City of the Phrygians

Gordion is best known as the political and cultural center of the Phrygians, a people who ruled much of central Anatolia in the early first millennium BCE.

Gordion is the most important archaeological site to understand the Phrygian civilization. It has monumental Phrygian architecture, a well-preserved layer of destruction from around 800 BCE, and a series of elaborate tombs belonging to Phrygian royalty and other elites.

Gordion is as important as Athens, Rome, Pompeii, the Hittite capital of Hattusha, and Babylon for helping us to understand the material achievements of an ancient civilization.

Gordion is best known as the main city of the Phrygians and their culture. It was also the home of the most famous Phrygian king, Midas, who ruled in the late 8th century BCE.

Phrygian culture remained strong at Gordion until the 4th century BCE, despite its humble beginnings as a village in the 11th century. The city grew into two great citadels, the Early and Middle Phrygian, which succeeded each other after a major fire around 800 BCE.

Gordion was the capital of an independent Phrygian state, at least until the reign of Midas. After that, it was ruled by other powers.

Gordion was ruled by the West Anatolian kingdom of Lydia in the first half of the 6th century BCE, and then by the Persian Empire for the next two centuries.

In 334 BCE, Alexander the Great of Macedon launched his world-changing campaign against the Persian Empire. His first stop was Gordion, where he may have spent the winter.

Alexander likely saw the last remains of the Late Phrygian citadel when he arrived in Gordion. His stay there also led to one of the most famous events in ancient history: the cutting of the Gordian Knot.

Gordion was inscribed on  UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites in September 2023 because of its importance to the history of civilization.

One of the citadel’s megarons included the earliest decorated stone mosaic that has ever been discovered.

The entrance to the archaeological site of Gordion features the best-preserved Iron Age citadel gate in Anatolia. The site was inhabited for over 4,000 years, from the Early Bronze Age to the Medieval period.

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