About Antalya

The Taurus mountain range of southern Anatolia runs parallel to the Mediterranean in an east-west direction, resulting in the formation of
narrow coastal plains, which are surrounded by mountains on three sides and open to the south sea. On some parts of the coast, where the mountains
plunge sharply into the sea, small natural bays and peninsulas are formed. Antalya is situated on a plain which consists of two flat areas formed of
falez rock at a height of 35 m, where the mountains recede from the shore.On the first rocky plain on the coast is the town centre and on the plain
behind it, named Kepezüstü, small settlement units have been established.The coast is 530 km in length and borders with Eşen in the west and Kaledran
creek in the east. The province has an area of 20,820 km2. The soil of the plain is made up of conglomerate, alluvium and travertine falez rocks. The
Taurus mountains, formed of limestone and serpentine lands, with karstsurface formations, have many deep valleys, caves, crevices and faults. In
the marshy areas at a height of 300 m from the coast scrub trees, known asmaquis, are found.  These include oleander, wild strawberries, sandalwood,strawberry trees, myrtle, chinaberry rees, bay, chaste trees, carob trees,broom and spurge.  Thyme, sage, saffron, burdock, asphode, asparagus,
blackberry, chrysanthemum and, sparsely, oak, Oriental plane, wild pear,olive and linden trees are also found. 300 metres further on in, the red
pine and oak forests, and marshes with eucalyptus trees can be seen. 1200 mfurther on the forests with cedar, fir trees, Scotch pine, juniper and beech
begin. As the alluvial soil on the plains is suitable for agriculture,vegetables, fruit and flowers are grown in greenhouses for export. Open
orange, mandarin, lemon and grapefruit gardens can be seen in the vicinity,in the warm Mediterranean winds. On the east of the Antalya plain, banana
and avocado are grown. Cotton is sown as an industrial plant and cottonproduction, along with cotton mills and textile factories, holds great
potential for Turkey. Apples, pears, quince, grapes and sesame are grown onthe mountainous plateaus. The regional fauna is very good for hunting tours.In Düzlerçamı on the Taurus mountains,covering an area of 10,000 hectares,fallow deer, wild goat and roe deer hunting is permitted on a controlled
basis. Wolves, foxes, brown bears, martens, wild boar, wild cats and jackalsare the wild species that are often found. The Taurus Leopard was known to
exist until recently. Partridge, quail, turtle dove, wild pigeon, blackbird,woodcock, francolin and wild duck can be regarded as game birds. The region
is well-known for its grida fish; in addition to this, sea bream, horsemackerel, black bream, gilt-head, grey mullet, gurnard, whiting, bonito,
striped red mullet, needlefish, large bonito, red gurnard and red mullet areamong the major sea fish, other sea produce includes hermit crab, lobster,
shrimp, cuttle-fish and mussel. In addition, cage fishing is carried out inthe sea at six points on the coast where sea-bass and grey mullet are br.
Fresh water line fishing is carried out in the Eşen, Dim, Köprüçay, Manavgat Akçay and Alara rivers. The fish restaurants established within water in
the Dim Creek are particularly famous. The main fresh water fish are freshwater chub, fresh water perch, carp, mirror-carp, eel, bleak and tench.
There are numerous trout production farms and restaurants in those parts ofthe Taurus Mountains close to water and river beds. The province of Antalya
is located between the north latitudes of 36,07° - 37,29° and eastlongitudes of 29,20° - 32,35°. Since the area is closed to the cold
northerly winds, it is characterized by the typical Mediterranean climatewith hot, dry summers and moderately warm and rainy winters. In the area
with sunny weather for 10 months a year the temperature climbs up to 45°C inJuly and August. The sea breeze and the northeasterly winds blowing from
inland relieve the area under this temperature.
 
MonthsAverage temperatureSeawater temperature
January16,517,6
February16,617
March1816,5
April20,518,5
May2420,5
June2924,5
July3228,5
August3329,5
September3027,5
October2725
November2221
December1818

The highest point of the Taurus mountains is Akdağ at an altitude of 3025 metres. Located to the northwest of the city centre and at a distance of 50
km is the Saklıkent ski and recreation centre on Beydağları. Here one canski and then go down to the shore and into the sea during the months of
January-April. Thanks to this characteristic the city is called the Turkishriviera. In Saklıkent there are two teleski and ski courses along with
villas and accommodation facilities available in the area. Situated onBakırlı Hill behind Saklıkent is the Antalya National Space Observatory with
a reflecting telescope 40 m in diameter and a telescope 150 cm in diameter.It is possible to watch meteor showers and shooting stars on certain days of
the year. In rivers rafting and canoeing sports and on the Taurus mountainsjeep safari, hunting and trekking tours are organised. Alternatively, there
is rock-climbing, bird watching tourism, photo-safari, mountain tourism,line fishing and health tourism at the thalasso and dialysis centres in
Geyirbayır. Holy tourism activities are organized in Myra, St.Nicholas andPatara. There are underwater diving centres on the coast, primarily in Kemer
 Çamyuva, Olympos, Adrasan, Kaş, Kalkan, Üçağız, Kekova, Side and Alanya. Inaddition, yacht tours are organized from the port of Antalya to Düden
Waterfalls-Karpuzkaldıran and Kemer, from Side to Alanya, from Demre-Çayağzıto Kekova, from Kaş to Kekova, from Kemer to Çıralı-Olympos-Adrasan and Cape
Gelidonya. There are also boat tours on Manavgat creek and canoe tours onXanthos creek. In addition, blue voyage, which covers the southwestern
Anatolian coast, ends in Antalya. There are ferryboat trips from Alanya toCyprus and from Antalya to Italy. Antalya today is a world tourism centre
with its unique touristic accommodation facilities, nature and historicalbeauties. The city of Antalya is managed by a governor and a city council,
with one greater city and three district municipalities. The Antalya port isone of the most prominent export and import ports of Turkey. The Free Trade
Zone existing within the port conveniently serves the export of all types ofproducts, primarily being textile, mine and agricultural products.
 
HISTORY
             As a result of the research conducted at the Karain cavernlocated to the north of the city it is understood that the area has been
inhabited since the prehistorical era. It is known that theTurquoise/Etruscan tribes moving southwards from the Euroasian steppes in
around 3000 B.C. settled and founded their city in the Antalya region as inall of Anatolia. The area is named Ahhiyava in the Hittite inscriptions. It
is understood that the Luwi and Lukka tribes of the Turquoises also settledin the mountainous Psidia, Lycia and Pamphilia regions located within the
city limits of Antalya. The area went under the reign of Kimmer in the 7thcentury, subsequently followed by Persians, Macedonians, Pers, Romans and
Byzantines and, finally, was seized by the Turks in 1207. The root of thename of the city is understood to be "Attala", that is, "the City of Hakan,
son of God" in the Turquoise/Luwi language. It served as the centre of theTeke Sanjak in the lands of Karamanoğulları for a certain period of time,
then subordinated to the province of Konya in the 19th century and finallybecame a province in 1923. The city which was "Adalia" during the Roman and
Byzantine eras has been converted into Antalya today through phoneticpronunciation.
 

