The city's harbor was once a crucial commercial port, but it has since silted up, leaving the ruins located inland from the current coastline.
The Roman-era gymnasium is known as the Balatlar structure and was funded by the wealthy Greek rhetorician Herodes Atticus in the 2nd century CE.
Alexandria Troas was one of the largest cities in the Roman province of Asia, with an estimated population reaching up to 100,000 during its peak.
The city minted its own coins, some of which feature the image of Apollo Smintheus, reflecting the regional cult of the god.
Constantine the Great reportedly considered Alexandria Troas as a potential site for his new capital before eventually selecting Byzantium (Constantinople).
Archaeological surveys have identified an extensive aqueduct system that once supplied the city with water from the nearby Mount Ida.
Alexandria Troas is a vast archaeological site near the Aegean coast of Turkey, established as Antigonia by Antigonus I Monophthalmus around 310 BCE before being renamed by Lysimachus. The city flourished during the Roman period, serving as a primary transit hub between Anatolia and Europe, and received the status of a Roman colony under Augustus. It is notable for its expansive Roman bath complex, the Herodes Atticus Gymnasium, which features massive standing arches and masonry. The site remains largely unexcavated, with ruins scattered across a wooded landscape that once encompassed an artificial harbor. Saint Paul the Apostle is recorded in the New Testament as having visited the city twice, notably experiencing a vision of a Macedonian man and performing the resurrection of Eutychus. The ruins are currently situated within the Dalyan village area of the Ezine district in Çanakkale. The site is characterized by its rural setting, with significant portions of its infrastructure still integrated into local farmland.
The massive, towering arches of the Roman gymnasium offer the most iconic perspective of the site's architectural scale.
Wear sturdy, closed-toe walking shoes as the terrain is uneven and covered in wild brush.
Bring your own water and sun protection, as the site is exposed with very little shade.
The ruins are widely spread; a vehicle is helpful to move between the gymnasium and the harbor area.
Do not attempt to explore the site without a map or GPS, as the ruins are scattered and not clearly signposted.
Respect the archaeological integrity; do not climb on the loose masonry or remove any fragments from the site.
