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Archaeological Tours - Kadikalesi Anaia Tour with an Expert Archaeologist
The half day Archaeological Kadikalesi Anaia tour includes

- Pick-up from the Kusadasi Port or from your hotel
- Drive to the Kadikalesi Anaia to meet your
  archaeologist for a briefing about the site and visit
- By the end of the tour drive back to Kusadasi Port
  or to your hotel.		 Kadikalesi Anaia
Kadikalesi Anaia

WHAT YOU VISIT

The excavations have started here in 2001 after a protocol signed by Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Ege University and Municipality of Kusadasi. The final aim of the project is to restore the castle. This castle and the tumulus where it rests on have been ignored for such a long time
though it has been surrounded by the summer houses despite of its history of 6 thousand years. It started to gain her importance while being eroded by the nature and being sacked by the thieves. That's why the efforts of the Municipality of Kusadasi were quite vital.

In the ninth season of the excavations (summer 2009) the below mentioned experts have been working actively under the management of Prof. Dr. Zeynep Mercangoz, the head of the excavation: Ass. Prof. Emine Tok and from Ege University Art History Department, Ass. Prof. Ahmet Uhri from 9 Eylul University, Lecturer Yalcin Mergen and Lecturer Mehmet Kahyaoglu from Dokuz Eylul University, M.A Sinan Mimaroglu, M.A Filiz Inanan and Archaeologist Levent Kutbay. In addition to above mentioned experts many undergraduate and master students are in the excavation team.


A castle lost in the concrete jungle of the summer houses and only 8 km south of Kusadasi has been called as "Kadikalesi" by the natives. It has been identified with Anaia, a satellite of Samos and a hoop within Byzantine circle of defense against the Turks built in the 12th century on a tumulus dating back to the prehistoric ages. The Kadikale tumulus should have had quite a different		 Kadikalesi Anaia
landscape in the early antiquity. The findings show that the earliest settlement started here in the early bronze age (3rd millenium B.C.E.). The bronze statue of a Hittite god or a warrior found in 2002 will bring new ideas for the history of the region for the 2nd millennium B.C.E. Both the Hittite statue and the legends telling that the city of Anaia was founded by an Amazon queen tell us that this town was quite a strategic spot for the Hittites.

The number of the protogeometic pottery received through excavations claim that Kusadasi Kadikalesi/Anaia was an important center in the Greek colonization period starting from 1050 B.C.E. Pottery findings dated to the following periods also show the long term continuity of the habitation in the town.
Kadikalesi Anaia

We first meet the name Anaia within the tax paying towns to Attic-Delos Union in the 5th Century B.C.E. She also played an important role in the Peloponnessos war in the second half of the same century. Though she was of less importance during the Hellenistic period (3rd-2nd Century B.C.E.), the tomb stones indicates the presence of a temple dedicated to Hera in the Roman period (2nd-3rd


century C.E.) According to the sources, Anaia remained as an important town as a bishop seat after Christianity became official religion (4th Century C.E.). Located on a strategic spot, Anaia always attracted all the great powers which had advantages in the Aegean Sea. The attacks of the Turks to the Western Anatolia should have led the Komnenian Emperors to protect the town with a castle. But the town could not stay within the Byzantine		 Kadikalesi Anaia
Empire for long since it was given to the Genoesians with the treaty of Nymphaion signed in 1261. Through the following 50 years the area was occupied by the Genosians, the Venetians, the Catalans and the Turks. According to the historians Anaia was captured by the Turks in the early 1300s. In the 14th century the area was under the rule of Aydinoglu Emirate and then in the 15th century it became under the rule of Ottomans. We don't know exactly when the town changed her name into Anya and her location to today's Sogucak Village but getting a lesser harbor to Kusadasi from 16th century and on could have been caused by her harbor filled up and got shallow sharing the same destiny with Ephesus.
Kadikalesi Anaia

In fact the aim of the excavations started in Kadikalesi in 2001 was to do some clearing and let the castle seen with all its magnificence. However the excavations here will also brought some light to some unknown parts of its history.


SPECIAL NOTES
You will visit an live archeological site which has been excavated since 2001, not located on the tourist route, nor visited as a part of regular site visits. Guests are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes for this tour, which involves mostly downhill, but extensive-walking on uneven surfaces, and many steps down and up. This tour is not recommended for guests with limited mobility and guests who utilize a wheelchair. Temperatures can reach extreme highs during summer months; we recommend that you drink a lot of water and use suitable sun protection.
 

RATES
- The tour includes the expert archaeologist, archaeological knowledged professional licensed tour guide, all entrance fees, private air-conditioned transportation and VAT.
- Approximate time to reach to Kadikalesi, Anaia is 20 minutes.
   
- Rates are based on per person.
 
2 pax 4 pax 6 pax 8 pax 10 pax
259$ pp 226$ pp 199$ pp 189$ pp 169$ pp
   
- As the number of participant increases the certain amount of discount will be applied.
- Please contact us for your group requests.
- Children 0-6 ages are free.
   
 

REMARKS
- The above rate is only valid for Kusadasi Port. If your arrival port is Izmir, please kindly contact us for price and tour details.
   
 

CANCELLATION POLICY
- In the event of cancellation, written notice must be received by Meander Travel at least three days before the arrival in order to receive the full refund.
- In the event of no show, 100% cancellation fee will apply.

 
 
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