Ahmet Acar /Antalya, Aug 26 () – The Patara Arch, symbol of the ancient site of Patara located in Kaş district of Antalya, are being restored.
The arch in ancient site of Patara, known as the capital of Lycian Union, is thought to date back to 100 A.C. The arch, 19 meters in length and 10 meters in height, is also known as the monument which marked the entrance of site, and the commendation monument of the site. The Arch also displays a tablet gracing the governor to Roman Emperor Trajan at the time, Mettius Modestus and his family.
Under the restoration works launched following tender issued by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the restoration company placed the arch in an iron pier, and cleaned off the plants covering the arch. Also the excavated blocs that had demolished after earthquakes at the time have been relaunched in their old positions by lifters. Thus, the workers could be able to consolidate the arch.
“The arch is one of the symbol artefacts of Turkish tourism and a unique example of its kind having survived until today. The arch is also a part of the water system which had distributed water to the site, including the Turkish bath, through the narrow basin where the water had been stored” added Director of excavation works Professor Havva İşkan Işık, from Akdeniz University Archaeology Department.
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