Blaundus Ancient City The ancient city of Blaundus was situated within the Roman province of Lydia, positioned on a slender strip of land that juts into the deep canyons of Ulubey, now part of modern-day Uşak Province in Turkey. This area is renowned for containing the most extensive canyon system in Turkey, sculpted over time by the Banaz and Ulubey rivers. Geographically, Blaundus lies at the meeting point of two historical regions — the eastern frontier of Phrygia and the western boundary of Lydia. Following his conquest of Persian lands in Asia Minor, Alexander the Great introduced a more cohesive Greek culture across the region and established several new settlements populated by Greek migrants. One of these was Blaundus, founded with settlers from Macedonia, the birthplace of Alexander himself. Despite its Hellenistic roots, Blaundus never rose to major prominence. During the Roman and Byzantine periods, Blaundus became a religious center and functioned as a bishopric, known under various names—Blaundus, Blandus, and Balandus. By the 5th century AD, it was affiliated with the metropolitan archdiocese of Sardes, thereby coming under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Today, the ancient ruins of Blaundus can be found in Turkey’s Uşak Province, although very few of its original structures remain. The site primarily appeals to devoted history enthusiasts. Visitors will encounter limited remains such as a few temples, colonnades, and traces of theaters. The theater is now barely visible, with much of it sunken and covered in vegetation, while the stadium survives only as a flattened area with scarce evidence of its once-encompassing seating. Among the few remaining structures, one of the last-standing walls near the city’s entrance offers little in terms of visual impact and lacks the majesty seen in other regional fortresses. Nevertheless, the main gate of the city, along with its stone horses and arched passages, still stands as a testament to Blaundus's historical legacy. From the ruins, visitors are treated to a view of numerous cave-tombs carved into the rocky cliffs surrounding Blaundus. These ancient tombs, paired with the rocky landscape beneath a star-filled night sky, make for breathtaking photographs—though entry after 7 PM is prohibited, as noted by nearby signage. While these cave-tombs may not be especially grand in scale, they remain fascinating due to their construction methods and seemingly gravity-defying design, raising questions about their original purpose. If you have any questions or need further information about the Blaundus Ancient City, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] or simply send us a message via WhatsApp. We’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.