“In his epic saga, İliad, Homer mentions the altar on Mount Ida: “”He encased his body all in gold, took up his whip,
a gold one, finely crafted, climbed in his chariot,
then lashed the horses onward. They flew off eagerly.
Midway between the earth and starry heaven,
Zeus reached Mount Ida with its many springs,
mother of wild beasts. He reached Gargaros,
site of his grove and temple, fragrant with sacrifice.
There, the father of gods and men reined in his horses,
untied them from the chariot, and hid them in thick cloud.
Then he sat on the mountain peak, proud and splendid,
gazing down on the Trojan city, the Achaean ships.”
The altar in Gargaros also witnessed the love of Zeus and Hera. This is also covered in Iliad: “”But Hera swiftly drew nigh to topmost Gargaros, the highest crest of Ida, and Zeus the cloud-gatherer beheld her. And as he saw her, so love came over his deep heart.”” And then she became the first wive of Zeus.
The Altar of Zeus was described as “”the Altar of Zeus on Mount Ida”” by the German archaeologists, Judeich and Heinrich Schliemann who first discovered the exact location of Troia. “
In ancient times, Ayvalık was known as Kydonia and both names refer to quince. It is thought that the first inhabitants of the region might have come from the village of Kydona in Lesbos or from Kydonies located in Crete. Some say, the name “Ayvalık” comes from “Aiolia.” The name Kydonies, which means Ayvalık, has been used since 330 BC.
Ayvalık has an outstanding potential in tourism with its unbeatable natural features, beaches, historical and cultural background, climate and its archipelago. The urban texture formed by examples of neoclassical architecture in Ayvalık’s city centre and Alibey Island adds up to its charm. Thanks to this urban texture, the city centre looks like an open air museum. Ancient cities in the surrounding provinces and districts add up to the town’s potential in tourism.
Located 8 km south of Ayvalık city center, the Devil’s Feast is a geological formation located on the hill overlooking Ayvalık. Legend has it that this rock formation is the footprint of the Devil. The panoramic view of the archipelago that consists of 22 islands and Lesbos island is truly breathtaking.
On the hill where the Devil’s Feast is located, the panoramic view of 22 islands and Lesbos island, especially when combined with the colors of sunset, is truly unique. The neighborhood offers breathtaking views of the bay and Ayvalık neighborhood and is often flooded with visitors just before sunset.
Lesbos is an island of Greece located in the northeast of the Aegean Sea. The distance between Lesbos and Ayvalık is 14 nautical miles which is much less than the island’s distance to the mainland Greece. In terms of surface area, Lesbos is the third largest island of Greece following Crete and Rhodes.
Its capital is called Mytilene. The island takes its name from the well-known poet Sappho who was a native of Lesbos. Famous Ottoman admiral Hayreddin Barbarossa was born in Lesbos in 1467. Today, the population of the island is around 83,000 and its coastline is 370 km long. The shape of the island is roughly triangular, but is deeply intruded by the gulfs of Kalloni and Gera.
This is the temple of Apollon Smintheus located in Gülpınar neighborhood of Ayvacık in Çanakkale. Homer mentions this unique architectural treasure in his epic saga, Iliad. Following the Dark Ages, numeorus city-states were founded on the Aegean Coast of Anatolia and on the Aegean Islands. In the period (336-323 BC) starting with Alexander the Great, a new era had begun and was called Hellenistic Age. Many best-known works of ancient sculptors, architects and philosophers belong to this period. One of the good examples of this age is the temple of Apollon Smintheus.
