Kerkenes Ruins

Although it was estimated that the ancient city was founded by the Medes during the Iron Age in 600 BCE, the discovery of Phrygian inscriptions during the excavations in 2003 suggests that the city may have been a Phrygian settlement. The city walls, which are about seven kilometres long, enclose a residential area of 2.5 square kilometres. This place is thought to be the place of the city Pteria which is mentioned in the ancient sources. In 547 BCE, the city was taken over by the Persians, its people were captured, the city was burned down and its walls were destroyed. Additionally, the residential area of the city includes public structures and civil building areas, and an advanced water harvest and distribution system.