Links of Antalya / TurkeyWednesday, February 14, 2007
TLOS / SAKLIKENT
The remains of the ancient city Tlos lie in the southern direction of the town Kemer, within the village Kale. The city was founded as an acropolis city with the name of Tlawa in the Luwian period. It commands a view over the roads in the valley of Xanthos. Tlos which became a metropolis and was adorned with various structures during the Roman era was inhabited until the 19th century. The springs of the creek Eşen flow through steep and narrow rocks in-between the deep valleys of the Taurus mountains from Altınyayla in the south of the ancient city Tlos. On the descent into the plain they run crashing down the sheer-cliffed narrow valley which is called Saklıkent catching the eye with its natural beauties. The valley is good for rafting and safari hiking. There are trout restaurants and picnic sites at the entrance of the valley.
LETOON / KUMLUOVA
To the west of Xanthos-Creek Eşen located are the remains of the ancient city Letoon within the settlement Kumluova. The name of the city is “Ladauwa” in the Luwian/Etruscan original, meaning “worshipping place of the mother goddess Lada”. History of this sacred place dates back to thousands of years before Christ. The Mother Goddess Cult found everywhere in Anatolia unavoidably took root in Lycia, too.It is understood that the cult, having been adapted to the area, took shape in the form of the trio Leto, Artemis, Apollon. Letoon which was established as a sanctuary in the Lycian Federation fell, like all the other Lycian cities, under the rule of the Persians in the 5th centry B.C., however, the Persians respected and did not damage this city. The sanctuar maintained its existence and functionality from Alexander to the Romans. The missionary activities during the early years of Christianity gave result with the propaganda of identifying the Mother Goddess Lada/Leto with the Holy Virgin and her son Apollon with Jesus Christ and thus, Christianity became spread throughout the area. Notwithstanding this, the sacred site of the pagan belief was preserved. The Arab raiders striving to spread Islam during the 7th century A.D., as soon as having landed on the shore, ruined Letoon, the target laid. One first encounters in the area the remains of three temples built alongside each other. The first one is the peripteral order temple Leto Temple, Ionic in style, and the adjacent one was built in association with a faith before Leto. The third temple known to belong to Leto’s children Apollon and Artemis was again built of peripteral order and its floor was paved with coloured mosaics. To the north of the sacred site is the theatre with 26 caveas visible. 16 masks were found at the southern entrance some of which belong to deities and some to mythological characters. Situated at the northern entrance is an interesting tomb. There is no sign of a stage building.
XANTHOS / KINIK
At the 5th km of the highway Kaş – Fethiye, the remains of the ancient city of Xanthos are visible upon a hill at a height of 100 m on the eastern bank of the creek Eşen flowing through the village Kınık. The name of the city is “Sindawana” in the Luwian/Etruscan language, meaning “the place of the mother goddess Sindan”. Subsequently, as a result of a phonetic change this name became Xanthos, meaning “yellow” in the Hellenic language. The city was set up by the Etruscans/Luwians. During the Lycian era it was named as Arnna for a while. The population of the city increased with the coming of those returning from the Troian War along with the other Anatolian peoples. Xanthos which served as the capital of the Lycian Federation established in the 6th century B.C. was besieged by Harpago, the Persian Commander, in 540 B.C. Xanthians who clung to their independence courageously resisted to the occupiers. When rendered helpless they gathered women and children in a building on the acropolis and set it on fire and they themselves committed suicide by jumping off from the acropolis, 100 m high, into the creek Xanthos. 80 families who happened to be elsewhere during this time of mass suicide returned to the city after a while and rebuilt the city. In 334 B.C. they resisted to Alexander, the Macedonian King, the way they did to Persians, however, in the end, they had to yield. Subsequently, the city passed into the hands of the Egyptians, Seleucids and Rhodians.
In 168 B.C. it was included within the re-established Lycian Federation. With the maritime commerce thriving, the city went beyond the borders of acropolis and was adorned with new structures. In 42 B.C. when the Roman Brutus besieged the city, the city folks, in the way their ancestors did centuries ago, set the city on fire in order to prevent the capturing of their women and children by the enemy and committed suicide. According to the story the Romans were touched by this event and they saved 150 people from those. In 41 B.C. Emperor Marcus Antonius encouraged the development of the city and Xanthos which earned the appreciation of the Roman Emperors during the Pax Romana epoch attained its heydays. The city became the episcopal centre during the Byzantine era. It was ruined and abandoned after the Arab raids following the 7th century A.D. Advancing through the village towards the north, the remains of the acropolis walls are seen. Climbing up from here one arrives at the agora of square plan. The obelisk/inscribed rock in the square is erected upon a great burial chamber. The epigraph is inscribed in the Luwian/Etruscan language and has a monolithic, prismatic structure. It has 250 lines and is inscribed on all four sides of the massive rock. It is about the heroic acts of Lycians in their war with the Persians. In the south of the square is the theatre of which the foundations were laid during the 2nd century A.D.. It was built as it appears today during the Lycian era. Opramoas, of Rhodiapolis, donated 30 thousand Denarii to the construction of the theatre. The caveas of the theatre with a seating capacity of 8 thousand are divided into two with a diazoma. There are 16 tiers at the lower and 4 tiers at the upper sections. The façade of the two-storeyed stage building is embellished with columns and reliefs. It has 5 stage doors on the lower floor. Immediately to the west of the theatre towering are two monumental tombs considered as the symbol of Xanthos, capital of Lycia. The first one of these is the Harpies Monument. It is in the form of a burial chamber placed upon a block stone rising upon a prismatic monolithic pillar, 8 m high. It is embellished with the reliefs of descriptions of the family of a Lycian hero, three men, women, pomegranade and siren. Their originals were smuggled to the British Museum in London and are on display in the hall of the same name there. The monument adjacent to this one is the stone podium and the Lycian type sarcophagus established upon a prismatic burial chamber, 5 m high. On the other side of the theatre the remains of a palace and water cisterns used to collect rainwater are noteworthy. The main upper part of the famous Nereid Monument is in the British Museum in London. The depiction of 12 dancing female Nereids in the reliefs gave this name to the monument. The city has two necropolises with lion’s figures. On the western side the second agora of the city and the remains of a basilica built during the Byzantine era are visible. Touristic canoeing and rafting tours are organized on the creek Eşen today.
