Behramkale & Assos
Assos was first built from around 2,700 years ago (700 BC) and made the use of a natural high defensive hill for its city, which was mostly located on the slopes heading up from the port. Perched on the top of the hill is the necropolis and the Temple of Athena, built in 530 BC. The whole city faces the Greek island of Lesbos, famous for its women-only citadel and whose rumoured activities give us the modern name for female homosexuality. In fact, the builders of Assos were colonists from the island – Aeolians – one of the four ancient Hellenic tribes.
Assos, however, is famous for the philosopher Aristotle who not only lived there for three years, but also married Pythia in 348 BC, the niece of Hermias, who ruled over the city. Not long after Aristotle moved with his wife to the island of Lesbos in 345 BC, the Persians invaded Assos and Hermias was tortured to death. Later, events went full circle when Alexander the Great, in 334 BC, Aristotle’s student from the intervening years, drove out the Persians and retook the city. It’s not known if Alexander invaded Assos because of his master Aristotle or whether it was just a part of his military strategy, although the former seems to be the most likely.
In 133 BC the city was drawn into the Roman Empire and then went into decline around 60 AD. From that date Assos shrunk into a small fishing village and has remained so ever since. Today Assos is a ruined city whose raison d’etre is the stunning views from the Temple of Athena.
I visited Assos on Wednesday 11 March, 2015, late in the afternoon. For that reason, due to time constraints and the setting sun, only the Temple of Athena was visited, which itself involves a relatively gruelling steep climb. Some photos show the acropolis below the temple area, but mostly it was a chance to take stunning shots of the sun setting behind the Aegean and the island of Lesbos.
References:
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- One inside the entrance, the steep climb to the top continues
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- The remains of the Byzantine walls
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- Sign post giving information on the Temple of Athena
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- Historical information
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- Historical information
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- A 3D model of the temple housed in a glass shelter
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- Looking west to the setting sun
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- The Greek island of Lesbos to the south-west
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- Looking north-west across the modern town
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- Western view of the setting sun
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- In the centre and left can be seen some of the remains of the ancient city
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- More of the ancient city across the centre
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- The ancient city and its view of Lesbos
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- The unique Temple of Athena
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- Looking north-east
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- At the eastern end of the temple, looking east towards central Turkey
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- Through the temple to the west
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- The island of Lesbos
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- I think this is part of a Byzantine watch tower
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- Looking east from the southern edge
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- The port can just be seen at the bottom
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- Among the ruins…
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- Great contrasting light of sky and temple
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- The setting sun through the columns and behind the clouds
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- The sun through the columns
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- A classic picture of Turkey – olive tree, ancient temple column, sea, hills and beautiful weather!
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- Stunning view across the temple
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- Ah, the artist in me…
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- Looking south to the island of Lesbos with the remains of the Byzantine tower on the right
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- East across the Aegean
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- The eastern view inland
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- The setting sun offers amazing light and photo opportunities
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- A second version with less light
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- Stepping back a little…
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- Olive trees and the Aegean. And ancient path cut through the middle
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- Among the scattered stones, a lone olive tree
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- Olive tree and Lesbos
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- Beautiful view…
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- The western view
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- Between the stones, the ancient city below
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- The island of Lesbos and the ancient city below
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- It’s that picturesque olive tree again
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- And again…
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- The Byzantine towers
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- Part of the later Byzantine fortress
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- Towards the north-east, with the Byzantine tower
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- Getting darker…
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- Beautiful view across the temple to the island of Lesbos
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- Looking south-east across the top
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- The stones take on a magical colour as the sun sets
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- Goodbye Temple of Athena, oh great goddess
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- Byzantine building
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- Looking west
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- One last glimpse of that stunning view…
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- The Byzantine defensive wall tower
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- And with a lovely olive tree
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- A unique shop and café!
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- Lovely tree in the street
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- Behramkale is an unusual village with so many unique things to photograph
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- A restaurant preparing for tourist season
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- The modern mosque in the background
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- All roads lead to Rome? No, to hotels!
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- Small cobbled streets
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- A ginger cat watches cautiously
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- Obligatory cat photo
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- It’s easy to get lost in Behramkale. It’s a wrong turn and unfamiliar territory
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- Cats are everywhere in Turkey, you cannot avoid them…
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- More streets
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- So picturesque…
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- Assos Restaurant
