The restoration of a 26.5-meter-tall (86.94-foot-tall), 2,000-year-old lighthouse commissioned by Roman Emperor Nero in the ancient city of Patara, located in the Kaş district of Antalya, southern Türkiye, has been completed.
The lighthouse, which was entirely destroyed in a tsunami in 1481, was reconstructed using 2,500 stones unearthed during excavations and placed in their original locations using artificial intelligence technologies.
Excavation and restoration work continue in Patara, known as the capital of the Lycian League, which was made up of 23 cities and dates back to the mid-first century B.C.
The meticulous efforts led by former excavation director professor Havva Işkan Işık have brought the ancient lighthouse, built by Roman Emperor Nero as a prestigious monument, back to life. The structure has now been rebuilt with 80% of its original stones.
Işık announced that the restoration work, which began in 2020 and lasted nearly five years, has been finalized. She said, “The lighthouse was built by Emperor Nero in the capital of the Province of Lycia (Provincia Lycia), which was established by Emperor Claudius in 43 A.D."
She continued, "The restoration of the tower is now complete. After the final checks, the scaffolding will be removed and the tower crane will be taken down. My excitement is as great as the effort we put in.”
Excavations initiated 32 years ago by Akdeniz University’s professor Fahri Işık and his wife, Işık, have uncovered hundreds of historical artifacts in Patara. One of the most significant discoveries is the lighthouse, believed to have been built in 64 C.E. during the reign of Emperor Nero.
The structure was first identified in 2000 by then-excavation director Fahri Işık, and later fully revealed by his successor, Havva Işkan Işık. A total of 2,500 original stones belonging to the lighthouse were found.
The lighthouse is believed to have collapsed due to a tsunami caused by the 1481 Rhodes earthquake. A technical report has also been prepared to ensure the structure can withstand possible future earthquakes or tsunamis.
During the long excavation process, each of the 2,500 stones was X-rayed at a special conservation facility dubbed the “stone hospital,” and their original placements were determined using artificial intelligence technologies and computer software.
The structure was completed using 80% original stones and 20% new material, reaching its full height of 26.5 meters.
The lighthouse, considered one of Emperor Nero’s prestige projects, bears an inscription detailing who commissioned it and when. Among the inscriptions found during excavations is a message from the Patara Assembly and the people of Patara addressed to the then-Governor Sextus Marcius, stating: “We thank you for governing the Lycian people fairly without accepting any bribes for eight years, and for adorning our city with beautiful structures.”