DAILY LIFE, CULTURE AND ETHNOGRAPHY OF ANTALYA
 
Thanks to its historical background the Antalya region enjoys a rich cultureand ethnography. In addition to the characteristics of settled cultures, the
local people also synthesised the characteristics of the yörük (nomadic)culture, thus establishing a unique culture of their own. The migration of
the local people from the shore towards the uplands on the Taurus mountainsbecause of the excessive temperature during summers created a need as such,
forcing them to produce the needs of the yörük culture in addition to theproducts grown on the coast. These people, owning herds of sheep and goats
before everything else, first produced felt tents from the wool of thesedomestic animals in order to shelter themselves on the uplands and,
alongside this, specialised in the production of animal produce such as milk butter and cheese. They dried various fruits in the mountains and made jams
and pickles with them, and made molasses from grapes. 40 different types ofjam are made in the region including, primarily, bitter orange, bergamot,
quince, apricot, apple, eggplant, watermelon, fig, wild strawberry, blackmulberry and blackberry. Moreover, besides the livestock farming, dairy
produce and hunting, the local people migrating to the uplands on the Taurusmountains also valued handicrafts and mainly wove the famous Döşemealtı
Carpets of the area. These medium sized carpets are dyed using naturalmadder and are generally red, dark blue and green. With pure wool warp and
weft, these carpets feature five stone, camel's foot, branch and crossmotifs. The yörüks (nomads) adorn their houses, tents, saddle- and domestic
animals and new-born babies with a blue eye stone against the evil eyeaccording to the old Turkish rules and customs in order to protect
themselves from the darkness of the night and all ill-luck. Today, in thevillages on the hills of the Taurus mountains known as Döşemealtı, rugs,
provisions sacks, socks and various household covers are woven along withelegant crochet-work embroidery. In Akseki small household utensils such as
wooden spoons are carved out of box tree wood. All of these authentic localproducts are sold in restored commercial buildings and souvenir shops in the
city, such as Tek Kapılı Han, Alarahan, Serapsu Han and Bedesten. As forcontemporary produce, all kinds of jewellery, gold handicrafts, silver,
ready-to-wear leather produce, hand-woven Turkish carpets, internationaltextile trademarks and all kinds of souvenirs are on sale in the shopping
centres around the airport and at the Festival Market, Migros and LimanMegacentres. Antalya's most famous local dishes include Piyaz, made with
tahini (crushed sesame seeds), garlic, walnuts and boiled dried beans, spicyhibeş with mixed cumin and tahini, şiş köfte, tandır kebap, domates civesi,
şakşuka and various cold Mediterranean dishes with olive oil. 
 
 Dönerciler Çarşısı is an authentic spot where the local dishes are found.There are fish restaurants, where all types of seafood are served, in Doğu
Garajı, Meltem Çarşısı and on Lara and Konyaaltı beaches. Moreover, DönerGazino and Restaurant located on Tünek Tepe present a splendid panorama of
Antalya. Antalya folklore includes zeybek dances to music generally playedon the saz, with wooden spoons, small drums and the tambourine. On parts of
the Taurus mountains religious folk dances, called sema, are performed byyörüks. Yörüks also have instrumental-only folk dance tunes, called "boğaz"
tunes. Antalya today is a world tourism and cultural centre with its tourismpotential increasing every year. With its numerous accommodation centres,
restaurants and tourism activities from Alanya to Fethiye it serves bothsummer and winter tourism. Various international fairs are organised in the
city every year, primarily being the tourism fair at the Expo Centre and thefood and beverage fairs aimed at tourism, such as Touristic Enterprises
equipment. Among the important artistic and cultural activities are theinternational Golden Orange Film Festival organised every year, Classical
Music Festivals organised at Aspendos Theatre, exhibitions, concerts,seminars, conferences and colloquiums for tourists, organised at the Glass
Pyramid and the Atatürk Cultural Centre. The city also enjoys the amenitiesof modern life thanks to its modern theatres, art houses, exhibition halls
and symphony orchestra.


HISTORICAL WORKS OF ART WITHIN THE CITY OF ANTALYA
 
           Old Antalya is located in a place now known as Kaleiçi. Kaleiçicontains ruins dating back thousands of years, temples, churches, basilicas
and 715 houses and 47 monuments from the time of the Seljuk and Ottomandwellings. Most of these having been restored, they serve tourism. As a
result of the efforts made, the Golden Apple, recognised as the TourismOscar, was awarded to Antalya Kaleiçi in 1984. The foremost work of art
dating from the Roman era in the region is Hadrian's Gate, built in 139 A.D.in commemoration of the Emperor Hadrian's visit to the city. Also known as
Üç Kapılar, this two-tier monumental gate has three arches and 8 columnswith Corinthian capitals set upon pedestals at the façade and rear. There
are square watch towers on either side of the gate. On the western falezrock end of the Antalya Park, the 14-metre high, two-tier Hıdırlık Tower is
visible. Dating from the Roman era, it is thought to have been used as alighthouse. The tower, with a square base and the upper part built of
rounded carved stone blocks, and remains of frescoes visible on its innerwalls, was later used as a basilica. The Panagia Basilica, built by the
Byzantines, to the east of the Hıdırlık Tower, was transformed into a mosqueupon the addition of a single-galleried minaret by the Turkish Sultan Korkut
in 1467. The building consists of two sections in the shape of a doublecross and is remarkable with its arched gate and reliefs on the door-window
edges, and marble columns. The fire in 1896 ruined the mosque and itsminaret collapsed halfway down. Therefore, it is today called Kesik Minare
(The Truncated Minaret). The symbols of the city, Yivli Minare (The GroovedMinaret) and Ulu Cami Külliyesi, were built upon the remains of the
Byzantine church by Sultan Alaaddin in 1230. The frame of the 45 metre highminaret, built of brick on a square stone pedestal, was erected with bracing
in the form of 8 grooves, and the upper part is embellished with light bluesquare mosaic stones. The words God and Muhammed are inscribed on the floor
surfaces with turquoise stones and tiles. The simply constructed Ulu Cami,standing adjacent to the minaret, has 6 domes covered with roof tiles,
raised on 12 columns. Immediately next to the mosque stands KaratayMedresesi, which consists of small chambers.
 

 
Besides technology, courses in science, philosophy and psychology weretaught at the Medrese, which served as the college of its era. To the
northwest of the Mosque is Mevlevihane. This 18th century square building isreinforced by cradle vaults and the dome is covered with roof tiles. To the
east of Külliye is the Tomb of Mehmet Bey, an octagonal construction upon asquare floor, walls of dressed stone blocks and a pyramid spire-shaped roof
covered with roof tiles. To the west there is a Selçuklu Hamamı (SeljukHamam) with walls built of rubble stones, a steam room with a square layout
and a roof made of round domes. The Clock Tower, onto which a clock wasplaced at a later period, is situated at a site known as Castle Gate and is
one of the watch towers built on either side of the gate in order to protectit. Of these 25 metre high towers, the one to the east, which is still
standing, has a square layout. Murat Paşa Mosque which was built by KuyucuMurat Paşa in 1570 is covered with a high dome upon a ten-corner frame, with
the inscriptions on its inner walls running all through the internal façadein a ribbon while presenting the most beautiful example of the
Turkish-Seljuk art of calligraphy. The altar next to the marble pulpitworked with reliefs is a simple construction. The last congregation place is
covered with three domes rising above pointed arches of coloured stone onfour round columns. In the city centre the Sinan Mosque ordered to be built
by Sheikh Sinan during the 16th century with rubble stone was builtsingle-galleried with the short minaret made of dressed stone. The Mosque
has a wooden floor and is covered with a tiled roof. Sheikh Sinan's tomb issituated opposite the mosque. Tekeli Mehmet Paşa Mosque, located behind the
Clock Tower at Kalekapısı (Castle Gate), dates back to the 16th century. Thesides of the entrance gate located to the north and the window edges are
made of dressed stone. There is one large and three small domes over themosque, which has a rectangular layout. Balibey Mosque on Balibey street in
the city centre was ordered to be constructed by the Cavalry ChiefMalkoçoğlu Balibey during the 15th century. Mtüsellim Mosque, which was
ordered to be built by Mehmet Ağa, the Head of the Palace Doorkeepers, in1769 is made of dressed stone. At the northwest corner it has a
single-galleried minaret made of brick. The mosque is covered by a largedome on drum frames in three stages, with 4, 8 and 10 corners. Ahi Yusuf
Mosque, which was built by Ahi Yusuf in 1249, has a square foundation and ismade of rubble stone. This little masjid is covered by a round dome with
roof tiles. To the east of the city centre are Demirci Karaali Mosque, whichwas built during the 18th century, and KırCami, which was re-constructed
with the addition of a minaret.


