Antalya: A temple of Zeus has been discovered following a 43-year search in the ancient city of Limyra, located in Antalya along the Turkish Riviera, according to the head of the excavation, who shared details with Anadolu.

According to Anadolu Agency, efforts to locate the temple, which dates back to the classical era, have been ongoing since 1982. Archaeologist Kudret Sezgin of Hitit University in northern Trkiye, who serves as the Limyra excavation coordinator, explained that historical texts had long indicated Zeus as the main deity of the city during the Hellenistic and Roman Empires. Although the existence of the temple was known, its precise location remained a mystery until now.

Sezgin pointed out that the discovery has prompted a reevaluation of previous theories concerning the city's structure. The temple's front facade measures 15 meters (49 feet) in width, and a wall from the Byzantine era was constructed over the temple. A sacred chamber is located beneath a privately owned orange grove outside the wall, and ongoing excavations are planned following expropriation work.

The discovery of ceramics in the temple also suggests that the city's history dates back 5,000 years. It has been determined that a monumental gate, known as the propylon and previously identified under the Roman Street, served as the entrance to the temple's sacred area during the classical era. Additionally, the wall structure once thought to be the Hellenistic Era city wall is now believed to have served as the temple's perimeter protection wall.