In 168 B.C. it was included within the re-established Lycian Federation. With the maritime commerce thriving, the city went beyond the borders of acropolis and was adorned with new structures. In 42 B.C. when the Roman Brutus besieged the city, the city folks, in the way their ancestors did centuries ago, set the city on fire in order to prevent the capturing of their women and children by the enemy and committed suicide. According to the story the Romans were touched by this event and they saved 150 people from those. In 41 B.C. Emperor Marcus Antonius encouraged the development of the city and Xanthos which earned the appreciation of the Roman Emperors during the Pax Romana epoch attained its heydays. The city became the episcopal centre during the Byzantine era. It was ruined and abandoned after the Arab raids following the 7th century A.D. Advancing through the village towards the north, the remains of the acropolis walls are seen. Climbing up from here one arrives at the agora of square plan. The obelisk/inscribed rock in the square is erected upon a great burial chamber. The epigraph is inscribed in the Luwian/Etruscan language and has a monolithic, prismatic structure. It has 250 lines and is inscribed on all four sides of the massive rock. It is about the heroic acts of Lycians in their war with the Persians. In the south of the square is the theatre of which the foundations were laid during the 2nd century A.D.. It was built as it appears today during the Lycian era. Opramoas, of Rhodiapolis, donated 30 thousand Denarii to the construction of the theatre. The caveas of the theatre with a seating capacity of 8 thousand are divided into two with a diazoma. There are 16 tiers at the lower and 4 tiers at the upper sections. The façade of the two-storeyed stage building is embellished with columns and reliefs. It has 5 stage doors on the lower floor. Immediately to the west of the theatre towering are two monumental tombs considered as the symbol of Xanthos, capital of Lycia. The first one of these is the Harpies Monument. It is in the form of a burial chamber placed upon a block stone rising upon a prismatic monolithic pillar, 8 m high. It is embellished with the reliefs of descriptions of the family of a Lycian hero, three men, women, pomegranade and siren. Their originals were smuggled to the British Museum in London and are on display in the hall of the same name there. The monument adjacent to this one is the stone podium and the Lycian type sarcophagus established upon a prismatic burial chamber, 5 m high. On the other side of the theatre the remains of a palace and water cisterns used to collect rainwater are noteworthy. The main upper part of the famous Nereid Monument is in the British Museum in London. The depiction of 12 dancing female Nereids in the reliefs gave this name to the monument. The city has two necropolises with lion’s figures. On the western side the second agora of the city and the remains of a basilica built during the Byzantine era are visible. Touristic canoeing and rafting tours are organized on the creek Eşen today.
PINARA – MİNARE
To the west of the highway Antalya – Fethiye, after passing by the town Eşen and climbing up the village Minare 5 km to the south, one arrives at the remains of the ancient city Pınara. Obviously, the city was “Pinale”, a Luwian settlement, thousands of years old. The abundance of round form rocks in the south of the Cragus mountains and the meaning of the name Pinale being “round” in the original language confirm this thesis. The population of Pinale which was established as an acropolis city increased with those returning from the Troian War and those immigrating from Xanthos. During the 6th century Pınara which was a leading city of the Lycian Federation was occupied by the Persians. In 334 B.C., on the other hand, it did not resist to Alexander. Later on, it was included in the Lycian Federation and minted its first coin. Even though it became semi-independent during the epoch of the Kingdom of Pergamum, it was subsequently annexed to the Roman lands. Pınara became the centre of bishopric in the Byzantine era. It declined in importance and was abandoned in the 9th century. Behind the acropolis walls forming a round site, water cisterns were built used to collect rainwater. On the mountain surface upwards hundreds of rock tombs and hollows of tombs are visible. Acropolis walls stand up to a height of 4 m at places. To the west of the agora square in the south-north direction there is a large building belonging to the city’s statesmen. Adjacent to the building, there is an odeon with 13 tiers of seats and a seating capacity of 700, enclosed with walls on four sides where both concerts were performed and the city council meetings were held. The bathhouse was built of an interesting style. It consists of three adjoining chambers of square plan and an apse. It was constructed of a style rather unusual in Lycia. The theatre was built outside of the city walls. It had a seating capacity of 5 thousand and its 27 caveas were built upon a rocky mass. There are 10 vertical flights of steps on them. Opening from the long and thin stage building of square plan into the orchestra there are five doors with columns of Doric order visible at the sides of the doors. It appears that the city walls were restored at places during the Byzantine era. During this era an episcopal church was also constructed of square plan and with a single apse.
PATARA / GELEMİŞ
Travelling from Kaş to Fethiye one arrives at the village Gelemiş at the southern point of the plain Xanthos-Eşen. Scattered in the marshy area and among the dunes of sand of the coast exposed to sand erosion remains of the ancient city Patara are seen. The name of the city is “Padaura” in the Luwian/Etruscan language. The word “pa” means “water” and “ura” means “ground” and accordingly, the name of the city means “marshy ground / river ground”. It appears that the inlet extending up to the Taurus Mountains in the north during prehistorical times was filled with the silt carried by the creek Patara in time and thus, formed a small bay. In times of antiquity, various structures were built around the bay and the area was used as the harbour of the city of Xanthos, capital of the Lycian region. The city which grew with the influx of people from other Lycian cities later came to be known as “Ptari”. The city minted its first coin during the Lycian era. It thrived greatly and built a great temple in honour of the god Apollon. It became the second largest centre of oracle/prophecy of the Mediterranean. Patara was occupied by the Persians during the 5th century. It opened its gates to Alexander in 333 B.C. Subsequently, it passed into the hands of the Egyptians, Seleucids and Rhodians. Finally, it was included within the Lycian Federation. It is one of the 6 great cities within the Federation. During the Pax Romana era, on the other hand, when the maritime commerce developed, it became a harbour where the cereals carried from Anatolia were stored and shipped. When Apollon came to be identified with Jesus Christ it became a religious centre and a place frequented by the Christian saints. The harbour was entirely filled up with the silt carried by the creek Patara and turned into a marshland. The remains were largely covered with sand as a result of erosion. There is a lighthouse in the west of the harbour. Inscriptions in the Lycian language are found on this structure which is assumed to be two-storeyed. The structure contains a cereals silo / granarium consisting of 8 chambers in equal sizes. To the north of the granarium a mausoleum is visible. Its front façade is embellished with four columns. An aqueduct, 6 m high, appears to have carried water to the city from Letoon. In the necropolis a Lycian type monumental tomb and stone-carved sarcophagi having inscriptions in the Lycian language are seen. Down from the necropolis towards the sea the city entrance gate in the form of a triumphal arch is visible. It appears that the triumphal arch was built by the Lycian people in the name of Modestus, the Lycian Governor. In the western side of the triumphal arch a stone podium was unearthed in an earth mass. The existence of a ceramic belonging to the classical era and an Apollon head suggests that here was the foundation of the famous Apollon Temple. In the south there are the remains of a Roman Bathhouse comprising five large rooms. In the north of the bathhouse are the remains of a Byzantine basilica visible. It is claimed that the basilica was built on the foundations of the house where St.Nicholaus was born. He was born in Patara, but, engaged in his religious activities in Myra and died there.
