The stage building of Lycia's largest ancient theatre will be rebuilt with its original stones.

Excavations that began in 2009 in the ancient city of Myra in the Demre district of Antalya, which was a metropolis during the Classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods, are continuing.

In the ancient city, famous especially for its Classical Age rock tombs, survey, restitution, and restoration projects were prepared within the scope of the Heritage to the Future Project of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to revive the stage building of the 11,000-seat ancient theater in the works carried out under the direction of Prof. Dr. Nevzat Çevik.

Following approval by the Antalya Conservation Board, the project will be put out to tender by the Directorate of Surveying and Monuments, and the first floor of the stage building will be completed. Missing sections of columns, capitals, and other architectural elements will be completed and replaced at a "stone hospital" to be built on site.

Prof. Dr. Nevzat Çevik, a faculty member at Akdeniz University's Faculty of Letters, Department of Archaeology, and head of the Myra-Andriake Excavations, told an AA correspondent that the structure is Antalya's largest ancient theater, with a capacity of 11,000 people.

Çevik stated that they have been excavating and researching the structure since 2009, identifying numerous blocks of stone and their original locations. He said, "As part of the project, we will revive the stage building up to the first floor with its original stones. It will reach a height of approximately 14-15 meters. Once the first floor is rebuilt, it will be both consolidated and preserved, and partially opened for use, becoming the region's largest cultural event center. Just like Aspendos, it will be the region's largest event center."

Çevik emphasized that Myra has always been a significant metropolis, saying, "The city is covered with alluvial deposits at a depth of 4 to 10 meters. It's like an Anatolian Pompeii. We conducted a year-long geophysical survey in the region and obtained data on the underlying structures. A large ancient city, 1.5 to 2 kilometers in diameter, lies beneath Demre. We've only seen the theater. You can imagine what a city with such a large theater must have been like."

Prof. Dr. Nevzat Çevik explained that Myra has 103 high-quality classical-era rock tombs, with the oldest findings dating back to the Chalcolithic Period. He said, "The region, with its ancient city and harbor, continues to attract attention today, as it has always done. We are carrying out projects to save, restore, and preserve the ruins, as well as to uncover the settlement's deep and rich history and culture through scientific research. These studies, of course, contribute greatly to tourism and socioeconomic life."