The ancient Temple of Athena in Side, Turkey, reopened to tourists following a major restoration project, bringing renewed attention to the historic landmark overlooking the ancient harbor. The reopening ceremony was led by Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy.
In 2023, Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism launched a focused effort under the Heritage for the Future initiative, allowing for deeper research and partial rebuilding of the Temple of Athena’s original form. Professor Dr. Feriştah Alanyalı, who heads the archaeological work in Side, noted that previous restoration efforts had been slow. “In recent years, our work had been somewhat stagnant. Starting from 2022, we primarily completed structural research…
