Antalya
by: cemcansever | Total views: 161 | Word Count: 1419 | View PDF | Print View
Museum of Antalya
One of the most important archeological museums of Turkey. In the museum which won the "Special Jury Award of the Museum of the year" in 1988, finds from Side, Perge,and remains from the tumuli of Kartas Semahoyuk and Elmali Bayindir. The museum also houses information about the natural history and prehistoric periods, Frigian objects, statues of Gods, figurines, underwater finds, imperial statues, mosaics, sarcophagi, coins, icons and ethnographic sections.
Location: City Center, Antalya
Fluted Minaret (Alaaddin Mosque)
The Fluted Minaret of the Alâddin Mosque , what was converted from a church by the Selcukid Sultan Alâddin Keykubat in 1230, is situated in Antalya. The minaret which raises into the sky like a monument became the symbol of the city. Its fluted brick body consisted of eight cylindrical drums. The flutes add en esthetic look to the thick body.
Perge Ancient City
Perge was founded in approx. the same period of other Pamphilia cities (7. century Before Christmas). Its mother goddess is Perge Artemisia, Perge was an important city for Christians. St Paulos and Barnabas were amongst the important names visited Perge. It has not been possible to determine the exact location of this temple that was mentioned in Perge scripts and was seen on Perge coins. There are also historical buildings like necropolis, city walls, gymnasium, baths and monumental fountain in Perge. The first structure that draws attention in entering Perge, is the 12 thousand people capacity theatre that was built by taking advantage of the height of the hill behind. In this Greek-Roman type theatre, the area of orchestra encircled with railings show that there was gladiatorial games took place here.
Location: Aksu - 18 kilometers to Antalya
Aspendos Ancient City
Aspendos, which was founded on two hills was one of the richest Pamphilia cities. The first name of Aspendos, as it can be seen on the coins, was Estvadys. Because of its important location, Aspendos earned attention as a seaport and commercial center. There were corn, souvenirs made from rose wood, vine, salt and horse trade in the city. This city was also famous with its specialty of raising the best horses of the world. The structures in Aspendos are separated in two as "lower" and "upper" town structures.
Aspendos Theatre
Aspendos Theatre is one of the everlasting structurres of the ancient world reaching our time. The architect of this 16.000 people cap. theatre that was built on the slope of a small hill was the son of Theodoros of Aspendos, Zenon. The most important characteristic of the theatre is its acoustic. The stage area of the theatre is a half circle and separated into two by a wide diazoma. The first line from the orchestra was reserved for the important characters of the town. The women were generally seated at the upper levels of the theatre, below the gallery. Other places were available for every other citizens of the city. Stage is the striking characteristic of the theatre. The little doors on the level of the orchestra were for the corridors where the wild animals were kept.
Selge Ancient City
Just beyond the turn off to Aspendos, a road cuts off the main coastal highway leading toward the town of Beskonak and beyond, to ancient Selge. It is believed Selge was first founded by Kalchas and then settled by Spartans. Today, one needs imagination to recall the old city, as very little remains upright aside from the theater. Another important characteristic of Selge ruins is the water sources that are still intact.
Termesos Ancient City
the most remarkable of ancient cities around Antalya is Termessos, high in the mountains above Antalya to the north west, on a vast acropolis with yet higher peaks around it and with a distant view of the coastline. To locate it, take the main road north in the direction of Isparta, then left towards Korkuteli and another left at the sign leading to Termessos.
The defenses of this city so daunted Alexander the Great when he came conquering in 333 (Before Christmas) that he passed Termessos. One of the important remains, the 4200 people capacity theatre was built by the order of Emperor Augustus at the start of 1st century Anno Domini
Location: 34 kilometers from Antalya, on Gulluk Mountain
Phaselis
Phaselis is one of the important seapports of Hellenistic era in 6th century Before Christmas It was the bishopric center during the Roman period. The walls of the dock on the east of Phaselis that consists of three docks, are still in good shape. Most of the revealed ruins in Phaselis are from the Roman period. These ruins are dock, castle walls, Zeus Temple, the road of King Antonius Caravellanand 20 lines of seats of the theatre. The street that covers the peninsula is magnificient. It starts from the south docks and ends at the city gate. It is believed that this street was used as a stadium. Location: 15 kilometers from Kemer, Antalya
Olympos
The ancient Olympos city is located on the south of Tahtali Mountain. There are late Roman and early Byzantium works in the city which can be reached by sea and land. The temple gate, theatre, baths and agora that have reached today from ancient times are important structures worth to be seen. The city walls and towers are from middle age era. The most interesting structure is the gate of temple that is located on 150 meters the south of Akcay stream.
Location: Cirali - Olympos - 70 kilometers from Antalya
Church of St. Nicholas
Commonly known as Santa Claus had been born in 245 A.D. in Patara and had been died in 363 Anno Domino Nicholas, well educated kid of a rich family had dedicated his life to helping people especially kids and sailors. The fame which this help brought to him had lasted to date as the legend of Santa Claus. As he helped people in religous and social issues through all his life as the priest of Demre, after his death he had been buried to Demre and a church had been built next to his tomb. In 1080, Italian pirates had taken away some of his bones out of the tomb to west. The remaining bones can be seen today in the museum of Antalya.
Location: Demre
Patara
Patara was an important port city during the period of Alexander the Great and was the birth place of St Nicholas. The colorful ceramics in the city center show that the history of the city reaches back to the 5th century Before Christmas The three door city walls, one of them opening to Patara, where built by the order of governor Modestus in 110 A.C. The most important ruins are from Patara ancient theatre.
Location: 10 kms from Kalkan, Antalya
Side Ancient City
The road east from Antalya leads through cotton and orange country, but aside from the ancient sites at Perge, Aspendos and Selge, there is ultimately little to delay the traveller until one approaches the peninsula town of Side.
According to historians, Side was founded in 1405 B.C.and the city was under the rule of Lidians, Persians, Alexander, Antiogonos starting with 6th century before christmas Side lived its most magnificient days while it was the bishopric center in 5ht and 6th centuries.
Side has undergone perhaps its most startling transformation over the past 15 years. until recently it was fishing village; most of today's pension and restaurant owners were yesterday's fishermen. Tourism, in fact has become big business in Side, and the ruins of the Greek, Roman and Byzantine eras are almost overshadowed tourist oriented setups. Responding to demand and supply, the entire area has seen a recent mushrooming of hotels, holiday villages and hostels, with accompanying restaurants, carpet shops and snack abrs. Still, between the discos and cafes stuffed between ancient columns, Side retains its charm, and is unique in Turkey as being a living open-air museum in a spectacular setting.
Side Theatre
Side theatre with 20,000 viewers capacity has a historic architectural importance because it was not located on a slope of a hill like other Roman theaters and its structural characteristic was arches over the walls and columns. Consisting of three parts, cava, orchestra and skene, the theatre is the biggest of Pamphilia theatres. This theatre in particular was used as an arena and gladiator and wild animal challenges took place here during late Roman period, and then it was used as an open-air church during Byzantium period. There are monumental gate and fountain remains that draw attention around the entrance of this theatre. The fountain was restored. But the stage area of the theatre is destroyed. the remains of the theatre date back to 2nd century After Christmas
About the Author
cemcansever www.lifeturkey.net
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