Interest in Troy and surrounding cultural route rises

ÇANAKKALE

The Troy Museum welcomed 223,762 visitors during the first nine months of 2026 with a 32.9 percent increase.

Troy, which returned to the international spotlight following Christopher Nolan’s film adaptation of Homer’s “The Odyssey” and an exhibition on Troy and Rome at the Colosseum, attracted strong visitor interest in 2026.

The Troy Museum, the ancient city of Troy and the ancient site of Assos in the northwestern province of Çanakkale welcomed a total of 860,834 visitors in the first nine months of the year, marking a 32.2 percent increase compared with the same period in 2025.

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Troy continues to attract international attention with its thousands of years of history, its connection to Homer’s epics and its universal cultural heritage.

According to data from the Troy Museum Directorate, all three sites recorded significant growth in visitor numbers during the first nine months of 2026. The increase was particularly notable at the Troy Museum and the ancient site of Assos, highlighting Çanakkale’s potential for cultural tourism.

The Troy Museum welcomed 223,762 visitors during the period, a 32.9 percent increase year-on-year. It also surpassed its total visitor numbers for the whole of 2025 by the end of September. Visitor numbers at the ancient site of Assos rose by more than 80 percent compared with the same period last year.

One of the major developments on the international cultural scene in 2026 was “The Odyssey,” directed by Christopher Nolan and adapted from Homer’s ancient Greek epic.

Starring internationally renowned actors including Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson, the film has brought Homer’s millennia-old narrative to a new generation of audiences through modern cinema.

Troy and the wider Troad region, central to the stories of the “Iliad” and the “Odyssey,” have consequently returned to the focus of global cultural attention.

The renewed interest has also highlighted Troy’s significance not merely as an archaeological site but as a universal cultural heritage that continues to inspire literature, art and cinema.
Another major development contributing to Troy’s international profile was the exhibition “Troy and Rome: Myths, Legends and Stories of the Ancient Mediterranean,” held at Rome’s Colosseum.

Opened on June 11, 2026, the exhibition will remain on view until Nov. 8 and stands as an important example of cultural cooperation between Türkiye and Italy.

Featuring artifacts from the Troy Museum collection, the exhibition brings together a shared cultural heritage spanning the Trojan War, Aeneas’ journey to Italy, Homer’s epics and the founding mythology of Rome.

Presenting Troy’s story at one of the world’s best-known historical landmarks has provided an important opportunity to promote Anatolia’s archaeological and cultural wealth to an international audience.

A cultural center for the future

Troy Museum Director Sinem Düzgören highlighted the importance of strengthening Troy’s position in the international cultural landscape alongside the increase in visitor numbers.

“Troy is not merely the name of a war fought in the past or an archaeological city; it is a universal narrative that has continued to live in humanity’s collective memory for thousands of years,” Düzgören said.

She noted that Troy continues to inspire a wide range of fields, from Homer’s epics and contemporary cinema to archaeological research and contemporary art.

Düzgören said Nolan’s “The Odyssey” and the exhibition at Rome’s Colosseum had helped introduce Troy’s universal significance to wider audiences.

“We certainly attach importance to the increase in visitor numbers. However, what matters most to us is that every visitor leaving our museum has a better understanding of Troy, recognizes the universal value of this heritage and becomes more aware of the need to protect it,” she said.

“Our goal is to develop Troy not merely as a destination to be visited, but as a living cultural center that is rediscovered, explored and passed on to future generations,” she added.

With its international awards, contemporary exhibition approach, scientific research and cultural events, the Troy Museum continues to connect the region’s thousands of years of heritage with the modern world while strengthening Çanakkale’s position in international cultural tourism.