 
ANTALYA ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
 
This is the second largest museum in Turkey, covering an area of 7000 m2.The museum was awarded the "European Council Special Prize" as a result of
its activities in 1988. It has 13 exhibition halls and an open-air gallery.There are about 5000 artefacts on display. Antalya Museum is the only museum
in Turkey with a section devoted to children. In the first hall of themuseum, antiquities showing homework and mathematical calculations made on
clay tablets by children are displayed. In the Natural History andPrehistory Hall there are fossil and mineral samples relating to the
development and living creatures of the geological era. These are pine conefossils, sea urchins and brachiopod fossils. Also on display here are hand
axes, arrowheads, cutting stones, bone tools, wedges and various instrumentsfound at Karain and Beldibi caves in the Antalya region dating from the
Prehistoric, Paleolithic, Neolithic and Calcolithic eras. In the section tothe west of the hall, the antiquities and cubic and brick tomb samples found
during the excavations at Elmalı Semahöyük and Karataş are displayed.Various types of baked earthenware vessels, seals, brush stems and dead
skeletons discovered in these tombs are displayed within the original Cubictomb in Hucker form, that is, in the position of an unborn baby. In the
Gallery of Gods section there are various forms of black varnishedfigureless vessels, bellcraters depicting the battle between the amazons and
the griffons, lekythoi and black and red vases discovered in Aspendos, whichare decorated with three young figures dancing and holding a red vase,
displayed in the showcases. In the hall where sculptures of gods are ondisplay, there are the sculptures of Zeus, father of gods, Artemis
considered as the guardian of Perge and successor of the main goddess, Leto,Fortuna, Goddess of Luck, Nemesis, Goddess of Fate, Aphrodite, Demeter,
Goddess of Earth and Fertility, Serapis, Underground God, Isis, GoddessControlling the Elements, and Hermes, guardian god of thieves-merchants. In
the hall containing Small and Underwater Artefacts, the first piece wasfound in Foça which is a bronze statue of Herakles, the symbol of power and
strength, resting on his sceptre on a bull's head. The statue of Atis with a Phrygian conical hat, bronze busts of Athena,
goddess of intelligence and wisdom and of a negro, figures of Hermes, abronze statue of the god Apollonius found in Seleukea, a plate displaying
Athena in relief, made of solid silver, rings, earrings, bracelets, brooches medallions, necklaces and fibula made of gold and precious stones, ceramic
and bronze oil lamps, inscriptions and vessels with figures in relief aswell as various jewellery and glass articles are on display. Underwater
findings, on the other hand, mainly consist of various anchors made of stoneand iron, antique amphorae, used for carrying liquids and various vessels.
The other showcases display stone statuettes and unguentaria. In theEmperors Hall, in addition to the large size statues of the emperors such as
Traian, Hadrianus and Augustus of the Roman era, there are also the statuesof the empresses Sabina, Lulia Donna and Plancia Manga. The statues of the
famous Three Beauties and the female dancer made of black and white marbleare interesting examples. In the Tomb Cults Hall, sarcophagi and reliefs
depicting the burial tradition are displayed. The first sarcophagus in thesarcophagi hall belongs to Damitlas Filskas and his family. It consists of a
massive coffin and its lid. On the lid the husband and wife are depictedlying on a klinidion (small bed). The sarcophagus with a medallion is
immediately to the left of this sarcophagus. There is a medusa's head in awreath at one end of the sarcophagus, in the centre, and Eros figures on the
sides. The scenes on the sarcophagus symbolise a life filled with successand happiness. To the rear of the hall, there are two sarcophagi ornamented
with figures illustrating various moments from the mythological life ofHerakles. Additionally, there are 2 sarcophagi from Girland. One of the most
striking mosaics on display in the Mosaic and Icons Hall is undoubtedly theMosaic of Philosophers found in Seleukia around the edge of which the most
reputed thinkers, orators, historians and mathematicians of the Antiquitysuch as Salon, Tykydires, Lykuyrgos, Herodotos, Hesiodos, Demostenes and
Pytagoras are included together with their names. Moreover, the AkhilleusMosaic found in Xanthos is well worth a visit. At the rear part of this
section is the treasure of Korydalla/Kumluca. The Icons compiled fromvarious churches primarily being St. Nicholas in Demre are displayed in the
southern part of the hall. The icons here include instants from the lives ofJesus Christ and Virgin Mary, Genesis, The Last Supper, Day of Judgement,
Death of Holy Virgin/Koimesis, Christ Almighty, 12 Apostles, Baptism,Crucifixion, Miracles and two portraits of Father Christmas and the relics
alleged to contain his bones. In the Coins Hall, the Anatolian Mintingtradition, technique and economy of 2500 years dating back from the 6th
century B.C. until the present day are observed in an educational sequence.Furthermore, Phrygian and Lydian coins as well as Elmalı coins found in the
area and in Western Anatolia are displayed in the coins hall. In theEthnography Hall, various artefacts such as regional art, clothing,
handwritten books and weapons and vessels from the Seljuk, Ottoman andRepublican eras are on display. In addition, chinaware, porcelain, religious
artefacts, padlocks, long dresses with floral decoration and Yörük items areexhibited. In the middle of the Perge Hall, adjacent to the cinevision hall
which has 4 Niches on the right and 3 on the left, is the Marsyas statue ona revolving pedestal around which are statues of gods, unearthed at the
Perge theatre. The upper part of the wall displays friezes found at Pergetheatre. At the furthest end is the Lycian Hall, with an outer façade built
in the architectural style of the Lycian sarcophagi, in which findings fromthe Lycian era are displayed. Large pieces, such as sarcophagi, tombs,
tombstones and statues which cannot be displayed inside, are displayed in
the Open Air Gallery.

The SUNA-İNAN KIRAÇ MEDITERRANEAN CIVILIZATIONS MUSEUM
 Ayayorgi Church, built during the 17th century by the Karamanids, who wereof Turkish origin and adopted the Orthodox faith, has recently been restored
and transformed into a museum complex consisting of an ethnography museum,research library, photograph, document, archive and conference hall. The
ATATÜRK HOUSE MUSEUM is the house which was allocated to Atatürk when hevisited Antalya on March 6, 1930 and subsequently transformed into a museum
where furnishings of that period as well as articles belonging to Atatürkere preserved.


 
DÜDEN WATERFALLS AND ESTUARY
 
            These are located 12 km from the city centre. The waterfalls,formed by a karstic depression, are 20 metres high and also spring from
underground at the point where the water falls. By entering into DilekMağarası (Cave of Wishes) located underneath the waterfalls it is also
possible to pass to the rear side of the water. The location of thewaterfalls has the appearance of a botanical heaven thanks to the rich
variety of plants. In the deep valley formed by the falling and flowingwater of the waterfalls there are promenades and trout restaurants. The rock
tombs observed around the valley bring to mind that the area was a sacredplace in ancient times. After 8km the water from the falls forms a small
creek, creating a magnificent spectacle as it cascades over the 40 metrehigh falez rock into the sea in the Lara region. There are restaurants and
picnic areas on the falez rock with a view of the sea and waterfalls.Touristic boat tours are organised to the waterfalls from the Marina.
 

KARAİN CAVE
 
            Karain Cave is located about 30 km northwest of Antalya at YağcıVillage, subordinated to the settlement unit of Yeniköy. It is a prehistoric
cave, located at a height of about 370 metres from the sea and about 80metres up the slope, where the Western Taurus calcareous zone borders on the
travertine plain. It was Professor I. Kılıç KÖKTEN, Professor of Prehistoryat the Ankara Faculty of Language, History and Geography who began the
research on Karain Cave in a systematical manner from 1946 up to 1973, whenthe layer of compact earth at the entrance to the cave was excavated.
Excavations are still underway. According to findings revealed, it wasunderstood that Karain Cave was continuously inhabited in the Middle
Paleolithic (Stone) ages. It is possible to understand from the inscriptionsand monograms on the outer walls that this inhabitation also continued
during the classical ages and that the cave was used as a sacred votive andworshipping place. Cultural findings in Karain Cave include hand axes,
various scrapers, jewellery and arrowheads made of flintstone, in additionto bones of animals such as hippopotamuses, rhinoceroses and elephants;
pieces of fossilised bones belonging to homo sapiens, humans of the middlepaleolithic era. Most of the findings unearthed at Karain Cave are displayed
in the small museum located where the slope borders on the plain and some ofthem at the Prehistory Hall of the Antalya Museum. To the east of the cave
are Kırkgözler Sazlığı (Reedbed), formed by the water of Düden and renownedfor its wild duck hunting, and Kırkgöz Han (Inn), measuring 25x45 metres,
built by the shore of this reedbed during the 12th century. The only pass inthe area located to the North of the Inn going through the Taurus mountains
and connecting Central Anatolia with the Mediterranean is Çubuk Pass at analtitude of 924 metres. The ancient road joining Pamphilia with Pisidia
starts in the villages of Döşemealtı, east of the Pass, and climbs North,connecting to the Kremna/Bucak settlement. This antique road, paved with
stone blocks during the Roman era, was in use until recently, thus theillages established in the area were called Döşemealtı (under-pavement)
villages. It is thought that the building ruins found at the beginning ofthe antique road are the remains of the depot, customs building and garrison
of that period. The Turkoman yörüks who have settled in the area today weavethe famous Döşemealtı carpets.
 
