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As
an amateur archeologist Schliemann actually caused damage to the
site which was only rectified in 1932 by Carl Blegen. Schliemann
found nine layers from the different developments of the city. The
oldest layer, Troy I, dates from 3600 BC and is followed by four
similar layers.
The city that Homer described in the Illiad is
thought to be the 6th or 7th layers. The 6th layer was destroyed by
an earthquake in 1275 BC and the 7th layer is thought to have been
destroyed by a fire around the times when historians believe the
Trojan Wars took place.
Troy’s 8th layer was a Greek city and the
final 9th layer was built during the times of the Roman empire. It
is not possible to say whether the Trojan War did happen but there
is flimsy evidence to suggest that the city was subject to some kind
of armed conflict. Homer’s mythical Troy was probably based on a
number of wars fought between the Myceneans and the citizens of Troy
who were trading partners and commercial rivals.
When visiting the site your are first greeted by a giant wooden
horse as described by Homer in which you can climb up inside. There
is also a scale model of the site and a video presentation
explaining the history and excavation of the site inside the
excavation house. A ring path leads visitors around the site of
which not much remains except for some 330 meters of wall dating
from 1700 – 1275 BC, the remains of the Pillar House dating from
Troy’s 6th layer, and some remains from the Temple of Athena the
famous reliefs from the temple now being housed in Berlin.
Evidence
suggests that Troy was once an important religious centre during
Roman and Greek times and there are the remains of some sanctuaries. Visitors may find understanding the site confusing because of the
different layers of discoveries at Troy but there are diagrams and
drawings to help you comprehend.
How to get here?
Troy can be reached from Cannakkale by dolmus from to the village
of Tefvikiye or alternatively with one of the many guided tours to
the site.
Opening hours:
It is open from 8am till 7pm during the months between May
and September and from (am till 5pm from October April).
Troy
is certainly not one of the most impressive remains Turkey has to
offer but thanks to Homer and Hollywood it is perhaps the most
famous.
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