One of the most tangible initiatives launched by our Foundation in 2004, the "Erect a Column in Perge" project, brought together the fragmented remains of 105 columns scattered across the ancient city of Perge. Missing marble bases were completed, and the columns were re-erected to restore their former grandeur. While only a few columns could be restored during the nearly sixty years of excavations that began in 1946 under the direction of Prof. Dr. Arif Müfid Mansel, this project alone enabled over a hundred columns to be raised in a relatively short period.
Under the leadership of our Foundation’s Founding Member and Board of Trustees Member, Prof. Dr. Haluk Abbasoğlu, who also served as Head of Excavations, the restoration and re-erection of 80 scattered columns were completed within the first four years of the project. The donation campaign continued uninterrupted through 2012, bringing the total number of columns restored to 105 with the help of new contributions.
In antiquity, when citizens contributed to the restoration of public buildings, their names were inscribed on plaques and placed on a part of the structure they helped restore. Inspired by this tradition, Cultural Awareness Foundation (Kültür Bilincini Geliştirme Vakfı) honored each donor by placing a plaque bearing their name at the base of each restored column—preserving their contribution for posterity.
A pioneering initiative in promoting public involvement in archaeological efforts, this project was honored in 2014 with the Jury Special Award in the Raising Awareness on Cultural Heritage category by Europa Nostra, a sub-organization of the European Union that works to promote cultural heritage awareness.
The columns, bearing the names of their donors engraved at their bases, are lined along the south-north axis of the Colonnaded Street in the ancient city, as well as around the South Bath, Monumental Gate (Propylon), and Agora. They continue to greet local and international visitors, students, researchers, and academics who come to explore the site.