To the west of it is the temple belonging to Fortuna, goddess of luck and trade. The theatre of the city partially remains submerged in the sand dunes because of erosion. Theatre caveas comprise 34 tiers and are divided in the middle by a diazoma. The stage building which is 30 m high is two-storeyed. At the lower section 5 doors are visible through which performers went on the podium as well as 5 windows above them. According to an inscription found here the front façade of the stage building was marble faced. Again, an inscription found here informs us that the building was financed by a Pataran woman with the name of Vilia Prucula in 147 A.D. and that in addition to the statues of various deities her statue also existed on the lower section of the stage building. Tombs and remains of tombs are seen on the acropolis hill. Among the remains of tombs a square water cistern in the form of a pit with a diameter of 10 m descended through flights of stone-cut steps is visible. It was used to collect rainwater. On the hill facing the sea are the remains of the Temple of Athena. A large part of the ancient remains is buried by marshes and sand today. As a result of the excavations carried out by Prof. F. Işık some important remains of the city were recovered. These consist of house-like tombs, sarcophagi and the Temple of Apollon located at the entrance area into the city. A roadside guiding monument was found named Stadiasmus consisting of 41 stone blocks showing the distance between 70 Lycian cities. Today, the Patara area is under protection. All kinds of accomodation services are provided to tourists without damaging the natural and cultural structures. Its charming beach of fine sand extending for kilometres-long is ideal for daily touristic excursions. As this coast is the egg-laying site of the Caretta turtles during certain times it is taken under protection at those times
To the west of it is the temple belonging to Fortuna, goddess of luck and trade. The theatre of the city partially remains submerged in the sand dunes because of erosion. Theatre caveas comprise 34 tiers and are divided in the middle by a diazoma. The stage building which is 30 m high is two-storeyed. At the lower section 5 doors are visible through which performers went on the podium as well as 5 windows above them. According to an inscription found here the front façade of the stage building was marble faced. Again, an inscription found here informs us that the building was financed by a Pataran woman with the name of Vilia Prucula in 147 A.D. and that in addition to the statues of various deities her statue also existed on the lower section of the stage building. Tombs and remains of tombs are seen on the acropolis hill. Among the remains of tombs a square water cistern in the form of a pit with a diameter of 10 m descended through flights of stone-cut steps is visible. It was used to collect rainwater. On the hill facing the sea are the remains of the Temple of Athena. A large part of the ancient remains is buried by marshes and sand today. As a result of the excavations carried out by Prof. F. Işık some important remains of the city were recovered. These consist of house-like tombs, sarcophagi and the Temple of Apollon located at the entrance area into the city. A roadside guiding monument was found named Stadiasmus consisting of 41 stone blocks showing the distance between 70 Lycian cities. Today, the Patara area is under protection. All kinds of accomodation services are provided to tourists without damaging the natural and cultural structures. Its charming beach of fine sand extending for kilometres-long is ideal for daily touristic excursions. As this coast is the egg-laying site of the Caretta turtles during certain times it is taken under protection at those times
KALKAN
Kalkan, located to the southernmost end of the Teke peninsula, by the small bay of the same name, is a new settlement unit. Obviously, the first settlers of the area were the Tekelioğlu Turkomans who first immigrated to the Gömbe and Elmalı plateaux and, then, moving down to the south, settled and built their villages in the Eşen Valley and the Yeşilköy-Fırnaz plains. Some of the Turkomans who settled in Yeşilköy laid the foundations of today’s district of Kalkan which is by the bay on the other side of the hill of the same name in the east of the village. For years, Kalkan remained as a small community annexed to Yeşilköy. In recent years, however, due to the very low rate of humidity of its fine air and the hotel, motel and pension house businesses, fish restaurants, cafeterias and marina, it has become a popular centre for tourism. Located in the east of Kalkan is the KAPUTAŞ BEACH with its strand measuring 60 m long by 20 m wide between the sheer falez rocks of 25 m height, is the best known natural bay formed by the Taurus mountains running perpendicular to the shore. In the east of the beach is the BLUE CAVE, with a diameter of 60x70 m, having a pebbly strand and formed of sea erosion beneath the falez rocks. The cave is accessible by touristic boats.
KAŞ / ANTIPHELLOS
Located to the southernmost point of the Teke peninsula, at the tip of the bay of the same name, is the settlement of Kaş. The town has become a true centre for tourism thanks to its increasing touristic potential during the recent years. The origin of the name of the city is traced back to the “Aprillans”, kinsmen of Lukka/Lycians among the Nordic tribes who migrated to Anatolia, moving down to the south in 3000s B.C. The Aprillans first settled in Vehinda, which was a Luwian settlement, at an altitude of 900 m from the sea, and enlarged it with a population increase and renamed it Phellos. It began thriving. Later on, they felt the need to get involved in shipping trade and thus, they moved to the shore from tableland and settled in the small Habesuwa/Habesos harbour complex established by Luwians where Kaş is today. They adorned the harbour with various structures and they also renamed the harbour Antiphellos meaning “Opposite Phellos” in order to avoid any presumptions that it is a separate settlement from Phellos, their main city. The flourishing “Opposite Phellos” became the most important trade centre of the area. In time, the city declined and was abandoned as was the case with all other Lukka/Lycian cities. During late 11th century Kınık Turks of Tekeoğulları came to the area and settled down in Kasaba and Gömbe first. Later, without spoiling the original name of the city of Antiphellos they removed Phellos and started pronouncing it as “Karşı” in short. This word became “Karş” and then “Kaş” in time. As stated before, the history of the city starts with the “Aprillans” during 3000s B.C. The ancient wooden book belonging to Nefertiti is the best evidence of the relations between the Lycian coastal cities aand Egypt. The city which joined the Lycian Federation in the 6th century B.C. was subsequently captured by pirates. It started developing after it was included within the borders of the Roman Empire. The first ancient remains in the city are the 7 metre-tall and 500 metre-long walls of the quay made of block stones, and they stretch in the east-west direction along the shore. To the north of these walls, the remains of a square temple with a 5 metre-tall stone podium attract the attention. The prostylos temple has one cella and it was used as a chapel during the Byzantine era. A small theatre with 26 rows of seats is seen in the west of the city. The caveas have retained their original height. The seats lean on an arched semicircular gallery. There is a mausoleum built in Doric style behind the theatre. The sides of the 2 metre-high entrance to the mausoleum are made to resemble those of a door’s and the entrance appears to have been closed by a stone. A frieze, depicting 21 small women holding hands and dancing, with wind-blown skirts, is seen on the back of the stone podium on which the deceased was placed. The necropolis of the city stretches in a north-west direction. Many sarcophagi and rock tombs are seen in the necropolis. The most attractive sarcophagus as preserved up to the present day is the one in the city centre, consisting of three sections, which is 1.5 metres high, house-like and embellished with carvings.KEKOVA ISLAND
The island that gives its name to the area is in front of the village of Kaleköy and it is accessible by boat. It is a long and narrow island measuring 7.4 km long by 500 metres wide, at its section closest to the shore. The deepest point between the island and the shore is 104 metres. The island is covered with maquis and red pine trees are found at certain places. Wild olive trees are the most abundant vegetation on the island where there is also a spring. Daily boat tours to the island start from Demre and Kaş. The origin of the city’s name is Luwian/Etruscan. It was “Khawakuwa” in the Luwian/Etruscan language and meant “land of sheep/bull”. As a matter of fact, the word “Khawa” passed, through phonetic variations, to English as “cow” and to German as “Kuh” meaning the same in these languages. Based on this information, it is assumed that a “bull/sheep” cult existed in Kekowa and that it was a shelter and sacred reproduction place for animals such as sheep, bulls and cows, which were considered sacred. Indeed, the Turkomans who came to the area in the 11th century settled on the shore across the island and preserved this tradition up to this day taking their herds to the island every year. Furthermore, the name Kekova can be meaningfully read in its old Gök=Kök Turk writing. Accordingly, Kekova means “Ingögova / mavigökova” (sky blue plain). The remains of the settlement with the same name as the island are seen on the northern side which faces the mainland. The island sank a few metres during an earthquake in antiquity. The remains of buildings seen under the sea, along the northern shore of the island, confirm this. Following the earthquake, the survivors moved to the sister cities of Simena and Teimiussa on the shore across the island. As one approaches by boat the side of the island of Kekova which faces the mainland, one sees the harbour walls, shops, sidewalks and stone steps of the Sunken City under the sea. Half-sunken houses are also seen. The remnants of the apse of a Byzantine church, built in the 5th century A.D. by Orthodox missionaries to spread Christianity in Lycia, of square plan and embellished with frescoes are seen on the shore of the Bay of Tersane. SİMENA / ÜÇAĞIZ KALEKÖY The ancient city of Simena is located on the peninsula right across the island of Kekova. Today, the small fishing village of Kale is situated among the ruins of Simena. The village of Üçağız, also accessible overland, is 20 kms