TERMESSOS

 
22 km northwest of Antalya, south of the Antalya-Korkuteli motorway on theslope of the 1650 m high Güllük/Solymn mountain, at an altitude of 1050 m,
lie the remains of the antique city of Termessos. The area was declared"Güllük/Termessos National Park and Protection Area" due to the best
examples of its regional flora, flowers and maquis vegetation, and uniquefauna, primarily wild goat. In the Luwi/Etruscan language the word "Terme",
included in the root of the name, means "Pass/Mountain Pass" and "Assa"means "High Fort", and as such, it was named Termeassa, meaning "Fort City
on the Mountain Pass". The area was also called "Termila", that is, "TermePass" which then became "Dirmil" through a different phonetic pronunciation
in today's Turkish. The area is known to have been a human settlement sinceprehistoric times and was a part of the Etruscan/Luwian settlement unit
around 3000 B.C. Due to the immigration of the Nordic tribes, that is,Turquoise/Isocates, which continued from around 3000 B.C. until around 700 B
C., urbanization began in the small Luwian settlement units in Anatolia andthey came on the historical scene. One of the foremost cities established on
the Pisidian-Lycian-Pamphilian border by the Termil clan is Termeassa.Termessos, which started to urbanize and flourish after the 6th century B.C.
 opened onto the sea by joining Phaselis, which was another coastal Lyciancity, located to the South of Mount Solym. Excavation research carried out
in the area revealed canals carved in rocks running southwards from thehillsides of mount Solym towards the city of Phaselis. Through these canals,
the wine and olive oil produced in the area were poured to Phaselis on thecoast where jugs were filled and shipped to other countries. In the 5th
century B.C., although almost all of Anatolia was occupied by Persians,Termessos was not seized by the Persians. The Macedonian King Alexander who
besieged Termessos in 337 B.C. met with the defense of the locals ofTermessos and, seeing that he would not be able to capture it, turned
towards the shores of Pamphilia. Termessos was the only city in Anatoliawhich Alexander could not capture during his trip to Asia. Termessos, which
had established good relations with the Pergamonians who subsequently cameto the area, developed these relations also with Rome which was the heir of
the Kingdom of Pergamum, signing an agreement in 72 B.C. after which thecity was enriched with various buildings and started flourishing. The city
of Termessos, which fell in ruins and was destroyed as a result of theearthquakes which took place in the 5th and 9th centuries A.D. and could not
be captured by any army whatsoever in its history, could not find any meansfor reconstruction and the city folk emigrated to the other cities of
Pamphilia and Lycia by the seaside. Thus, the city remains have survived tothis day. Tekeoğlu Turkomans who came to the area built a Caravanserai named
Evdir Han at the Byzantine sacred site Eudokias situated in the valley inthe east of the city. On the King's Road leading to the antique Termessos
remains there is firstly a main entrance gate with a Gymnasium Complex tothe east of it. In the complex where, in addition to the teaching of
philosophy and positive sciences, all kinds of physical sports activitiesand competitions were performed, it is understood that the most important
lessons were war games and wrestling. Built leaning against the hillside,next to where the inner city walls face the Gymnasium square, Galleries can
be seen, and it is understood that these used to have tiers of Stadion seats Southeast from the front of the Gymnasium there are 26 tiers of seats and a
theatre which is thought to have a seating capacity of 6000 people. Thereare three temples in front of the Odeon and it is understood that the one in
the West is Zeus Solymeus, the small one in the middle is Artemis and theone in the East is the Great Artemis Temple. There are shops behind the
columns. One of the most important tombs there is the house type tomb withlion's head relief constructed in the Lycian style and a large number of
Lycian type sarcophagi are visible.
 
KURŞUNLU WATERFALLS
 
Located at a distance of 24 km east of the city centre, the waterfalls andtheir environs cover an area of 33 hectares. In the area, which takes the
form of a botanical garden, there are 7 ponds connected by the formation ofwaterfalls. The 18 metre Waterfalls and the green space and beneficial birds
in its environs make it a new conservation area. Furthermore, with itspicnic and walking areas, and a restaurant, it is a nice place to relax.
 
 PERGE-AKSU
 
This place is established next to the River Aksu-Kestros, 12 km east ofAntalya. The name of the city originates from "Parga" meaning "High" during
the Luwian/Etruscan era. The most famous Pergean of  ancient times isApollonius who calculated the characteristics of an ellipse in geometry. It
is known that the city was within the boundaries of the country Ahhiyawa asa very small settlement unit during the Hittite era. The population of the
city, which was established on the south-eastern hillside of the acropolisduring early periods increased with those who returned from the Trojan war,
with the boundaries extending down to the flatlands. When Alexander theGreat seized the city in 330 B.C., the Persian occupation ceased. The
temples built in the name of Artemis, the chief goddess of the city that wasincluded within the boundaries of the Roman Empire in the wake of the
commotion which took place in the 1st century B.C., and her brotherApollonius, were converted into a church during the early times of
Christianity, Artemis being identified with Virgin Mary and Apollonius withJesus Christ. The city became the missionary centre during early periods of
Christianity and new ramparts were added during the Pax Romana era. It wasexposed to the invasions and plunders of the Arabic raiders during the 7th
century. Upon the Aksu river being filled with alluvia and becomingunsuitable for maritime transportation, thus devoid of marine trade, the
people emigrated to other cities and abandoned Perge. The first of the cityremains that one encounters is the theatre thought to have been built during
the 2nd century A.D. 43 caveas of the theatre with a seating capacity of 15000 spectators are divided into two through a diazoma in the middle. By
building a gallery at the end of the uppermost cavea it was intended tooptimize the acoustics. The existence of protective walls between the tiers
of seats and the orchestra shows that the theatre was used as an arenaduring the late Roman era. The stage building has two storeys, with its face
embellished with marble reliefs. Legends from the mythological life ofBacuss, God of entertainment and wine, are depicted in relief. 
 The most striking ones are the reliefs and embossings of Kestros, God ofriver, with Fortuna, Goddess of fate, standing and the friezes depicting a
boy bathed by three Pergean women in the river. The U-shaped Stadion locatedopposite the theatre has a capacity of 25 thousand people and is a Roman era
work of art. The building, with dimensions of 34 x 234 metres, was builtupon 50 round arches and consists of 17 caveas. The façades of the arches
facing outwards were used as sales stores in ancient times and according tothe inscriptions discovered, it is understood that the best selling goods
were the wooden statues of Artemis. To the North of the Stadion, one comesto a City Gate dating to the late Roman era connecting two watch towers 10
metres high and covered with slabs of marble. The walls behind the gateentrance are also marble-faced, with 4 round-arched built-in niches thought
to have contained statues of deities. Through this gate one steps intoSeptimus Severus Square, 70 metres long. To the right of the square, the
ruins of the protocol box are visible. On the left hand side are the remainsof a monumental fountain. The surface of the fountain, which is 15 metres
high, is worked with the reliefs of Artemis, Aphrodite and Nymph muses andis faced with slabs of marble. A little further ahead, one comes to
Palaestra which is a hall belonging to the Roman Bathhouse complex, pavedwith coloured mosaics on the floor, where gymnastics and wrestling sports
were performed. Opposite to this are a small dressing room with niches onits internal walls and next to it, a Frigidarium/cold room with a cold water
pool 1 metre deep. Further along one passes into the Tepidarium/warming room which was also used as a sitting and resting area, and Caldarium/hot room
where the floor is marble-faced. This section was heated from below via aHypocaust/hot air system, a Roman invention. In the corner of the room the
remains of the brick columns through which hot air passed are visible. Fromthis section one passes through a narrow door to Sudatorium/steam and sweat
room where there are five square marble bathtubs, with marble-facing on allsurfaces. During the Roman era bath culture was highly advanced and
bathhouses were very important places where bureaucrats of high ranks andmerchants met almost every day and spent a major part of the day, and talks
and discussions were held on the commercial and political topics of thecountry and, furthermore, major decisions were taken. As entry of women into
these bathhouses was forbidden, all services were provided by men. Goingfrom Septimus Severus Square towards the acropolis, one can access the
Hellenistic Gate, the first gate of the city, protected by two large roundtowers, with a small protocol court in the shape of a horseshoe at the rear.
It is thought that there were small wooden chambers serving as dormitoriesfor the watch keepers on the towers. It is understood that the statues of
various deities, primarily being the Goddess Artemis and God Apollonius, andRoman emperors used to occupy the niches in the internal surfaces of the
walls facing the protocol square behind the towers. In front of the marble triumphal arch with three vaults where the squareends, the statue of the Nun Plangia Magna, the wealthiest woman of the citywas erected. From there one passes to the Colonnaded Street. Behind thestreet is Stoa / Pedestrian Way, 4 metres wide, with shops further behind.The most remarkable columns on the street are the four marble columns withCorinthian capitals, 7 metres high, embellished with reliefs symbolising
Apollonius, Artemis, Calchas the hero and Fortuna, Goddess of luck. At theend of the Colonnaded street, Acropolis Nymphaeum/Monumental Fountain, 21
metres long, is visible. In the Acropolis, water cisterns of various sizeswere built during the Byzantine era and it is thought that the famous
Artemis Pergeia Temple also existed here. Turning southwards from theColonnaded street, the Agora of a square plan next to the Hellenistic Gate
is encountered. The bottom of the pedestrian way in the Agora, surrounded bydouble rows of granite columns with Corinthian capitals, is embellished with
geometrical motifs ornamented with coloured mosaics. Behind the pedestrianway are small shops in the form of interconnected cubicles. The symbol of
each shop is worked in relief on the marble on top of the entrance door.There is a round building in the middle of the Agora square and it is
thought that this served as the distributor of the water network. The Agorasquare is also considered as a space where, in ancient times, the urban folk
 slaves and people of different social classes met, spent their leisure time occasionally played dual games of various sorts and discussed the
commercial - political problems of the city and performed their publicevents. The remains of the city's sewerage system can also be seen towards
the South of the Agora square.
 
