Sagalassos is one of the best-preserved ancient cities of Turkey and one of the best kept archaeological secrets of the Mediterranean. Its secluded position, nested at an elevation of 1,500 meters (or about 5,000 feet) in the Taurus mountains in southwestern Anatolia, makes it difficult to reach for archaeologists and tourists alike. Laid out over natural terraces on a slope, in wintertime it is often covered with snow, further enhancing its peaceful and picturesque atmosphere.

Since 1990, it has been excavated by a mission led by the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium. The Sagalassos Archaeological Research Project, which has both Turkish and international members, has, over the years, become a model of interdisciplinary research and interaction with the local community. It is also a fierce battleground between the diverging needs of scientists concerned with preservation and politicians yearning for development.

Already established as a political settlement during prehistoric times, Sagalassos was conquered by Alexander the Great and in the 1st century B.C. became part of the Roman Empire, as an urban center rich in wealth and monuments. It became known as “the first city” of the Roman province of Pisidia, particularly favored by Emperor Hadrian (r. 117 -138) where statues of emperors and gods were worshipped side by side.

It was abandoned in the 7th century after devastating earthquakes and erased from memory. When the first European travelers rediscovered it in the 18th century, they found magnificent ruins that still showed their original Roman character: temples, public baths, large-scale fountains, paved open-air markets, a columnated street and a theater for 7,000 spectators that was left unfinished. It was never looted or rebuilt upon.