Tourist Surge to Sardes Ancient City as 2,500‑Year‑Old Statue Unveiled

The Sardes Ancient City in the Salihli district of Manisa Province, Turkey – the historic capital of the Lydian Kingdom where the first minted coins were produced – has attracted around 60,000 visitors in the first seven months of the year. Ongoing excavations, now in their 120th year, have recently uncovered a well‑preserved 2,500‑year‑old male statue, 2.2 m tall, originally from the Roman period and later reused as a paving stone.

Visitors praised the site’s layered history, which includes remains from Lydian, Persian, Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine eras, as well as landmarks such as the Temple of Artemis, a large ancient synagogue, and a church mentioned in the Gospel of John. Architecture student Aysel Kuzu described the experience as “magical,” while local resident Abdullah Serdar Erceylan highlighted the educational value for his children.

The Manisa Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism reported the steady rise in both domestic and foreign tourist traffic, underscoring Sardes’ role as a key cultural‑heritage attraction in the Aegean region.