Located some 57 kilometers (35.4 miles) away from Kütayha's center, the city of Aizanoi had attained place of a religious center under the Roman Empire in 133 B.C. But, it lost importance during the early Byzantine period.
The flat area around the Temple of Zeus was transformed into a fortress in the medieval period and was used as a base by the Çavdar Tatars in the 13th century. It was discovered by European travelers in 1824.
Excavations carried out by the German Archaeological Institute between 1970-2011, unearthed various ancient structures, including the Temple of Zeus, 20,000-people capacity theater, 13,500-people capacity stadium and two baths.
The Temple of Zeus was the first of the magnificent structures built in Aizanoi's city center on the west bank of the Penkalas river (now known as Kocaçay).
