West Portico

The porticos surrounding the agora’s courtyard are semi-open structures and monuments at the same time that shelter people during stormy weathers and shade them when it is hot.

The West Portico has three galleries and three floors (including the basement), and extends along the western edge of the courtyard. Part of the basement was built over the foundations of a stoa during the Hellenistic Period. The Byzantines later converted it into a multi-chambered cistern. It contained spring water collected from the foots of Kadifekale Hill to meet locals needs. Terracotta pipes carried clean water from the cistern to the lower quarters of the city. You can still see part of it today in the aforementioned basement. Some estimate that when full, the cistern can serve around 7,000 people a day, give or take.