to the south of the Demre – Kaş highway. Boat tours are organized to here from Demre/Çayağzı and Kaş. The fish restaurants along the shore serve to boat and yacht tourists. Kallipos is a hero among the founders of the city Simena. The name of Simena appears to be a phonetic variation of “Soamawana” which means “land of the Great Mother” in the Luwian/ Etruscan language. In one of his books, Stephanos, a Byzantine historian, refers to Simena as Somena. The history of the city dates back to around 3000 B.C. Following the Trojan War in the 12th century B.C., many Gallipolians who had sided with the Trojan King Hector, appear to have settled in Soamawana. Later, the city joined the Lycian Federation and minted its first coin in the 4th century B.C. Following the earthquake during which the city of Kekova sank into the sea, the population of Simena increased due to the influx of surviving Kekovans and the city expanded beyond the fortress. For a certain period of time, Simena was ruled by pirates. During the Roman era, Simena remained an independent city and preserved its Luwian/Etruscan culture and language. During the 9th century, triggered by an earthquake and the increasing draught, it began to decline. The most prominent structure in the area is the fortress surrounding the acropolis. The fortress is built by using the octagonal and polygonal wall techniques. The pointed arches of the towers of the fortress are an architectural feature of the Etruscan/Thracian tribe. The walls were repaired during the Byzantine era and the Middle Ages. The main entrance gate of the fortress is rectangular and it is constructed of regularly cut blocks of stone. There are cisterns within the fortress. In addition, there is a small theatre with a seating capacity of 400 and consisting of 8 rows of cavea. The orchestra has earthen floor and the structure behind the orchestra suggests that a small wooden room served as a changing room for performers. This was the smallest theatre in the Lycian region. It may be associated with the male population staying away from home for long periods of time; because they were sailors or fishermen, they did not need a large theatre. Outside the city walls, overlooking the sea, there is the stoa of the temple of Poseidon. Down towards the shore, the remains of the bathhouse of rectangular plan stand out among the other ruins. The walls of the structure were built using the polygonal wall technique and according to an inscription, it was presented to Emperor Titus. Remains of houses are seen scattered in the area. There are more than twenty house-like tombs and they are all carved into rock in the form of doors and windows. Their façades bear inscriptions in the Lycian stating facts about the deceased. Sarcophagi are carved out of rock.
Their lids are pointed arched. The ruins of the ancient city of THEIMUSSA are found within the borders of the Üçağız village which is located immediately to the west of Simena. Among the ruins, several towers and various Lycian tombs are the most conspicuous. On the façade of one of the Lycian tombs, there is an inscription of the name of the deceased which was Kluwanimi. This proves that the site was a Luwian/Etruscan settlement and that the settlers were of Luwian origin. APERLAI – SICAK İSKELESİ The remains of the ancient city of Aperlai are seen on the southern side of the long and narrow inlet, called Sıcak, which was the second largest natural harbour in Middle Lycia. It is in the east of Bay of Kaş. The natural harbour is like a lake and it is bordered by high hills on three sides. In the Luwian/Etruscan language, the origin of the name of the city was “Aprillai” meaning “river canyon”. In the Luwian/Etruscan language, “Apr/Abra” meant “flowing water” and “ela/ila” meant “canyon”. The area is called Akar Boğazı river canyon today as it is at the tip of a long and narrow bay. The city existed in the same period as the other Luwian settlements of Kekova and Simena. It was established by the Aprillans, one of the Nordic tribes who came to Anatolia in 3000s B.C. at the site of a small preexisting Luwian harbour town. In time, it developed and expanded, and in the 6th century B.C., like the neighbouring cities, it joined the Lycian Federation. Aperlai represented also the other Aprillan cities in the Lycian Federation. It minted its first coin in the 5th century. The city, which was ruled by pirates for a while in the 1st century B.C., together with the cities of Simena, Apollonia and Isinda, possessed one vote in the Roman Lycian State Assembly, too, and collectively, they were referred to as the “Aprillans”. During the Gordion period, many structures in this ancient Lycian city were restored and new structures were built beyond the city limits, towards the coast, to enlarge the city. The city walls were restored and an Orthodox basilica was built in the Byzantine era. Also, the city was included within the borders of the bishopric. The remains of the ancient city are seen within the city walls, built to the rectangular and polygonal techniques at an altitude of 100 metres. The city walls of square form have defense towers on both sides. A stone architrave, 1.5 metres in width and 3 metres in length, rests below the semicircular frontal on the main city gate. The remains of a Byzantine church are seen in the northwestern corner of the acropolis-like fortress. Three square defense towers of square plan lean on the northern city walls. The remnants of a small Byzantine chapel are seen within the fortress. Over the years, the walls of the fortress were extended in the north-south direction towards the shore, and at the furthest end, within the harbour walls close by the sea, spaces were built every 15 metres to accommodate boats. The structures behind the 50 metre-long harbour walls were used as stores or storage areas. The necropolis of the city is in the east of the city walls and has many Lycian sarcophagi. Reliefs of flowers and other plants or inscriptions pertaining to the identity of the deceased are seen on the sarcophagi. APOLLONIA / KILINÇLI The ruins of the ancient city of Apollonia are within the borders of the village of Kılınçlı, 20 km inland, to the north of the coastal city of Aperlai in the Middle Lycian region. The origin of the word Apollon is “Apullwan” in the Luwian/Etruscan language, but, later it was pronounced like a Greek word as a result of a phonetic change. As a matter of fact, “Apa” meant “water” and “ula/ulla” meant “woodland /bushes” in the Luwian/Etruscan language. Accordingly, the name of the city meant “Apullwana/land of the god worshipped in the water hole”. According to an inscription discovered in the area, the city was founded by the Aprillans, who separated from the Aperlais of the same ethnic origin, during the Lycian period, and the citizens referred to themselves as the “Apollonian Aprillans”. Apollonia which was included in the Lycian Federation minted its first coin during the Roman era. The city developed during the Byzantine era. During this period, the city walls were restored. The theatre of the city was used as an open-air basilica. The city was looted during the Arab invasions after the 7th century and later it was attacked by the Genoese and Rhodian pirates and lost its identity. Today, the remains of the ancient city are found on top of the 90 metre-high acropolis hill and its slopes in the north of the village of Kılınçlı. The city walls of the acropolis meet the eye first. The foundation of these walls was constructed with gigantic irregular stone blocks during the Lycian period. Later, during the Roman and Byzantine eras, they were restored using rubble. The walls used to surround the acropolis hills, but, today, only the walls in the west are still standing. The assumption is that the main city gate was in the southern walls and that it was defended by towers on each side. The theatre is on a rocky hillside and only a few rows of its seats are extant. Many cisterns are also seen in the area. The openings of these cisterns resemble bell towers. The necropolis is on the northern slope of the acropolis hill and there are Lycian type sarcophagi. The most interesting tomb in the necropolis is the square Monumental Tomb which consists of a sarcophagus resting on a square stone podium on a stone pedestal and a stone-carved lid in the shape of the roof of a house, with geometrical and various plant motif carvings on its face.SURA
Travelling westward from Demre to Kaş and reaching the main highway which after the 6th km heads towards the south, one arrives at the Sura Village consisting of a few houses by the side of the road. To the west of the village are the remains of the acropolis city Sura situated on top of the hill, 80 metres high. The name Sura is derived from the word “Soaura” which meant “great and sacred Swa/Soa” in the Luwian/Etruscan language. As a matter of fact, in ancient times, there used to be a temple dedicated to Men, the Anatolian Moon and Light god, and a centre for prophecy in the city. Apollon, formerly Men, was, as in the whole of Lycia, venerated in this area, too, and names of the temple and the centre for prophecy became “Apollon Soura”. According to Painus’ account, the monks in the prophecy temple used to dip pieces of fish on skewers in the water and prophesize according to the shapes of the fish within the water. According to the 6th century Lycian inscription found in a rock tomb on the hill of the acropolis, Sura was a member of the Lycian Federation and it was the foremost Apollon sanctuary and centre for prophecy in the eastern Lycian region. During the Persian and Roman eras, Sura continued to be considered a sacred city. When Christianity spread in Anatolia, a Byzantine chapel with a single apse was built in the north of the Temple of Apollon and the temple for prophecy and it was used as an Orthodox basilica. Sura’s popularity began to decline as the Church of St. Nicholas in Myra became popular and the church became a place of pilgrimage. The eastern and western sides of the acropolis are bordered by thick walls. Defense towers are seen on the eastern and western acropolis city walls. A Lycian type sarcophagus is seen in the southeast of the acropolis and right across it, there is a rock tomb with an inscription in Lycian on its façade. The Temple of Apollon and the centre for prophecy are reached by going down the steps carved out of rock in the north of the acropolis. Columns with Doric capitals are used to surround the temple built in the form of a templum in antis. The remains of a Byzantine chapel with a single apse are seen in the north of the temple. Additionally, the remains of a lookout tower are found outside the city walls near the main road.
