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Aphrodisias is an ancient site located near Geyre between Aydin and Denizli. The city was dedicated to Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love and Beauty, but here, Aphrodite also represents fertility. People dealing with agriculture would worship the fertility to be favoured by her and get better produce. If you visit the museum on the site, you can see her statue as a fertility goddess rather than the Greek Goddess of Beauty. This depiction shows the ancient origins of the goddess with Anatolian deities.
The Temple of Aphrodite was the most important building in the city in ancient times. Pilgrims from other places would visit the city, and make sacrifices at the temple. The city is located very close to a rich marble quarry, and thanks to its location, it became a famous school of sculpture. Marble artworks can be seen throughout the ancient site in the form of buildings, sarcophagi and statues including the Temple of Aphrodite and the Tetrapylon. The temple lost its architectural characteristics when it was turned into a Christian basilica in Byzantine times.
The Tetrapylon stood at the entrance of a processional way leading to the Temple of Aphrodite. The gateway dates back to the 2nd century AD, and consists of four groups of four Corinthian columns as the name suggests. Tetrapylon would greet the pilgrims visiting the Temple of Aphrodite. Among the reliefs decorating it, Eros and acanthus leaves can be seen. The Tetrapylon was restored in 1990 with the initiatives of the Turkish archaeologist Kenan Erim who devoted his life to the excavations in Aphrodisias. When Erim died of a heart attack, he was buried very close to the Tetrapylon with a special permission granted by the Turkish government. After visiting the Tetrapylon, you can visit his tomb.