If you read the English language newspapers in Turkey, or follow Turkish news on the BBC website, you will have read this week of the amazing statue of Hadrian which has been uncovered as part of the archaeological dig at Sagalassos.  The statue, which is estimated to be some 15 – 16 feet tall, is slowly emerging in pieces including the one foot uncovered so far, and the head.

The excavations, by students from the University of Lieven in Belgium, have been taking place each summer since 1990 and they run an excellent website, where the above photos and many more can be found, which is updated regularly so you can literally follow the dig.  You can find it here.

If you have a car Sagalassos is a viable day trip.  Fethiye Times has been twice and, given these latest exciting finds, a third visit could be on the cards quite soon.  Take the yayla road towards Antalya as far as Korkuteli and from there follow signs for Isparta.  Sagalassos is up a single track asphalted road leading up the mountain at the back of a village called Ağlasun about 1 – 1.5 hours drive from Korkuteli.  It’s almost three years since Fethiye Times last made the trip so the road could have improved and be quicker.

Sagalassos itself is in a spectacular setting, high on a mountainside with views over other mountains towards the coast at Antalya – you don’t actually see the coast (too many high mountains) but the views, especially towards the end of the day, are truly breathtaking.

Finds from the site are apparently housed in Burdur Museum – presumably that’s where Hadrian is headed in due course – and you could visit the Museum before going to the site (follow signs for Burdur rather than Isparta) or vice versa.  Fethiye Times hasn’t yet been to the Museum so, if you do go, please e-mail and tell us all about it.