SILLYON

            On the hill behind Asar Village, 22 km to the east of Antalya,lie the remains of the ancient city of Sillyon. It is understood that its
name, in the original Luwian, used to be "Swilwana", meaning "place with abeautiful pass". Indeed, the place where the ancient city was located is the
flatland, between the sea and the Taurus mountains, with the most strikingnatural beauty in the area. Sillyon, which was built as an acropolis city on
top of Asar Hill by the Etruscan/Luwian clans in around 3000 B.C.,experienced the same historical process as the other Pamphylian cities. Its
population increased upon the participation of those returning from theTrojan War during the 12th century B.C. and it made its progress during the
Pax Romana period and was adorned with a wide variety of buildings. Itbecame the centre of Christianity, subordinated to Perge during the
Byzantine epoch, and was set on fire and destroyed by the Arabs who reachedto the southern shores of Anatolia during the 7th century A.D. The Turkomans
who came to the area towards the end of the 11th century A.D. established anew settlement called Asar Village/ Tepe Village on the southern hillside of
the Acropolis hill where the remains of the city existed. The most strikingof the city's remains are the southwest facing castle entrance gate and city
walls of the Acropolis. The walls, of which the foundations were laid withCyclopean stones, were subsequently reinforced with quadrangular block
stones. There are various gates on the walls. The ground is paved with stoneblocks from the entrance gate up to the city centre and the marks of
carriage wheels are visible on them even today. To the north of the wallsthere is a single-domed small mosque. To the east of the mosque a colonnaded
street lined with shops and 3 buildings belonging to the statesmen can beseen. On the entrance gate of the buildings are some remarkable inscriptions
declaring the official trading laws of the city in the Luwian language. Tothe south west of the remains are two fountains and buildings, which were
originally court buildings but were converted into a basilica during theByzantine epoch. To the east the remains of the side wall of a theatre,
which has completely disappeared, are visible.
 
BELEK
 
This area was formed during the era of torrential rains occurring after thetectonic phenomena which developed in the wake of the glacial epoch upon
being filled with the alluvia carried by rivers. The remains of this eraconstitute hillocks covered with pine and heath, known as CONGLOMERATE,
formed of sand and grit accumulated to a height of 100 meters. As the riverscontinued to carry the alluvia in the direction of the sea, these sandy
hillocks remained on the plains and gradually became distant from the shore.During the last phase of the filling process, long ridges and cordons
consisting of sand and grit were formed along the shore because of the largeamounts of alluvia carried by the rivers. The rivers, thus hindered and
unable to find an outlet, drew an arc towards the east before reaching thesea and emptying into the sea by flowing around these ridges. To the north
of the area, near the settlement of Gebiz, is Uçansu Şelaleleri (Waterfalls)and near Akbaş village in the district of Serik, Zeytintaşı Mağarası, a cave
of fantastic beauty with its stalagmites and stalagtites. Behind the sandbarin the Belek district is the Kadriye settlement with its tourist facilities,
shopping centres and all types of tourist activities. The dense pine forestslocated behind the sandbar add a unique beauty. Today the most modern
tourist accommodation facilities are found on the shores of Kemerağzı, Belekand Serik. The promotion and marketing of these world standard tourist
facilities is carried out by BETÜYAB, the institution established by themwithin their own corporations. Furthermore, there are 6 19-holed world
standard Golf Clubs and hotels in the area.

