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Modern Description: Minoan pottery indicates the spread of Minoan civilization to the region.
One of the cities of the Dorian hexapolis. A circular temple of Aphrodite in which stood the famous marble statue of Cnidian Aphrodite, a work by Praxiteles. From the sanctuary of Demeter at Tekir comes the marble statue of the seated goddess (4th century BC), that is now in the British Museum. Cnidus was the birthplace of the architect Sostratos (3rd/2nd century BC), who designed the Pharos (lighthouse) of Alexandria, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
The ancient city of Cnidus is believed to have been located in the area of Burgaz, but was moved W to the site of Tekir either shortly before the mid-4th century BC, by Mausolos, or after the battle of Granicus (334 BC), by Alexander the Great.
New Cnidus (Tekir) is built on a terrace according to the Hippodamian system of town-planning. It had two harbours that were linked in antiquity by a canal (the ruins of the breakwaters are visible).
The most important monuments are the Hellenistic defensive wall, the agora, two theatres, a Hellenistic Doric stoa, a temple of the Muses, a Corinthian temple from the reign of Hadrian (AD 117-138) and a bouleuterion of the Roman era.
Cnidus was an episcopal see from the 4th century. There are ruins of five Early Christian three-aisled basilicas (5th-6th century). Architectural members and sculptures survive. In the basilica built on the site of the temple of Dionysos parts of the mosaic pavements with geometric patterns are preserved. Mosaics are also preserved in the basilica of Cleopatra (thus named after its donatrix).
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knidos
Wikidata ID: Q690575
Trismegistos Geo: 1121

Info: Archaeological Atlas of the Aegean

(Archaeological Atlas of the Aegean, Ministry of the Aegean)

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