Ancient Sites of Antalya

Aspendos Ancient Site

Situated in the Serik city of Antalya province, Aspendos impresses visitors with its elegant amphitheater and other historical remains. The theatre of Aspendos is one of the foremost magnificent and well-preserved buildings within the world built by the Romans.

Aspendos Amphitheatre

The aspendos theatre is that the main feature of Aspendos, attracting visitors who come here to ascertain the foremost magnificent example of such architecture still remaining in Turkey from the past.

Aspendos was founded by colonists from Argos, under the sovereignty of Mopsos. Aspendos flourished even more within the Roman era. The ruins visible today belong to the present era. The antique theatre of Aspendos, which is in a superb condition and is currently used for concerts and similar activities, can hold circ 12.000 people. it’s a splendid example of the work of Roman architects, who managed to mix the auditorium and therefore the stage during a harmonious manner.

The uppermost section of the auditorium is roofed with a gallery of columns. The audience reaches the upper rows by climbing through the galleries on either side of the stage. The antique theatre was built by architect Zeno, Theodorou’s’ son, during the reign of the Roman Emperor Antoninus (161-180 AD). within the Hellenic and Latin engravings etched on the entrances on either side of the stage building, it’s written that the theatre had been offered to the gods and therefore the house of the emperor.

Ancient Ruins of Aspendos

Near the antique theatre of Aspendos, there’s a basilica, an agora, and therefore the ruins of Anatolia’s longest aqueduct.

Acropolis and Basilica: The 60 m tall acropolis is accessed from the eastern gate, one among the three gates of the town. The well-preserved structure that you simply see is that a part of the basilica from which the city’s affairs were managed. Only the southern foundations of the basilica survive.

Monumental Fountain:

At the proper of the basilica structures, there’s a monumental fountain of which only the facade remains.

Aqueducts:

On the plateau towards the north of the acropolis, you’ll see the aqueducts that were wont to bring water to the town. The well-preserved remnants that also stand are the simplest samples of such structures within the area and are extremely impressive.

Gymnasium and Baths:

The remains of the big building seen near the Koprucay River from the road before reaching the Aspendos theatre are those of a gymnasium and its baths.

Perge Ancient Site in turkey

This article has been previously published as a neighborhood of book Antalya, Side and Alanya: TAN Travel Guide by Izabela Miszczak

Perge ancient city is located 18 km east of Antalya city, won’t be one of the foremost important cities of ancient Pamphylia. Its most notable son was Apollos, a mathematician and an astronomer who gave the ellipse, the parabola, and therefore the hyperbola the names by which we all know them. In the past, Perge was also renowned as a sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Artemis whose temple stood on a hill outside the town. Unfortunately, despite intensive searching, researchers have thus far did not find any traces of this once magnificent building.

Historical overview:

Legendary beginnings and prehistory

Pursuant to Greek mythology, the legendary origins of Perge go back to the 13th century BC, when Greek immigrants arrived in Pamphylia, traversing Asia Minor after the Trojan War. The leaders of this movement were alleged to be three famous seers – Mopsos, Calchas, and Amphilochus. the primary two of them had been recognized because of the founders of Perge. the primary settlement in the Perge area developed on the acropolis hill, to the north of the best-preserved ruins of the later period that are located on the plain below.

The first years archaeological finds from the Perge dated to the top of the fifth millennium BC. The oldest traces of continuous settlement begin within the third millennium BC and demonstrate that the town existed until the Byzantine era. supported a clay tablet found within the Hittite capital, Hattusa, some scholars identify Perge with a Hittite city of Partha. During the reign of the Hittite king Tudhaliya IV, i.e. at the top of the 13th century BC, peace has signed the king Kurunta of Tarhuntassa, who waged war with the town of Parha on the river Kashtraia, identified with Kaistros of antiquity.

Side Ancient Site

Side may be a town connected to the Manavgat district of Antalya province. the traditional city of Side may be a port city built on a peninsula of roughly 400 square kilometers. The name of the town which dates back to the 8th century BC is “pomegranate” within the language of the Luvians, one among the foremost ancient peoples of Anatolia. Side spoke her own language up to the 2nd century and it also had her own money. Side, from the 7th century B.C., lived under the rules of Lydians, Persians, Hellenistic kingdoms, Romans, Seljuks, and Ottomans respectively. From the 12th century onwards, the people of the town left the town thanks to the plundering and attacks of neighboring kingdoms and that they mostly migrated to Antalya. within the late 19th century, immigrants from the Crete region settled on the remains of the town and found out the Selimiye neighborhood.