ASPENDOS - BELKIS
 
This is situated on the hill of an acropolis at a height of 40 metres, rightby the side of the river Eurymedon-Köprüçay near the settlement of Serik,
east of Antalya. The name of the city in the Luwian/Etruscan language was"Asiawanda" meaning "Country of Horses". Named Ahhiyawa, or "Asitawada" in
the Hittite inscriptions, the history of the city regarded as being withinthe boundaries of the area; it began as an Acropolis city during about 3000
B.C. The population of the city, which gradually developed and extendedbeyond the Acropolis, increased with those who returned from the Trojan war
in the 12th century B.C. and started to grow. Aspendos was an importanttrade city because of the convenience of the creek Eurymedon for maritime
transportation during the epochs before Christ and the Roman era. The horsesbred in the area, salt and cheap wines were the most important export
products. As a result of the river gradually being filled with alluvia,marine transportation became impossible and the city remained 6 km inland
away from the sea. The most important work of art surviving from the ancient city of Aspendosis the theatre with a capacity of 12,000, which is understood to have been
built by Zenon the Architect as a result of a competition during the Romanera in the 2nd century B.C. The Aspendos Theatre has today been accepted as
the best preserved antique theatre with the best acoustics in the world.Entrance into the theatre with the Roman architectural characteristics is
through two vomitories on both sides in the form of passageways locatedbetween the stage building and the seating tiers. Caveas consisting of a
total of 41 tiers are divided into two by diazoma on the 20th tier andmagazine chambers have been built on a diazoma where spectators would shop
and shelter from the sun. The oval shape of the lower cavea tiers and theannexation of 40 arched galleries, equal in height to the stage building, to
the uppermost cavea ensured the optimisation of sound acoustics within thetheatre. The carving of some names in the form of gravures on the cavea
benches shows that there were regular customers of the theatre. Thespectators, after passing the vomitories, could come to the 24m. diameter
orchestral court and, from there, reach the upper tiers through 10 steepstone-cut stairs between the caveas. On top of the vomitories, the imperial
boxes belonging to the city administrators can be seen. The internal face ofthe stage building is decorated with columns, with 20 Corinthian capitals at
the bottom and 20 Ionic capitals at the top, and these columns areornamented in-between with niches of various sizes embellished with marble
plates and figured reliefs. Statues of Gods and the Roman emperors occupiedthese niches. On top of the stage building, the relief of Bacuss, God of
entertainment and wine, is visible. Actors finishing their preparations inthe chambers of various sizes within the stage building appeared, through
one big door in the middle and 4 small doors at the sides, on a woodenpodium 2 metres high established over the orchestra and performed their
plays on this podium. Theatrical plays were generally performed by threepeople in ancient times and there was a chorus behind the actors consisting
of a maximum of 20 people wearing the masks of animal-gods and variousmythological heroes. Women were forbidden to take part in the plays. The
fact that theatre initially appeared in the name of Bacuss, God ofentertainment and wine, through street festivities during vintage times
shows that it was a godly rite in its origin. Therefore, during theHellenistic era theatre actors were respected with a godly faith. Yet during
the Roman era, performers were considered as nothing but humiliatedactresses. The first play performed at the theatre was tragedia and
everybody, including the emperor, and every point could be criticised duringthe play. The actors, descending down the wooden podium at the end of the
play, started a mutual discussion with the spectators and the dialogues onthe points criticised continued for hours. It was also the case that the
theatres were largely popular among the lay people in ancient times and thatthe spectators, paying stones or metal chips to enter into the theatre,
sometimes spent their entire day there. The Aspendos theatre preserved itstrue theatrical character during the Byzantine epoch, never having been
turned into an arena where bloodshed games were exhibited. The theatre,which served as an outdoor church during the late Byzantine epoch, was used
as a caravanserai in the wake of capture of the area by the Turks in the12th century and until recently, thus surviving the present times in a sound
condition. The Antalya Music and Film Festival gala is performed here everyyear. On the acropolis hill rising behind the theatre gallery, an agora
encircled by a double row of columns in the middle and, to the north of this the remains of a building belonging to the city administration measuring 16
m in height with 5 niches on the façade, are visible. The wall projection ofthe building is carried by a pair of columns and it is thought that this
place was also used as a single-basin fountain. To the South of Agora, it isthought that there used to be a magazine with shops inside the big
rectangular structure. It is understood that, to the South of this structure there was a waste water canal within a vaulted corridor. To the North of
Agora, the quadrangular structure with walls measuring 2 m in height wasused as an Orthodox Basilica annexed to the magazine building during the
Byzantine epoch. To the West of Agora, a complex of small shops lined nextto each other with a gallery behind and, in front of these shops, a Stoa
thought to have been covered with a block of architrave rising above thecolumns are visible. The shops are two-storey, with the second storeys
carried by the columns. The acropolis city gate situated at the northernhillside of the acropolis exhibits the Roman architectural characteristics.
Immediately to the North of the theatre is the Stadion built upon arches.The stadion, of which the western side was built into the acropolis hillside
 rises above vaulted galleries in the east. It is understood that in thestadion with a seating capacity of 10,000, races with single chariots  drawn
by the horses bred in Aspendos were highly popular. To the east of theStadion is a tomb house with a sarchophagus visible inside. Advancing from
this tomb house towards the aqueducts it is possible to see the sarcophagiembellished with various figures. A little further on one notices thetombstones with names engraved in the Luwian/Etruscan language, which areembellished with various Anatolian flower motifs. Another of the mostimportant remains of the ancient city Aspendos surviving up to this day isthe Aqueduct carrying spring water from the Taurus mountains and valleys ata distance of 25 km from the city. These water conduits, functioning on the
principle of combined containers, were built upon aqueducts of 15 m on levelplateaus and 30 m on certain points and were at places built double-storeyed
 with high towers added at turning points. These aqueducts are consideredtoday among the best examples of the Roman era aqueducts in the world. Over
Eurymedon/Köprü Çay there is a bridge with foundations built of block stonesduring the Roman epoch which was later rebuilt by the Seljuks with eight
pointed arches upon ruined foundations. It was in front of this bridge thatthe Persians were defeated in the sea battle fought against the league navy
under the command of Cimon in 469 B.C. and, thus, the league navy stated toconsist of 800 galleys won the first great sea victory in the world. After
this victory the Persians were also defeated in the wars fought on land inAnatolia and they started to retreat from Anatolia. Today there are
touristic shopping centres and trout restaurants on the banks of the Creek.
 
KÖPRÜLÜ KANYON / BEŞKONAK NATIONAL PARK
 
            Köprülü Kanyon (Bridged Canyon) National Park is located at adistance of 65 km from Side on the hillsides of the Taurus Mountains. Within
the Park flows the River Köprü, 120 km long, between the valleys and canyons The National Park covers an area of 37 thousand hectares. Mount Dipoyraz
located to the east is 2.980 m high, with its hillsides covered with forests The river valley within the Park is 14 km long and, at places, 400 m high
and in the form of a canyon with steep walls. The most importantmorphological characteristic at the site is this steep cleft valley. Over
the canyons, on the graded land near Selge, are Labyas in karstictopographic form, the local name for which is "Devil's Rocks". The thickest
Mediterranean Cypress forest in the world is here. This long and thinspecies of tree with a long life span has been processed since ancient times
because of its superior quality. The flora of the National Park mainlyconsist of Red Pine, Black Fir, Cedar, Fir, Cypress, Ash, Holly Oak and Oak
trees, along with Sessile Glandules, Wild Olive, Sandalwood, Strawberry, GumMastic, Locust, Bay, Myrtle, Mediterranean Medlar, Sloe Tree, Oleander,
Pitch-pine, Wild Rose, Heather, Spurge, Tamarisk, Thyme, Blackberry, Fernand Chinaberry. The Chinaberry Tree, which is also known under the name
"Kara Günlük (Storax)" was engraved on coinage as a symbol of the cityduring the ancient epoch of Selge. It is observed that the local people live
off grape, wine, olive and timber trade and livestock dealing. As for theanimal species of the fauna within the National Park, there are deer,
mountain goats, pigs, bears, foxes, wolves, rabbits, martens, partridges,pigeons, woodcocks, turtle doves, eagles, falcons and carp, and there are
trout production centres and restaurants at the mouth of the canyon. Raftingand canoeing sports are organised in the canyon today.
 

SELGE
 
            The remains of the Ancient City of Selge at an altitude of 1250m on the Taurus Mountains are located within the settlement unit of Zerk
Village / Altınkaya. The area, enjoying the beauties of a deep canyon,waterfalls and mountains between pine forests is an ideal site for
photographers. It is thought that the name Selge was derived from "Salaga"meaning "deep valley" in the Luwian/Etruscan language. Moreover, according
to the Gök Turk/Turquoise phonetic writing Selge means Usoluğu-Suoluğu(Water Gutter-Wisdom Gutter). The city is reached by passing the 2 m wide
Moka Bridge, made of a single large arch and stone blocks. According to theHittite inscriptions, the area is situated within the Pithassa/Pisidia
region. The city folk reputed for their fighting merits and heroic actssided with the Trojan King Hector during the Trojan War, exacted tribute on
some cities and, during the Persian occupation, served as mercenaries forthem. The most important historical event of the city is the war of
Pednelisos waged against Pednelisos in the north in which the city retreated accepting the heavy conditions of the war. Later they were subordinated to
King Amintas of the Galatians, which was a Nordic tribe just like themselves except that in every epoch they used and maintained their own language.
During the Byzantine epoch Vikings within the Byzantine army rebelledagainst the Byzantium and upon losing the battle fought against the
Byzantine army, they escaped towards the Selge area, thus causing theirtraces to disappear. Owing to the displacement of the overland trade route
which gradually connected Central Anatolia with the Pamphylian littoraltowards Kremna and Ariassos, and the pillages, the people abandoned Selge
and settled down by the coastal cities. It is understood that Selge wasencircled with walls all around and that between the walls it had a great
city gate, guarded by watch towers on both sides. The most important remainsare the theatre, where there were 30 caveas on the lower floor and 15 caveas
on the upper floor, and passage between caveas was ensured by 12 steepstairs. The spectators' section is divided in the middle by a wide diazoma
and the armchairs made of block stones on the diazoma are striking.According to the inscriptions, it is understood that competitions were
organized here every 4 years and that the statues of the champion sportsmenwere erected. In the godly space to the West are the remains of the chief
god Zeus and his temples and in the south are those of the Temple of Sanda,Anatolian God of Masculinity and War. In the lower part of the godly space a
water cistern used to collect rain water is visible. To the east of theancient city was an Agora measuring 50x50 m in dimension, open on the
southern side, with rows of shops on the other three sides surrounded bycolumns. The 120 m long structure to the north is thought to have been a
basilica dating to the Byzantine era. Furthest east is the Necropolis of thecity. On the northern slope of the Necropolis hill three great tomb houses
are visible which have partly survived until the present time.
 