ANDRIAKE/PORT OF MYRA
The most prominent ruin of Andriake, a harbour town annexed to the city of Myra and located at the point where Demre creek flows into the sea, is the rectangular Granarium, which consists of eight rooms. Next to the entrance gate of the structure consisting of 7 sections are the busts of Roman Emperor Hadrian and Empress Sabina, leaning on ornamented blocks. In the centre of the second gate, there are the reliefs of Sarapis and Pluton. Information pertaining to trade and customs is stated in the inscription below the reliefs. The remains of state buildings, houses, the Lycian type sarcophagi in the necropolis and two Byzantine churches, the apses of which can be distinguished, and aqueducts are seen in the city. Other ancient remains are under the silt. This area called Çayağzı today is the starting point of daily boat tours to Kekova. Located to the northwest of the beach where there are touristic fish restaurants is Demre Mineral Springs (spa) at a temperature of 15º improving the human organism and beneficial to suffers of skin diseases.
MYRA/DEMRE-KALE
Located at the southeastern end of the Teke peninsula, the plain of Demre is formed by the alluvia carried by Demre creek as it springs from the slopes of Mount Akdağ and reaches the sea, carrying with it the soil of Kasaba plain. The remains of the ancient city of Myra, established at a point where the semicircular plain of Demre, formed by the arc of the Taurus Mountains towards the north which then bends towards the sea, joins the hillside are reached by passing through the district. Demre is today one of the foremost touristic centres of the region thanks to, primarily, the Church of St. Nicholas and its unique rock tombs as well as the splendid coast. In the Luwian/Etruscan language the name of the city is found to be “Maura” which meant “Place of the Great Mother Goddess”. Over the years it changed, first to “Mura” and then to Myra. Moreover, the name Myra can be meaningfully read in the old Gök Turk writing. Accordingly, the name Myra can be read as “place of Amay” meaning “place of Amay Mother-Great Mother”. Lying on the slope of the mountains, surrounding the plain of Demre in the northwest, facing the sea, the remains of the acropolis city can be seen. The walls of the acropolis, at an elevation of 200 m, were built of Cyclopean stones. It is understood that the history of the area, referred to as Termilia in the Lycian inscriptions, dates back to several thousand years B.C. After the establishment of the Lycian Federation during the 7th century B.C. the city people moved down from the acropolis and settled on the plain where the current remains of the ancient city are found. Myra minted its first coin with a depiction of the mother goddess on it during the 4th century B.C. Myra, which was one of the major cities of the Lycian Federation, having the right of three votes, remained under Persian occupation until 300 B.C. and was then captured by pirates. At the point where Myra creek, dried up today, flowed into the Mediterranean after running through the city there was a port settlement unit named Andriake. Due to the unsuitability of the river bed for ship transportation, the ships entering the river could go right into the city of Myra. Thus the city, with its highly developed maritime commerce, was exposed to invasions during various periods. Therefore, in order to protect Myra, essentially a major city, thick chains were drawn at the mouth of the river in the port of Andriake to prevent the entry of enemy ships in times of danger. When these chains were broken by the Roman Lentulus in 42 B.C. the city was seized by the Romans. Myra enjoyed the peak of its prosperity when it was adorned with various structures during the Pax Romana era. The city, which was promoted to the status of a metropolis during the Byzantine period in the 2nd century A.D., became a major centre of Christianity and achieved great fame as a result of the efforts of a bishop named St. Nicholas who lived during the 4th century. When St. Nicholas died here a church was built in his name. The city, which sustained damages as a result of the Arab raids during the 7th and 9th centuries, remained under Arab occupation for a while and when Turks came to the area during the late 11th century they settled down on the flatland in front of the Ancient City of Myra and established today’s district of Demre.
