffic in Çavdarhisar District. In their case, their continued role in transport complements their documented state of preservation. This distinguishes this part of the historic landscape from the inscriptions at the temple and Macellum, whose significance lies in the surviving dedications, depictions and price information. Together, these remains show different aspects of Çavdarhisar: the close proximity of major buildings, religious and economic history, and bridges that still serve traffic.

Discover more destinations: Kayaköy/Kütahya, Kızılcakaya, Kütahya, Gediz, Tavşanlı, Emet, Altıntaş, Alikahya Köyü

Go to the main travel overview: Kütahya.