SİDE-SELİMİYE
 
75 km along the Antalya-Alanya motorway one goes in a seaward direction for3km to reach Selimiye. Selimiye, which is located upon a peninsula bearing
the same name is situated on the ruins of the city of Side. The area isfavoured by Turkish tourism with excellent holiday villages and hotels on
the shores of Titreyengöl and Kumköy. Along with the sea, sand and suntourists are offered cultural, hunting, natural, yachting, mountain, rafting
 camp tourism and jeep-safari tours. According to Anatolian mythology, Side,Goddess of Nature and Fertility, taking her little daughter, goes to the
valley of the river Manauwa/Manavgat together with the Nymphs. As she ispicking flowers with the Nymphs, Side comes across a tree with thin branches
 bright leaves and colourful flowers and breaks off the tree branch  to giveto her little daughter. Blood starts to drip from the branch. At that
instant Side understands that it was actually a Nymph, disguising herself asa tree in order to protect herself from the ill-willed humans chasing her,
and becomes very sad. She wants to walk away quickly. Her feet get stuck inthe ground, buried under the earth, and she cannot move. Starting with her
feet, her body begins to form a thin layer of bark and to take the shape ofa tree. The nymphs, becoming sad at this, weep and wet Side's roots. Saying
what she did was a mistake she tells the Nymphs: "I will hereafter be asymbol of nature, life and fertility with my rich fruit the colour of blood;
do bring my daughter here often, so she will play under my shade. Let hernot damage any tree. Maybe every tree or flower is a God in disguise." So,
the Side peninsula is filled with the trees of Side believed to have formedas such according to mythology. It is known that the name Side means
"Pomegranate" in the Luwian/Etruscan language. It is understood that thename Side, as written in the Gök Turk alphabet, is ış.ot.oğhu - ışık
otağı/ışıklı otağ-Işotağ (light tent/lighted tent) which passed into Frenchas "Chateau", English as "City", German as "Stadt" and Italian as "Citta",
and used to mean "city". The fact that the origin of the language of Sideincludes Luwian characteristics testifies that the history of the city dates
back to around 4000 B.C. It is thought that the people of Side were engagedin fishing and maritime trade on a small scale during this time. The
population of the city increased with the immigration of the variousAnatolian peoples returning from the Trojan War to Side. The city which
remained within the boundaries of western Cilicia of the Kizzuwatna LateHittite principality during the 9th century B.C. joined the Lydian league in
the 7th century and went under Persian sovereignty in 546 B.C. The city,which opened its gates to the Macedonian King Alexander the Great without
resistance in 334 B.C., was forced to add Hellenistic cultural elements todaily life. Moreover, religious faiths also changed. Athena was identified
with the Anatolian Mother Goddess, Kybele and Apollon with the Moon God, Men The city passed to the Kingdom of Pergamum for some time and then, becoming
a base for pirate attacks early in the 1st century B.C., the biggest slavemarket of the Mediterranean was established. Upon the clearance of the
Mediterranean shores from pirates it was annexed to the Roman lands andduring the Pax Romana era it reached the peak of its progress. After the 5th
century A.D. it became the bishopric centre and some of the temples weretransformed into Orthodox churches. From the 7th century onwards it was
exposed to and ruined and destroyed by the Arab raids and the city peopleimmigrated to the capital of the Pamphylian region, Attaleia. Because of the
sand erosion advancing towards the eastern gate and the earthquakes of the9th and 12th centuries the city was razed to the ground. The Turks who came
to the area in 1207 settled down in the northeast of the ancient city. Thearea which remained within the Seljuk boundaries until the 14th century was
annexed to the Ottoman lands in 1391. The Turks who recently immigrated fromthe island of Crete settled down here and founded a village named Selimiye
at the end of the peninsula. What is noteworthy upon entering the city arethe remains of the city walls and entrance gate. The remains of the Aqueduct
carrying water to Side are seen near the gate. In front of the remains arethe ruins of a great, three-storeyed monumental fountain, 15 m high and 35 m
wide, covered with marble embellished with geometrical and plant motifs onthe façade. On the façade of the fountain are the niches in the form of
oyster shells between the columns with Corinthian capitals visible. TheColonnaded Street, 250 m long, has today been asphalt-covered and the
remains of the houses on both sides of the street are in the form of smallchambers, fountain and toilet places lined around an inner hall. The great
agora of the city lies at the end of the colonnaded street and has a squarestructure measuring 92x92. To the South of the Agora surrounded by shops all
around, in the middle of the place where the temple of Fortuna, God of Luckand Trade can be seen, is a Latrine/Public Toilet for 24 people with
marble-facing and an arch made of brick. The Side Theatre with a seatingcapacity of 16,000  adjoining the Agora was constructed at the narrowest
point of the peninsula. The seating tiers in semicircular form with adiameter of 120 m are divided into two sections by a diazoma. Connections
for passage take the form of 12 steep flights of steps between the 29 caveason the lower section and 22 caveas on the upper section. The protocol used
to sit in the imperial box located in the middle of the upper caveas. Withthe lower sections of the caveas hollowed concavely in semicircular form it
was intended to improve acoustics. The orchestra of the theatre is insemicircular form with a diameter of 15m and a narrow channel is visible
around the earth floor. Excavations are still under way in the theatre,which was ruined and destroyed as a result of the Arab raids during the 8th
century A.D. and of which the stage building subsequently fell down onto theorchestra during an earthquake. The 9 chambers lined next to each other on
the lower floor were closed with iron railings during the Late Roman Epochand used as cages for wild animals and gladiators. The chambers on the upper
floor, on the other hand, served as dressing and resting rooms for actors.The plane surfaces on the lower section were decorated with friezes
depicting the mythological instants of Bacuss, god of wine and entertainment This theatre was used for outdoor rites during the Byzantine era. To the
northwest of the theatre is the single-basin Vespesian Fountain, 15 m highand 7 m wide, with the façade covered with marble facing and embellished
with 8 Corinthian capitals. To the west side of the theatre, the temple ofBacuss with a cella measuring 12x6 m is visible. In the great port bathhouse
to the southwest are 4 big halls, 3 small chambers and two gymnasiums. Inclose proximity of the great port bathhouse the Temple of Men, built in the
name of Men, the Anatolian moon god, is located. Clearly, of the two templeswith adjacent peripteral structures located at the southern end of the Side
peninsula, the one in the east belongs to Apollon, god of light, art andbeauty and the one in the west belongs to Athena, goddess of science, truth
and virginity and daughter of Zeus. The temple constructed in the name ofApollon measures 17x30 m and is of quadrangular form and has columns with
Corinthian capitals, 8,90 m high and measuring 6x11, around it. So-called"triglyphical" friezes of lions' feet are visible between the medusa heads
on the marble block on the columns. The Temple of Athena, on the other hand,has dimensions of 20x35 m and is encircled with Corinthian columns of the
same height as the Temple of Apollon. It was believed that these templesprotected and guided the Side port and Side ships. During the Byzantine Era
a basilica was constructed to the North of these two temples, that is, onTemenos. The Port located at the furthest Southern end of the peninsula was
of great importance for a city such as Side engaged in marine commerce. Thebathhouse complex built during the Roman epoch was transformed into Side
Museum as a result of the restorations of recent years, where sarcophagi,columns, busts, Torcho inscriptions, statues, statue pedestals, capitals,
friezes, reliefs and stelae unearthed during excavations are visible. Thesection which is viewed as a garden today was actually the gymnasium /
palaestra courtyard of the Roman Bathhouse. The most notable work of art inthe courtyard is the series of friezes depicting the mythological instants
of Poseidon, god of the sea. In a section close to the middle of the coldwater pool in the bathhouse, also called Agora Bathhouse, there is a
sun-dial placed during the Roman epoch. In the tepidarium hall, within 9 bigarched niches there are statues of gods, emperors, women, men, children and
torsos and busts. The most important of these is the statue of Hermes, 1.65m high, the guardian god of merchants and thieves. 3 marble sarcophagi
belonging to the Roman era are seen in the middle of the hall. The combinedmarble statues of three beauties, depicting the mythological beauty contest
between Athena, Aphrodite and Hera as causing the start of the Trojan Warare also in front of the pool. The most important find in the museum is the
inscription named Artemon and written in the Luwian/Etruscan alphabet. Alarge part of the city's necropolis is underneath the sand. As a result of
the excavation searches conducted during recent years it is understood thatthe two-storey building recovered in the eastern quarter was the Cosmas
Hospital, which Justinianus ordered to be constructed during the Byzantineera in the 6th century and where patients with leprosy were treated. The
first excavations around Side and its peninsula were started by Prof.A.MüfitMansel in 1947 and continued by Prof. Jale İnan and excavation and
restoration activities are still underway. Side has been taken under theprotection of UNESCO.
 
