The Call of Meandros

Herodotus calls rivers like the Meandros “Working Rivers”. Indeed, the Meandros River (Turkish: Menderes, Antique: Meandros or Maiandros), famed for its legends in mythology, shaped and re-shaped the region throughout its history and determined the fate of the civilizations evolving around its basin. The ancient cities of Miletus, Didyma, Priene, Magneisa on the Meandros, Herakleia and Myus all possessed strategic importance in their respective ages and had features of port and coastal cities. Over time, these cities have lost their direct connection with the sea as well as their strategic importance due to the alluviums deposited by the Meandros River. As the “Sleeping Beauties” of the Aegean Region, they are now world’s common history and cultural heritage…

Having the understanding that real embracement of Anatolia will only be possible with the embracement of all civilizations that have lived on these lands, using arts, we set out on a journey to awaken once again the “Sleeping Beauties”. This initiative is led by Didim Municipality, Soke Municipality, Gullubahce Municipality and Adnan Menderes University and it is supported by many other universities, foundations, tourism organisations, NGOs and the representatives of the private sector such as the CEKUL Foundation, The Photography Foundation and the Klasika Visual Arts Communications Ltd.


We initiated a campaign aiming to improve the culture and nature themed tourism in this unique geography around the Meandros Delta which gathers ancient cities with 3.000 years of common past and historic relations, cultural riches and natural beauties and to establish a Regional Tourism Trademark under the name “Delta of Civilizations Meandros”.


You can also support this initiative which we have launched in order for the Delta of Civilizations Meandros, with its historical and natural assets, to inspire present day arts and creativity and to establish tourism approach which prioritises cultural and natural assets of the region.