ST. NICHOLAS- FATHER CHRISTMAS St. Nicholas, who was born in Patara in around 300 A.D., served as a bishop in the city of Myra where he died. St. Nicholas, who was believed to have worked various miracles in his time, was regarded as the greatest protector and guard of sailors, merchants, the poor and wretched, and, above all, children. Even today, he is believed to bring presents to children in the whole Christian world on Christmas Day every year. In the western world, Father Christmas is portrayed differently in different Christian countries depending on their respective geographical characteristics: In Scandinavian countries he is portrayed bringing presents to children riding on a sleigh drawn by reindeer whereas in the Mediterranean countries he is pictured in his red costume delivering his presents by entering through the door and down chimneys. Indeed, we should point out that the origin of these Christmas celebrations on December 25th dates back to very ancient times, that is, to the pagan holiday celebrations of the “Rise of the Invisible Sun/Amon Ra”. As a matter of fact, the mass, referred to as “Natalis Invecni Soli” in Latin, celebrating the start of winter, continued to be practiced until the 3rd century A.D. when it was adopted by the Christians. St. Nicholas, who was essentially a humanist bishop and is understood to have adopted a lifestyle that emphasised love among people, was born in Patara as the child of a rich family. His parents were the richest family of the city and they had very strong religious beliefs. Nicholas, who stood upright when washed in the basin as a baby, was nursed by his mother only on Wednesdays and Fridays. In his youth, instead of playing with his friends, he used to go to the church regularly and study the sacred script. Later, he studied theology at the monastery in Xanthos. After the death of his parents, he dedicated his life to helping people. One day, he was deeply affected by what he heard while passing by his neighbour’s house in Myra and decided to do something about it. The tale of his first deed is as follows: His neighbour was a very devout but extremely poor man with three daughters. He had no money for dowry for his daughters and according to the customs of the day a dowry was necessary for girls to marry. He did not know what to do and blamed himself for his poverty thinking that he was being punished for his sins. He prayed day and night. His daughters kept telling him that he should sell himself at the slave market to get the money for their dowry. Hearing this conversation, Nicholas threw a bag of gold through the window and walked away. The next night, he threw in another bag of gold but this time his neighbour spotted him. He came running after Nicholas and fell on his knees to thank him. Nicholas told his neighbour never to mention his good deed to anybody. During this time, there was an election for a bishop in the church in Myra. Since there were many nominees, it was taking a long time to elect one. One night, the oldest member of the church council had a revelation. A voice told him that a person named Nicholas would be the first one to enter through the door of the church to attend the mass next morning and that he should become the bishop. Indeed, Nicholas would be the first one to come to the morning mass and he was immediately seated in the chair for bishops. While he was a bishop, he treated everyone the same. His advice was convincing and he talked quickly but softly. He used to pray day and night, and stayed away from gatherings of women. He represented Myra in the Iznik Council in 325 A.D. One day, a group of sailors, who had never met Nicholas, but had heard of his reputation, was caught in a storm and their ship was about to sink. They began to pray and ask for the help of Nicholas. Suddenly, they saw his apparition which told them, “Look, I am here. You have called me and I will help you”. The storm subsided quickly and the apparition helped them repair the broken ship mast and the torn sail. When the sailors reached Myra, they went directly to the church to thank Nicholas. When he heard the sailors’ story, Nicholas said, “It wasn’t me who helped you; It was God’s gift to you in return of your strong belief in Him.” While Nicholas was a bishop in Myra, famine broke out in the area. One day he heard that one of the ships which had stopped in the harbour of Myra on its way to Alexandria, was carrying wheat. He asked the sailors to give the wheat to the citizens of Myra but they refused saying that the wheat belonged to the emperor and that they were not authorized to give it away. When Nicholas convinced them that they had nothing to worry about and that he would pray for them, they let him take and distribute that wheat to the starving people. There was enough wheat to feed them for two years. When the ship reached Alexandria and its storage compartments were opened, the sailors saw that there was no wheat missing and the compartments were full to the rim. Through legends and miracles such as these, Nicholas became famous all over the world. With his generosity and love for people, he won the hearts of people everywhere and he was canonized after his death. In Europe, he was considered the protector of many cities, too. Today, St. Nicholas Celebrations in Myra take place every year on December 6. In 1955, a postage stamp was issued in Turkey to honour Santa Claus and since 1981 international symposiums have been organized on his life by the Ministry of Tourism. It is hoped that celebrations such as these will establish strong relations between the eastern and western worlds, improve human relations and contribute to world peace. For this reason, a Peace Park was built in Demre in 1993. The Church of St. Nicholas The temple which had been built to honor Artemis Euthera (formerly Cybele, the mother goddess of Anatolia) collapsed in a major earthquake in the 2nd century A.D. It is presumed that an Orthodox church was built in the Byzantine era over the remains of this temple. We know that St. Nicholas died on December 6, 343 and his body was put in a marble Roman sarcophagus which was placed in the central apse on the South side of the church. During the Arab raids and invasions between the 7th and 9th centuries A.D. directed at the Southern Mediterranean, this church, too, was destroyed. In 1087, during the turbulent years of the late Byzantine era, the Italian merchants from Bari, who came to the area, broke the sarcophagus and took St. Nicholas’ remains to Italy. The thieves, in their hurry, left behind a few bones of the Saint which are on display in the Antalya Museum today. In the following years, the Russian czarina bought the land where the church is, and later the Russians repaired the church and its dome. A white marble sarcophagus, decorated with reliefs of various kinds of plants and ornamentations, is seen in the middle apse on the south side of the church. It belonged to St. Nicholas. The church is basically built like a basilica in the shape of an Orthodox cross. The large main section is in the centre and it is covered by a dome. On each side of the main section, there are two side halls, and on the southern side, there is a small square room and two corner rooms. The dome in the middle covering the main section is supported on the sides by semidomes. The main section is polygonal on the outside and has a window with a straight arch. A synthronon with 9 caveas, placed on an arched vestibule, is seen in the main section. Arched doorways lead to the side halls which give access to the other sections on the sides. The floors of these side rooms are covered either with coloured mosaics or with stone. Frescoes, on the way to extinction, are seen on the walls. They depict various religious events. The semicircular small apse of two small chapels are seen in the east. The small rooms added on during the Byzantine era are in the north and it appears that these were used for different purposes. There is a garden, surrounded by tall walls, at the end of the small rooms. Byzantine column capitals, pieces of marble reliefs, and sarcophagi are seen in the garden. In a corner of the garden, there is a rectangular basin and it is presumed that it was used to store the holy water. The church stayed under the silt for many years. After it was unearthed, it was repaired many times and survived up to the present time. The Turks who settled in the area respected St. Nicholas and did not damage the church.
Today Demre is the centre of citrus fruit groves and greenhouses. The remains of the antique city lie in the area called Kocademre located 1 km to the north of the district. The first notable work in the area where the remains are found is the theatre. The theatre, with a diameter of 110 m, reckoned to have been rebuilt in the 2nd century A.D. upon the remains of the small theatre which existed previously, bears the architectural characteristics of the Roman era. In front of the theatre, next to the creek Demre, it is thought that a large Agora existed, surrounded by Doric order columns. The Agora square, which also appears to have been used as a theatre square, is today entirely buried under the silt. Theatre tiers were built into the side of the acropolis hill and two vomitory spectator entrance sites, in which flights of stone steps rising equal to the stage building in height can be seen. Spectators entering the theatre at these points came to the diazoma and from the diazoma they reached, again via flights of vertical stone steps, the lower and upper caveas. The caveas are divided into two by a diazoma measuring 3 m in width, with 29 tiers on the lower section and 9 tiers on the upper section. In the very midst of the diazoma is a relief of Fortune, Goddess of Luck, on the wall at the point corresponding to the apsis. An apsis to be drawn from this relief corresponds exactly to the midpoint of the orchestra. A stone protection wall built at a height of 2 m during the late Roman epoch indicates that the Theatre was also used as an arena for gladiator combat and wild animals during this era. It appears that the stage building was two-storeyed and that on the first floor of the front façade arched niches between columns of Ionic orders were faced with marble plates embellished with rich plant reliefs. Furthermore, the lower section of the podium of the stage building is embellished with friezes ornamented with theatre masks, reliefs and various plants. At the entrance of the theatre is an inscription giving information on the funding and rebuilding, by Opramoas from Rodiapolis, of the theatre which was ruined as a result of the great earthquake in 141 A.D. On an inscription found on the ground at the southern entrance of the theatre, on the other hand, is an obelisk setting out the import and export conditions of the city. Although the foundation of the acropolis walls located immediately to the north of the theatre dates back to very ancient eras, it is understood that their upper part was rebuilt in the 6th century B.C. To the western side of the walls made of dressed stone using the polygonal technique is the old city gate, 4 m wide by 9 m high, visible. Towers were built on both sides of the gate. To the eastern slope of the acropolis, on the other hand, are the remains of an aqueduct, 20 km long. It is reckoned that through the connections of water canals built by rock-carving at occasional places this aqueduct carried fresh water from the tablelands in the north into the city. In ancient times the antique city of Myra was protected in its environs by several walls at various points up to Andriake, its port connection, and along Demre creek, and by way of building guard and watch towers at specific points its river trade was intended to be taken under protection. The most important ruin of the ancient city of Myra visible today is the Necropolis full of Lycian rock tombs, the only one of its kind in the world. As Lycians believed that, after death, the spirits of humans would be taken by a winged angel and brought first to the heavens and then underground to hell, or Hades, to be questioned, they always put their dead into sarcophagi placed on a high rocky podium or in the rock tombs carved into the rock face high up on the mountains. These rock tombs, also found in Myra, have been carved into a sheer slope facing east. These house-type tombs carved into the front façades had one or several chambers and the dead were placed into the chamber, again onto a rock-carved podium, together with their favourite articles, jewellery, clothes and food. The rock tombs had a single entrance which was closed with a large boulder. On the face of the rock tombs are reliefs about the professions of the dead when they were alive. Inscriptions on the tombs were all written in the Lycian language and spaces between tombs were interconnected via stone steps. A rock tomb located at the topmost point with the façade carved in the form of a columnar temple is notable for its reliefs. Here, the family members, wife and children of the dead are stylised in clothing of the era and he himself in his warrior’s outfits. Various instants from the person’s life are depicted. Going westwards one arrives at a rock tomb on which the relief of two warriors is carved. Here, an instant in which a warrior behind, with a shield in his right hand, chases a soldier in front of him is illustrated. East of the theatre the remains of a bathhouse can be seen, with three arches and high chambers, 36 m wide and built of brick in three sections with a large arched door at the entrance. There are shops selling authentic local souvenirs, cafeterias and restaurants in the area where the remains are found.
