What can you see in Didyma? Before Didyma pics, a brief about the ancient city. Didyma is called “Didim” in Turkish. Didyma was center of Oracle for the ancient Ionians. It was an ancient Ionian sanctuary. It had a temple and oracle of Apollo. Didyma was the most significant sanctuary in the territory of Miletus. The oldest tablets dated back to the 6^th century B.C. Most of the sculptures, form the same century, were carried out to British Museum by Sir Charles Newton in 1858, of course with the permission of Ottoman authorities. German excavations made between 1905 and 1930 revealed most part of the temple.

The huge marble temple has amazing, 120 giant columns at the front porch. Because the giant size of the construction, it never covered by a roof. At the back of the porch, temple priests met petitioners. They accept questions for the oracle, and to deliver oracular poems. Two tunnel ramps slope down from both sides of the porch to the huge square. This square held the sacred spring. A priest would drink from the spring to produce oracle.

Several impressive sculptures are around the temple, especially the head of Medusa. It is similar to the head of Medusa in the Basilica Cistern in Istanbul.

It is not far to visit Kusadasi, Ephesus, Selcuk, or Miletus from Didyma. Although the closest city is Aydin, I suggest international travelers to fly to Izmir for convenience and start to ancient history steps from Izmir, Turkey. Didyma pics from my collection are shot in June 2012.

Head of Medussa