MANAVGAT
Manavgat is situated at a distance of 76 km from Antalya, on the banks ofthe river Manavgat. Sorgun Ormanı Forest and Titreyen Göl Lake, which was
formed as a result of the Manavgat River delta being filled with alluvia,are strikingly beautiful. In the North, the rock-filled Oymapınar Dam Lake,
constructed in the deep valley of the river Manavgat on the Taurus mountains is yet another place well worth a visit, also for its jeep-safari tours.
The fertile Manavgat plain, which mainly produces cotton, is suitable forthe production of 45 different kinds of fruits and vegetables, including
cereals and tropical fruits. In addition to greenhouse cultivation, whichhas an important place in the economy, is the development of fruit and
vegetable production and, during recent years, commercial flower cultivation Banana plantations are located at the easternmost point of the plain. There
are touristic facilities to world standards at Sorgun and Titreyengöllocated to the south of the district. The name Manavgat is known to mean
Temple of Manauwa/Mother Goddess in the Luwian/Etruscan language. It isthought that during various epochs it was used as the common sacred site of
the ancient cities of Seleukeia and Side. Of the Turkoman yörüks descendingin masses from the Taurus Mountains down to the Mediterranean littoral after
the Malazgirt Battle in 1071, Tugayoğulları settled in the west and SenirBeyleri in the east. The small cascade on Manavgat Creek is 2 m high and 40
m wide.      Located around it are a fish restaurant, a cafeteria, recreational sitesand souvenir shops. The great waterfalls are found in the Oymapınar Dam
direction of the small cascade. The delta where the creek joins the sea hasa unique beauty of its own. Here, daily river boat excursions are organised
during the summer season and sea products from the area are offered totourists during these excursions.         

SELEUKEIA
 
            To the northwest of Manavgat are the remains of the ancient cityof Seleukeia, situated within the Şıhlar settlement unit. The city is known
to have been founded as a fortified acropolis town to be used as a finaldefence and protection site in the case of an attack on Side. Upon the
capture of Side by pirates in the 2nd century B.C., a number of the peopleimmigrated to Seleukeia. The bronze statue of Apollon understood to have
been built during this era is on display in the Antalya Museum. During thePax Romana period, on the other hand, acropolis cities eventually lost their
former importance. The first of the remains are the city walls understood tohave been built between two straits. It is understood that the walls were
built at a height of 9 m, and the 5 m high city gate was located in themiddle. There is a quadrangular agora behind the gate. In the southeastern
part of the Agora is the odeon with 6 seating benches where, in addition tomusic concerts, the meetings of the administrative council of the city are
held. In the northwestern part of the Agora one can see a chapel with asingle apsis with polygonal external apsis walls, understood to have been
built during the Byzantine era. In the north of the Agora, 20 meters ahead,are the remains of a Temple of Apollon with a single cella and marble podium
 It is understood from the stones of ruined walls in front of the templethat a further inner wall was built as a result of the dangers involved
during the periods that followed. On the western slope of the land where theremains were found is a sacred cave where baptism rituals were carried out
in ancient times, which still holds drinking water even today. To the westof the cave, on the slope are the remains of a Roman bathhouse complex with
mosaic laid floor consisting of three main sections in the middle andvarious chambers at the sides. To the southwest of the bathhouse is a great
basilica with coloured marble slabs on the floor under which are sarcophagiare found.
 
ALANYA - KOREKESION
 
            On the eastern boundary of Antalya and in the very midst of anarrow littoral formed by the Taurus Mountains with an arc away from the
shore towards the North, the first settlement unit at an altitude of 250 mand 800 m in length, surrounded by natural beaches on both sides, situated
on a peninsula steeply plunging into the sea, later expanded down to thebeginning of the eastern littoral. Today, the area considered as one of the
foremost centres of Turkish tourism is covered with banana and citrus fruitplantations. It is known that the city was formerly named
"Korakassa/Karakassa" meaning "Point/Protruding City" in the Luwian/Etruscanlanguage. It is observed that later this name was adapted to the Hellenic
dialect and changed into Korakession. Alaaddin Keykubat, the Turkish SeljukSultan, who besieged the Fortress Korekession in 1221, demanded the city
folk to surrender the city. However, the number of the Turkish soldiers wasonly one fifth of the city's population. The Sultan announced to the city
folk that if they did not surrender the city, he would attack the city withan army of 100,000 soldiers and ruin and destroy the city. He also granted
some time to the Korekession King and rulers. The night before the last day,Turks gathered before the walls of the fortress in the darkness of night,
with torches tied onto the horns of thousands of goats. The Korekession Kingand rulers of the city, thinking that the Turkish army would attack with
substantial force, surrendered the city to the Turks. Thus, AlaaddinKeykubat, the Turkish Sultan, carried out the most interesting bluff in
history. According to Hittite inscriptions, the existence of a city namedKarkisa is mentioned in the area where today's city is located and it is
thought that the city folk originally came from the area Kawana within theborders of today's southwestern province of Konya. It has been discovered
that the historical trade route which descended from the Central Anatolianregion to the Mediterranean by passing from Kawana and southwards along the
valley of the creek and ended in Korekession has been in use for thousandsof years. During the Persian and Hellenistic eras, one military garrison
each was established, as the acropolis was suitable for this, thus it tookthe form of a military fortress. Because of the lack of control over the
Mediterranean during the 2nd century B.C. it was captured by pirates underthe command of Diodotos Tryphon, and during this epoch, various structures,
primarily including a palace, were built by the pirates on the acropolisfortress and thus, urbanisation started. After the final defeat of the
pirates of the Mediterranean by the Romans in 68 B.C. a Roman garrisonsubordinated to the province of Pamphylia was brought to the fortress. The
actual development of the city took place during the Byzantine era and thefortress regained its character of a city; basilicas and chapels of various
sizes were built; fortress walls were expanded with a somewhat large newpalatial building constructed upon them. During this era name of the city
was also changed to Kalonoros meaning "Beautiful Mountain". The name of thecity, which was seized by Turks in 1221, was changed to Alaiye in memory of
the Sultan Alaaddin and it was adorned with various structures reflectingTurkish Seljuk architecture. The inner fortress at the highest point of the
peninsula is 180 metres long and enclosed with walls. Extending from east towest, these walls were expanded during various epochs, totalling up to 6 km.
There are 80 towers and 150 bastions upon the fortress walls. The palace, ofwhich the remains can be see