ST. NICHOLAS- FATHER CHRISTMAS St. Nicholas, who was born in Patara in around 300 A.D., served as a bishop in the city of Myra where he died. St. Nicholas, who was believed to have worked various miracles in his time, was regarded as the greatest protector and guard of sailors, merchants, the poor and wretched, and, above all, children. Even today, he is believed to bring presents to children in the whole Christian world on Christmas Day every year. In the western world, Father Christmas is portrayed differently in different Christian countries depending on their respective geographical characteristics: In Scandinavian countries he is portrayed bringing presents to children riding on a sleigh drawn by reindeer whereas in the Mediterranean countries he is pictured in his red costume delivering his presents by entering through the door and down chimneys. Indeed, we should point out that the origin of these Christmas celebrations on December 25th dates back to very ancient times, that is, to the pagan holiday celebrations of the “Rise of the Invisible Sun/Amon Ra”. As a matter of fact, the mass, referred to as “Natalis Invecni Soli” in Latin, celebrating the start of winter, continued to be practiced until the 3rd century A.D. when it was adopted by the Christians. St. Nicholas, who was essentially a humanist bishop and is understood to have adopted a lifestyle that emphasised love among people, was born in Patara as the child of a rich family. His parents were the richest family of the city and they had very strong religious beliefs. Nicholas, who stood upright when washed in the basin as a baby, was nursed by his mother only on Wednesdays and Fridays. In his youth, instead of playing with his friends, he used to go to the church regularly and study the sacred script. Later, he studied theology at the monastery in Xanthos. After the death of his parents, he dedicated his life to helping people. One day, he was deeply affected by what he heard while passing by his neighbour’s house in Myra and decided to do something about it. The tale of his first deed is as follows: His neighbour was a very devout but extremely poor man with three daughters. He had no money for dowry for his daughters and according to the customs of the day a dowry was necessary for girls to marry. He did not know what to do and blamed himself for his poverty thinking that he was being punished for his sins. He prayed day and night. His daughters kept telling him that he should sell himself at the slave market to get the money for their dowry. Hearing this conversation, Nicholas threw a bag of gold through the window and walked away. The next night, he threw in another bag of gold but this time his neighbour spotted him. He came running after Nicholas and fell on his knees to thank him. Nicholas told his neighbour never to mention his good deed to anybody. During this time, there was an election for a bishop in the church in Myra. Since there were many nominees, it was taking a long time to elect one. One night, the oldest member of the church council had a revelation. A voice told him that a person named Nicholas would be the first one to enter through the door of the church to attend the mass next morning and that he should become the bishop. Indeed, Nicholas would be the first one to come to the morning mass and he was immediately seated in the chair for bishops. While he was a bishop, he treated everyone the same. His advice was convincing and he talked quickly but softly. He used to pray day and night, and stayed away from gatherings of women. He represented Myra in the Iznik Council in 325 A.D. One day, a group of sailors, who had never met Nicholas, but had heard of his reputation, was caught in a storm and their ship was about to sink. They began to pray and ask for the help of Nicholas. Suddenly, they saw his apparition which told them, “Look, I am here. You have called me and I will help you”. The storm subsided quickly and the apparition helped them repair the broken ship mast and the torn sail. When the sailors reached Myra, they went directly to the church to thank Nicholas. When he heard the sailors’ story, Nicholas said, “It wasn’t me who helped you; It was God’s gift to you in return of your strong belief in Him.” While Nicholas was a bishop in Myra, famine broke out in the area. One day he heard that one of the ships which had stopped in the harbour of Myra on its way to Alexandria, was carrying wheat. He asked the sailors to give the wheat to the citizens of Myra but they refused saying that the wheat belonged to the emperor and that they were not authorized to give it away. When Nicholas convinced them that they had nothing to worry about and that he would pray for them, they let him take and distribute that wheat to the starving people. There was enough wheat to feed them for two years. When the ship reached Alexandria and its storage compartments were opened, the sailors saw that there was no wheat missing and the compartments were full to the rim. Through legends and miracles such as these, Nicholas became famous all over the world. With his generosity and love for people, he won the hearts of people everywhere and he was canonized after his death. In Europe, he was considered the protector of many cities, too. Today, St. Nicholas Celebrations in Myra take place every year on December 6. In 1955, a postage stamp was issued in Turkey to honour Santa Claus and since 1981 international symposiums have been organized on his life by the Ministry of Tourism. It is hoped that celebrations such as these will establish strong relations between the eastern and western worlds, improve human relations and contribute to world peace. For this reason, a Peace Park was built in Demre in 1993. The Church of St. Nicholas The temple which had been built to honor Artemis Euthera (formerly Cybele, the mother goddess of Anatolia) collapsed in a major earthquake in the 2nd century A.D. It is presumed that an Orthodox church was built in the Byzantine era over the remains of this temple. We know that St. Nicholas died on December 6, 343 and his body was put in a marble Roman sarcophagus which was placed in the central apse on the South side of the church. During the Arab raids and invasions between the 7th and 9th centuries A.D. directed at the Southern Mediterranean, this church, too, was destroyed. In 1087, during the turbulent years of the late Byzantine era, the Italian merchants from Bari, who came to the area, broke the sarcophagus and took St. Nicholas’ remains to Italy. The thieves, in their hurry, left behind a few bones of the Saint which are on display in the Antalya Museum today. In the following years, the Russian czarina bought the land where the church is, and later the Russians repaired the church and its dome. A white marble sarcophagus, decorated with reliefs of various kinds of plants and ornamentations, is seen in the middle apse on the south side of the church. It belonged to St. Nicholas. The church is basically built like a basilica in the shape of an Orthodox cross. The large main section is in the centre and it is covered by a dome. On each side of the main section, there are two side halls, and on the southern side, there is a small square room and two corner rooms. The dome in the middle covering the main section is supported on the sides by semidomes. The main section is polygonal on the outside and has a window with a straight arch. A synthronon with 9 caveas, placed on an arched vestibule, is seen in the main section. Arched doorways lead to the side halls which give access to the other sections on the sides. The floors of these side rooms are covered either with coloured mosaics or with stone. Frescoes, on the way to extinction, are seen on the walls. They depict various religious events. The semicircular small apse of two small chapels are seen in the east. The small rooms added on during the Byzantine era are in the north and it appears that these were used for different purposes. There is a garden, surrounded by tall walls, at the end of the small rooms. Byzantine column capitals, pieces of marble reliefs, and sarcophagi are seen in the garden. In a corner of the garden, there is a rectangular basin and it is presumed that it was used to store the holy water. The church stayed under the silt for many years. After it was unearthed, it was repaired many times and survived up to the present time. The Turks who settled in the area respected St. Nicholas and did not damage the church.
