Side
is an ancient port which was founded in the 7C BC
by Eolians colonists
who had come from the north of Smyrna.
The name Side, which means "pomegranate",
is thought to have been the symbol of the city because
it was represented on the local coins. Before and
after the Hellenistic
period, taking advantage of the natural location
of their city built on a long peninsula, the inhabitants
of Side were indulged in the practices of piracy
which were more remunerative than shipbuilding activities.
The place was long reputed as a slave market. In
the 3C BC, Side came under the domination of the
Ptolemy of
Egypt and Seleucids
of Syria. From the 2C and 1C BC, due to its good
relations with Rome,
Side, now devoted to trade, enjoyed a first period
of prosperity. After the establishment of the "Pax
Romana" (Roman Peace), between the 2-3C
AD Side reached its peak, as can be seen through
the numerous monuments built at that period. In
the 4C, the city declined altogether with the Empire.
However, in the 5C under the Byzantines,
it prospered again as a bishopric.
Later ruined by earthquakes and raids, the site
was completely abandoned. A massive settlement took
place in 1895 when Turkish immigrants from Crete
settled here.
Today Side has become a charming holiday resort,
thanks to the picturesque village of fishermen located
among the archaeoligical remains, to the beautiful
sandbeaches and holiday resorts of Sorgun
and Titriyen Göl located in the east of Side,
and also to the villages of Kumköy and Kamelya
in the west.
The
archaeological site includes:
The
city walls and the main gate from where two colonnaded
streets led to the agora and to the south of the city.
The Byzantine basilica
The baths of the agora where the very interesting
museum is displaid.
The agora, center
of cultural and commercial activities. Here the prisoners
captured by the pirates were sold as
slaves.
The theatre
with the sea for background, is the most imposing
monument of Side. It had a seating capacity of 15,000
spectators who were protected by a 1.50m / 5 feet
wall when gladiator and
wild animal fights took place in the late Roman period.
The theatre was converted into an open-air church
in the 5C and 6C.
The monumental gate and the fountain at the
entrance of the theatre.
The
waterfalls that stretch over 50 m / 165 feet,
are supplied by the Manavgat river
that flows from the Taurus
Mountains, and on which the Oymapınar and
Manavgat dams are built. It is possible to
take a short boat ride on the river.
ALANYA
Alanya,
the last important holiday resort on the Turkish
Riviera, is located in a beautiful bay
overlooked by the Taurus
Mountains and surrounded by banana, orange
and lemon tree plantations.
Every year in August, folkloric events take
place in Alanya.The Alanya International Triathlon
Competition takes place every year in October.
The ancient city of Coracesium, which was
an old pirates'den in the 2C BC, was destroyed
by Pompey in 67 AD. Mark
Antony, charmed by the site, offered the
city to Cleopatra
as a wedding gift. The Seljuk Turks conquired
the place in 1221 and Alaeddin Keykubat, the
greatest Seljuk
sovereign, gave it its medieval aspect. Alanya
was also the winter residence of Sultan Alaeddin
Keykubat.
Ferries link Alanya to Girne / Northern Cyprus.
Places
of interest:
The
Fortress can be reached through a road
that snakes among gardens in flower and colored
houses. It is built 117 m / 384 feet above
the sea, and is surrounded by walls running
on 6 km / 3.75 miles. The remains of cisterns,
an old palace, a yard decorated with frescoes
and military constructions, are located in
the upper part of the fortress. Also there
is the St George Church which is a
6C Byzantine
building, and the "edge" where condemned
prisoners were hurled over the cliff.
Sultan Akşebe Tomb (türbe) and the Süleymaniye
Mosque (also of Seljuk origins but transformed
by the Ottomans), as well as a caravanserai
are located in the lower part.
The Port and Naval Dockyard
The
Red Tower (Kızıl Kule) is a 33 m / 108
ft high octogonal tower made of red brick
which defended the naval dockyard.
Damlataş
Caves
In the surroudings of Alanya it is possible
to visit caves. The most interesting are the
Damlataş Caves which have huge stalactites
and stalagmites. The other caves are Kızlar
Mağarası, Aşıklar and Fosforlu. Located 15 km
/ 9.3 miles away from Alanya, Dim Valley
is also an ideal place to make a refreshing
excursion (streams and beach).
ANAMUR
On
this part of the Mediterranean coast,
there are lots of medieval fortresses.
The most interesting one is the Mamure
Castle (Mamure Kalesi)
located 7 km / 4.3 miles southeast of
Anamur. The first fortress, which was
built by the Romans
in the 3C AD, was used by the Byzantines
and the Armenians, and was later enlarged
by the Crusaders.
In 1221 Seljuk
Sultan Aleaddin Keykubat took control
of the place . The castle was entirely
rebuilt by Mahmut Bey, the Karamanoğlu
Emir of Karaman,
with a mosque and hammam. The castle
finally came under the rule of the Ottomans
who strenghtened it.
The castle has 39 towers and is composed
of three courtyards. While one half
of it is surrounded by the sea, the
other half is surrounded by a ditch.
The remains of a Hellenistico-Roman
city, Anamurium, stand
on the most southern cape of Anatolia.
Anamur
Mamure Castle
The region is reputed for its small bananas.
Between Alanya and Anamur the road is lined
with terraced banana plantations.
SİLİFKE
Ancient
Seleucia is located on the right bank
of the Calycadnos river (Göksu),
in the waters of which Emperor Frederik
I Barbarossa drowned in 1190, during the
Third Crusade.
Silifke is reputed for its costumes and
folkloric dances. The International Silifke
Music and Folklore Festival takes place
every year in May.
Silifke is also reputed for its delicious
yogurt.
The places of interest in Silifke are
the ancient Roman bridge, the medieval
castle, the ruins of the ancient
city and the museum where findings
made in the regions are displayed.
A mountain road leads hinterland to Uzuncaburç
where is located the magnificent ancient site
of Diocaesarea at an altitude
of 1,200 m / 4,000 ft. This site, originally
a sanctuary dedicated to the cult of Zeus,
was separated by the Romans
from the Hellenistic
city of Olba. It was given
a city state status and the new name Diocaesarea
in 72 AD.
The remains of the impressive Temple
of Zeus Olbius (3C BC), Temple of
Tyche, monumental arch, theate, colonnaded
street, Byzantine church, and tower can be
seen. The Necropolis, with rock-cut tombs
carved in both sides of a small valley, was
used in both Hellenistic and Roman times.
Not very far are the ruins of Olba
(Ura) where the remains of a Roman
aqueduct, a theater, and a fountain can be
seen.
Uzuncaburc
On the coast, at Meryemlik (Ayatekla)
is a Roman necropolis with a 5th century church
and the Tomb of Saint Tekla, who was the first
martyred woman.
From Tasucu which is a small
holiday resort, there are ferries that
connect Turkey to Girne in Northern
Cyprus.
The
road from Silifke to Mersin is
a beautiful coastal road lined with
ancient ruins on one side, and with
a succession of small gulfs on the other
side. The road also runs through pinewoods
and orange-tree plantations.
In
the vicinity of Paslı village
there is a Roman mausoleum called
Mezgit Kalesi. This mausoleum has a
8 m / 26.2 ft high facade, Corinthian
colums and a 1 m / 3.28 ft high relief
representing the god Priapos, and it
is known as the Mausoleum of a Fearless
King.
