History laodicea was founded in 3rd c bc as a hellenistic town after the death of alexander the great. You can visit laodicea from denizli in 3 hours or less, whether or not you have a car. Originally they had been phrygian cities, but in the new testament age they were. For centuries the city of myra, located in the heart of lycia on the southern coast of turkey, served as a pilgrimage destination for byzantine christians. Offers quite a few large pictures from a tour of turkey. The church was established in the apostolic age, the earliest period of christianity, and is probably best known for being one of the seven churches of asia addressed by name in the book of revelation rev. The most mysterious of these places are the seven churches ephesus, smyrna, pergamum, thyatira, sardis, philadelphia, laodicea. Denizli has good bus connectivity to southwestern turkey and even good overnight train service with istanbul. The archaeological site of laodikya laodicea is located about 6 kilometres north of denizli. Pamukkale is a good base for a day trip to aphrodisias. Ancient laodicea isnt much of a city anymore, but the unspoiled roman ruins mark the countryside. Laodikeia was an ancient city built on the river lycus. History of laodicea on the lycus, turkey last of the. Laodicea was built by king antiochus ii in honor of his wife laodice around 260 bc, making it almost 2,300 years old.
For most of its existence, laodicea was an affluent and prosperous phrygian city in the fertile lycus river valley in what is now western turkey. Turkey and seven churches of revelation photo album arcimaging, rex geissler. Go to l section or click on the appropriate tour link at the top of the page. The church of laodicea is the last of seven churches addressed in revelation. This harsh pronouncement suggests that the christians at laodicea located in modern turkey wavered in their commitments to the christian faith. In the times of late antiquity, it had a large jewish community and a significant congregation of christians. Pdf turkey has many historical and cultural riches beloging to judaism. I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. History records that twice laodicea had been destroyed by earthquakes.
From a christian perspective, however, laodicea had a checkered history. It was founded in the 3rd century bc by seleucid king antiochus ii in honor of his wife, laodice. Laodicea ad mare modern latakia, syria was a major seaport. Before considering the significance of this term and the rest of the message from christ, lets note a few things about laodicea s history. Laodicea, last church of the revelation tour maker turkey. Book seven of the apostolicon the epistle of the apostle. The city of laodicea, currently located in modern turkey, was situated in the lycus valley, about 45 miles southeast of philadelphia and about 100 miles east of ephesus. Seven churches of the revelation visited in route tourism in turkey. Laodicea on the lycus, located at the crossroads of important trade routes, was once a prosperous city, famous for its black wool, banking services, and medical achievements. In laodicea important of the cities was laodicea ad lycum near modern denizli, turkey. Laodicea is located in the lycus river valley of western asia minor, near the influential, ancient cities of hierapolis and colossae. The historical and archaeological context of this situation is worth investigating.
Private aphrodisias tours 3 days tour of the best preserved biblical sites of west turkey. The restoration of laodicea an ancient city of commercial and religious significance just a few kilometers south of pamukkale hopes to change all that. The seven churches of revelation their placement on the stream of time based on. Current events from daniel 11 matching the middle east the abomination daniel 11. Laodikeia was an ancient city built on the river lycus curuksu. Laodicea was a city in asia minor in the first century. Private tours of loadicea history of laodicea ephesus travel. It was originally called diospolis and then rhoas, but afterwards laodicea, from laodice, the wife of antiochus ii. In western turkey, about 100 miles west of ephesus, in a valley where the. Turkey has many historical and cultural riches beloging to judaism, christianity and islam, as well as. Nicholas and commonly remembered as santa claus, shaped the development of the christian city before his traditional burial at myra.
