Explore the City of Troy

Escaping the icy winter rains and thick snowfall in Istanbul, I journey south to Turkey to immerse myself in the epic saga of Troy by the great poet Homer.

Explore the City of Troy

Taking a 6 lira bus ride to City of Troy, located about 40 km from Canakkale. On high hills, under the golden light, the city of Canakkale, covered in white snow, forms a charming arc against the backdrop of the Dardanelles extending into the blue sea. In ancient times, a bustling port thrived on the land that served as a crossroads between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.

Troy, unlike many Roman cities I've traversed, lacks the beauty it once possessed. All that remains are crumbling bricks struggling to emerge from a thin layer of snow for warmth. I carefully read each word on the information board to envision the vibrancy of a city dating back to 5000 BCE. Too many ancient battles took place in Turkey, the bridge connecting two continents, causing Troy to be forgotten in the historical Anatolian land. The Trojan War is a reality, as archaeologists found carvings dating back to 670 BCE depicting the 10-year-long battle, concluding with the iconic image of the tall wooden horse found in Greek temples and mentioned in Homer's Iliad from the Izmir region. Yet, the curiosity remains—where exactly is the City of Troy located.

In 1871, driven by his love for Homer's Iliad, wealthy German merchant Heinrich Schliemann ventured to Canakkale to rediscover Troy's traces. He believed that the Hisarlik hill was the site of the City of Troy for two reasons: Homer was born near Izmir, close to Canakkale, so he knew the details of the war to incorporate into his epic poems Iliad and Odyssey. The Hisarlik hill excavation yielded surprising results; experts couldn't conclusively determine whether it was City of Troy because structures in the upper layers, such as the temple of the goddess Athena, a theater, and bathhouses, were traces of Roman constructions built in the 1st century BCE.

Despite the uncertainties surrounding the existence of Troy, many scholars maintain that the city once thrived here. Buried deep beneath the earth are bronze coins depicting Prince Hector, pottery fragments illustrating Prince Paris meeting Helen in Sparta, or a silver cup portraying King Piram bowing before Achilles to secure the burial of Prince Hector. Wine vessels depicting chaotic scenes inside Troy during its downfall have been discovered. All these findings align with carvings on stones in ancient Greek temples and closely resemble the content later depicted in films. Troy collapsed and underwent nine reconstructions in ancient times before fading into obscurity in the 1st century BCE.

Regardless of the veracity of Troy, standing here evokes a sense of a bloody war lasting nine years, fueled by power, status, and love—elements that persist in the lives of modern humans. The war concluded with the introduction of a wooden horse in the tenth year. It is said that during winter in Troy, one need not contend with anyone on the high steps within the courtyard, dominated by the imposing wooden horse. Climbing those steps, I hear the lingering echoes of Macedonia's vast land during the intense battles depicted in the film of the same name.

The Greeks hold their heads high and take pride in their historical accounts of the war, even though the exact number of individuals laid to rest at the crossroads between two seas remains unknown. I recall the image of the hero Achilles, brought down by love after Troy's defeat by the treacherous arrow shot into his heel by Prince Paris. Humans will never be 'perfect,' even with the divine protection of their bodies. Few can escape the allure of beauty, from Paris to Achilles…

According to Thanh Nien

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Reference: Travel guide Mytour