About
The Aspendos Ancient Theater stands in Serik, in Turkey's Antalya Province, a short way inland from the Mediterranean coast. It is one of the best-preserved Roman theaters anywhere in the world, and for many visitors it is the main reason to make the trip to this part of the Turkish Riviera.
What you will see
The theater was built in the 2nd century AD by an architect named Zenon. Its stone seating rises in a broad curve, with room for around 15,000 spectators. Walking the tiers gives a clear sense of the scale the Romans worked to, and of how the audience was once arranged around the stage.
Unlike many ancient ruins that survive only as fragments, Aspendos still hosts performances. Concerts and theatrical productions are staged here today, and the building is often praised for its acoustics, which carry sound clearly to the back rows.
Planning your visit
- Location: Serik, Antalya Province 07500, Turkey.
- Best for: anyone interested in Roman architecture, and visitors who want to see a historic space still used for live performance.
- Contact: +90 242 735 7038.
If you can, check whether a performance is scheduled during your stay. Hearing a show in the open-air auditorium is a very different experience from simply touring the stones, and it gives a fuller sense of why the theater has lasted so long.