Laodicea is an ancient city located in the lycus river valley of anatolia, near hierapolis and colossae, in denizli province. Laodicea is a very ancient city, but the city layout and the monuments that can be seen today date back to the period in which laodicea was a roman city, i. On the trade route from the east, the city prospered, particularly under rome. Offers a brief cultural and biblical history of the city, text only. Laodicea is an ancient site in asia minor near denizli province of turkey and it was one of the seven churches in the book of revelation. Laodicea was once a prosperous commercial city straddling two major trade routes, famed for its black wool, banking and medicines. Pamukkale, hierapolis, and laodicea, near denizli, turkey.
Laodicea, a titular see, of asia minor, metropolis of phrygia pacatiana, said to have been originally called diospolis and rhoas. Ephesus, smyrna, pergamum, thyatira, sardis, philadelphia, laodicea. The council of laodicea was held in ad 364 and is considered a minor convention in historical christianity. Laodicea, laodiceans encyclopedia of the bible bible.
Laodicea lay on the south bank of the river lycus, approximately 100 feet above the valley floor on a flat plateau. Here you can find information about the history of ancient turkey, about biblical sites to visit in turkey and greece, major christian saints, missionary journeys of st. Laodicea, turkey, located between hierapolis and colosse. The seven churches of revelation bible student archives.
They are of great importance in the history of discipline and liturgy. The fashionable church, lukewarmness, materialism revelation 3. Jesus seventh and last message to the congregations of revelation 2 and 3 was in stark contrast to his previous one to philadelphia. Posted on nov 2, 2010 2 comments estimated reading time. Two of them were in good standing, but the other five had major problems. The city was originally called diospolis, city of zeus, and afterwards rhodas. The synod of laodicea met at that place called laodicea in phrygia pacatiana, now found in modern turkey. The ancient town stood on a plateau nearly a hundred feet above the river.
Laodicea ancient city, also know as laodicea on the lycus, laodicea ad lycum, laodiceia or laodikeia, was founded on 260 b. This lesson will study seven aspects of the cultural history of laodicea and how it influenced the church of laodicea. Laodicea denizli pamukkale, biblical sites in turkey, biblical tour guide is a web site where we share with you our knowledge and offer you our top services. Many of the pensions there can put you on the daily organized van trip. This harsh pronouncement suggests that the christians at laodicealocated in modern turkeywavered in their commitments to the christian faith. As more copies were made, the words in ephesus, the name of the principle city in asia, may have. Bc the most important, laodicea ad lycum, was n of colossae near the present denizli. The laodicean church was a christian community established in the ancient city of laodicea on the river lycus, in the roman province of asia, and one of the early centers of christianity. Pdf seven churches of the revelation visited in route tourism.
Pdf seven churches of the revelation visited in route. The city of this name mentioned in scripture lay on the confines of phrygia and lydia, about 40 miles east of ephesus revelation 3. In western turkey, about 100 miles west of ephesus, in a valley where the lycus river. Laodicea laodikya, laodikeia, 6 km 4 miles north of denizli and 1 km 610 mile east of the road to pamukkale near the village of goncal. The problems began in ephesus, as she lost her 1st love and have continued to worsen as we come to laodicea, the lukewarm. Laodicea denizli pamukkale, biblical sites in turkey. This valley was a primary trade route between the cultures of the west and east. It sat along trade routes that led to major ports on the coast. Colosse was rather insignificant in roman history and is mentioned only by a. There are many places in turkey that are mentioned in the bible.
It was located in the hellenistic regions of caria and lydia, which later became the roman province of phrygia pacatiana. Prophetic character of the messages identity of the special messengers key events of church history charles f. Laodicea ad lycum, also transliterated as laodiceia or laodikeia modern turkish. At the same time laodicea was losing its traditional preeminence and. The nymphaeum of caracalla, built on the occasion of emperor caracallas r. Cicero lived here for a time before mark antony had him liquidated, and large jewish and orthodox christian populations coexisted here. The city is at the crossroads of important routes of the antiquity depending on the convenient topography for military, administrative and economic facilities so it became one of the main hubs in. The fourthcentury bishop of myra, later canonized as st.
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