Troy Archaeological Site

Troy (Truva in Turkish) is an archaeological site near Tevfikiye village in Çanakkale province, northwestern Turkey, on the southern shore of the Troad peninsula approximately 30 kilometres from the modern city of Çanakkale. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Troy is one of the most famous places in classical literature — the setting of Homer's Iliad and the legendary Trojan War — and one of the most scientifically significant archaeological sites in the world, with nine distinct layers of settlement spanning roughly 4,000 years from the Early Bronze Age to Byzantine times.

Excavations began in 1871 under Heinrich Schliemann, whose dramatic discovery of 'Priam's Treasure' — a cache of gold, silver, and bronze objects — established the site's ancient credentials, though subsequent scholarship has revised many of his interpretations. Today the site is administered by the Turkish Ministry of Culture, and active research continues under academic teams from Turkey and Germany.

The most immediately apparent structure upon entry is the large wooden Trojan Horse replica near the main gate, designed with a ladder for visitors to climb inside — a popular photo stop, particularly for families. From the horse, the path leads into the excavated layers where information boards guide visitors through the different periods: Troy I (Early Bronze Age walls), Troy II (Schliemann's level, 2500 BC), Troy VI (Late Bronze Age palace city contemporary with the supposed Trojan War period), and Troy IX (the Greco-Roman city of Ilion).

The site is spread across several hectares and requires walking on uneven paths between excavated sections. The theatre, sanctuary, and Bouleuterion of Roman Ilion are clearly visible, and the layered walls at the main excavation trench reveal how each civilization built upon and absorbed the previous one. The on-site Troia Museum, opened in 2018, provides outstanding contextual material and houses many finds in a modern building adjacent to the ruins.