The 2,000-year-old lighthouse in the ancient city of Patara, built by Roman Emperor Nero in CE 64, is set to illuminate once again after centuries, as restoration efforts reach their final stages. The completion of the dome, featuring an inscription that reads, “I am Emperor Nero. I built this lighthouse for the safety of sailors,” along with a dolphin relief, marks a milestone in the project.
The restoration involves replacing about 1,800 original stones to restore the lighthouse. Dr. Şevket Aktaş, the Head of the Patara Ancient City Excavation, is overseeing the work. “There are two special inscriptions attributed to Emperor Nero and Lycia Governor Sextus Marcus Priscus,” said Dr. Aktaş, according to a report by Sozcu.
The lighthouse, located at the southwestern tip of the ancient harbor that connected the Mediterranean to the Xanthos River, was a landmark and served as the capital of the Lycian League for many years before being destroyed by natural disasters. It remained intact for about 1,300 years before being destroyed due to an earthquake and a subsequent tsunami in 1481.
The ruins of the lighthouse were later lost among the sand dunes in the harbor area and were identified as belonging to this lighthouse by Professor Dr. Fahri Işık at the end of the 20th century, according to Sozcu. In 2004, the original stones of the lighthouse were uncovered under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Havva İşkan Işık.
“We aim to complete the landscaping and the podium steps in the first half of the year, light the lighthouse, and open it to visitors,” Dr. Aktaş stated, according to Sozcu.
Patara is an ancient city located in southwestern Turkey, within Antalya Province, known for its rich history and archaeological importance. It was once the capital of the Lycian League and served as an important port city and major trade center in antiquity, according to arkeonews.net.
Excavations around the approximately 26-meter-tall lighthouse have revealed thousands of original building stones, with around 1,600 stones replaced so far as part of the restoration efforts, according to Hurriyet Daily News.
“The lighthouse includes of a square podium and two interlocking cylinders on the main rock in the center,” explained Dr. Aktaş.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.
This article was originally published at www.jpost.com
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