Truva (Troy)

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Amateur archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann was the first person to excavate Troy (Truva) in 1871. Up to that time Homer's Iliad was assumed to be based on a legend. Now we know that Troy was Homeric city of Ilium, where a battle between the Achaeans (Greeks) and the Trojans was fought in the 13th century BC. Excavations by Schliemann and others after him have revealed that nine ancient cities, one on top of another were built on the site, the oldest one dating back to 3000 BC. Troy VI (1800-1275 BC) is the city of Priam which was engaged in the Trojan War.

All this is very good stuff for the pro's, but if you have never read the Iliad, or you don't have a special interest in archaeology, there is not much interesting to see in Troy. The site is very historical though, being the location of one of the world's most famous stories. Just outside the excavation area there is a huge wooden replica of the famous Trojan horse. Troy (Truva) is 30km (19mi) away from Çanakkale, the nearest town with connections to most other cities in Turkey.