Topkapı Palace
The sultans’ palace on Sarayburnu: courtyards, the Imperial Council, the treasury and the terraces over the water. Dated entry, sold online on its own site.
Apollon Smintheion Archaeological Site
A Hellenistic sanctuary of Apollo near the Aegean coast of the Troad, home to an Ionic temple decorated with reliefs from Homer's Iliad.
About the museum
Smintheion was one of the main cult centres of the Troad, on the far western tip of Asia. Traces of settlement here go back thousands of years, but the sanctuary became famous in Hellenistic times. Its god was Apollo Smintheus, a title usually explained as Apollo lord of mice, a reminder of the archaic beliefs behind the cult.
The temple stands in a valley just outside the village of Gülpınar. Built around 150 BC in the Ionic order, it is the only temple of its kind in the Troad. Its plan is attributed to Hermogenes, one of the most influential architects of Hellenistic Anatolia, who used the pseudodipteral layout, with a single outer row of columns spaced as if a second existed. Reliefs on the building drew on scenes from Homer's Iliad.
Around the temple you can trace the rest of the sanctuary: an altar for sacrifices, a bridge built for pilgrims, a sacred road, Roman baths with their water channels and tanks, streets lined with statues and inscriptions, a heroon and villas. It is a quiet, green site, and a good stop when you are exploring the Troy region.
Tips
- Bring comfortable shoes; the site is open-air and the paths are uneven.
- Troy and the Çanakkale coast are within reach, so it pairs well with a Troad day trip.
Questions
When is Apollon Smintheion Archaeological Site open?
According to the Ministry’s listing it opens at 08:30 and closes at 20:00 (last entry 19:30). Open every day.
Can I buy tickets for Apollon Smintheion Archaeological Site on this site?
No. This site sells no tickets. Topkapı Palace, the Basilica Cistern, Hagia Sophia and Dolmabahçe Palace are sold on our sister sites; for Apollon Smintheion Archaeological Site, buy at the ticket office or on the Ministry’s official e-ticket system.
Where is Apollon Smintheion Archaeological Site?
Apollon Smintheion Archaeological Site is in Çanakkale, Türkiye — Gülpınar Bucağı.
Nearby
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Troy Museum
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Alexandria Troas Archaeological Site
A huge planned city on the Aegean coast near Ezine, founded after Alexander the Great's death, with a vast gymnasium, stadium, theatre, baths and 8 km of walls.
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Troy Archaeological Site
The famous ancient city of Troy, where nine stacked layers reveal over three thousand years of settlement between Anatolia, the Aegean and the Balkans.
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Assos Archaeological Site
A hilltop ancient city with a Doric Temple of Athena, a Roman theatre and sea views, once home to Aristotle's school.
Istanbul tickets online
Four Istanbul landmarks, each sold on its own site by the agency behind this guide — dated entry and free cancellation up to 24 hours.
Basilica Cistern
Justinian’s great underground reservoir: 336 columns in still water and the two Medusa heads. Fast-track entry with a digital audio guide.
Hagia Sophia
Justinian’s cathedral, the sultans’ mosque and a working mosque again today. The ticket admits you to the upper visitor gallery.
Dolmabahçe Palace
A nineteenth-century palace on the water’s edge: the Selamlık, the Ceremonial Hall under its chandelier, the crystal staircase and the Harem.