ARYKANDA/ARİF
It is an ancient city in ruins located to the west of Antalya and north of Finike, in close proximity to the Arif village. The remains of Arykanda, which are worth a visit, are half an hour’s walk away. It is known that the name of the city in the Luwian/Etruscan language was “Arukawanda/Aruwawanda” meaning “People having an Altar”. Arykanda, which was an acropolis city, was, after the hegemonies of Lycia, Persia, Macedonia, Ptolemaios, Seleucia and Rhodes, subordinated to Rome in 43 A.D. After a great earthquake during the Byzantine epoch the city moved to the area known as Ortaçay. Today, the most important relic to survive from the ancient city of Arykanda is the theatre with 20 caveas, built directly upon the natural ground during the 2nd century A.D. Classical music concerts are organized at the theatre every year. In front of the theatre is an odeon with a portico, paved with mosaics on the floor, and to the west are the remains of a bouleterion, gymnasium and a Roman bathhouse. In the eastern necropolis of the city are Lycian sarcophagi and house-type tomb chambers embellished with friezes. The rock tombs lie to the west. The area is well-known for its Arykanda water spring.
LIMYRA/TURUNÇOVA
In Zengerler village and on the mountain hillsides to the northeast of the Finike plain the remains of the ancient city of Limyra can be seen. The name Limyra originally comes from “Luamira” meaning “Mother Light/Moon-Sun” in the Luwian/Etruscan language. Its history dates back to the Luwian era. It appears that there was a sacred worshipping centre here in the name of Mother Sun. The theatre with a seating capacity of 8 thousand people dated to the 2nd century A.D. has 28 caveas, the upper part being in ruins today. Today there is very little in front of the theatre, on the Agora where the remains of various Roman buildings are found. Beside Limyros creek are a basilica and priest palace belonging to the Byzantine era, and a Heroon built in memory of Gaius Caesar set upon a rocky podium. The Necropolis of the ancient city of Limyra can be observed in three sections. In the first section are the rock tombs, in the second section coffined sarcophagi and in the third section the monumental tombs into which sarcophagi bearing information on deceased persons of high rank are placed. Climbing up from the theatre towards the mountain the acropolis, at an elevation of 300 m, is reached. Today the area serves as the storehouse of citrus fruits. The port of FİNİKE, located to the west of Antalya, in a district on the south of the plain of the same name has, on a parallel with recent developments in tourism, also been expanded and transformed into a marina. With its newly built guest houses, in addition to its coast, which extends over several kilometers, and its ideal climate, it is eligible as a major centre of tourism. The Finike plain reaches 30 km to cape Caledonia, with a depth of 10 km from the sea to the Taurus mountains. Citrus fruit and greenhouse cultivation is carried out on the plain. Finike oranges enjoy a worldwide reputation. The settlement is located at the point where Mount Alacadağ descends steeply to the shore, onto the Finike plain, and the coast meets the mountain. The mountainous areas of the district contain pine forests, clusters of maquis and, in the marshy areas, eucalyptus and oleander trees. The district is obviously a settlement unit established by Turks and its name appears to be associated with the Phoenicians. The remains of some rock tombs encountered on the hillsides of the Mount Alacadağ provide testimony to this. It is thought that there was a port station belonging to the Lycians at the place where the district is located.
ADRASAN/ÇAVUŞKÖY
ADRASAN/ÇAVUŞKÖY
The settlement of Adrasan is located 90 km west of Antalya at the northern end of the bay of the same name. It lies on a level alluvial plain linked to the sea by a narrow valley and surrounded by Mount Kuz and the Şapşal Mountains in the West and Mount Musa in the northeast. The Bay of Adrasan, formed at the point where this plain joins the sea, exhibits the character of a natural port and has been in use as a port, where ships of the City of Olympos were safely sheltered, since ancient times. The Natural Bay and environs, which are under protection today, serve tourism with their small hotels, motels and boarding houses, in character with the natural surroundings. It is known that the name of Adrasan originally comes from Adra/Odra/Toro/Toros or “Adrasawana” in the Luwian/Etruscan language meaning “Land of Bulls”. The guarding fortress of ancient Adrasan lies to the south, the other remains lie to the east. A village inhabited by Turks in the area during the 11th century in time developed into a municipality. The area, which is ideal for hiking tours, has been designed as a golf course. Adrasan is within the natural conservation area.
The settlement of Adrasan is located 90 km west of Antalya at the northern end of the bay of the same name. It lies on a level alluvial plain linked to the sea by a narrow valley and surrounded by Mount Kuz and the Şapşal Mountains in the West and Mount Musa in the northeast. The Bay of Adrasan, formed at the point where this plain joins the sea, exhibits the character of a natural port and has been in use as a port, where ships of the City of Olympos were safely sheltered, since ancient times. The Natural Bay and environs, which are under protection today, serve tourism with their small hotels, motels and boarding houses, in character with the natural surroundings. It is known that the name of Adrasan originally comes from Adra/Odra/Toro/Toros or “Adrasawana” in the Luwian/Etruscan language meaning “Land of Bulls”. The guarding fortress of ancient Adrasan lies to the south, the other remains lie to the east. A village inhabited by Turks in the area during the 11th century in time developed into a municipality. The area, which is ideal for hiking tours, has been designed as a golf course. Adrasan is within the natural conservation area.
OLYMPOS / THE VILLAGE YAZIR
It is located at a distance of 75 km to the west of the Antalya provincial centre on the slope of Mount Musa and within “Olympos-Beydağları National Park” where the creek of the same name joins the sea. The name of the city is derived from “Aluamapa/Oluamapa/Olyamapa” in the Luwian/Etruscan language. In the Luwian language, “Olu”, which is a variation of “Alu”, means light/sun and in the Luwian and Hittite languages the word “Ama” means “mother”. We know that the word “Pa” means water/creek/lake. It is understood from this that the name of the city was “sacred water spring of the supreme mother of light/mother of sky”. Indeed, the spring of the Olympos creek is today called “Gökpınar” with the same association. Furthermore, in the Luwian language the word “olyntos” meant wild fig. The road monument Stadiasmus, in Patara, depicts the city of Olympos on the slope of the Mount Musa. Today’s seaside remains are found at a place named Korykos. In fact, the name Olympos has been given to all high mountains and acropolises throughout antiquity. The people of the city of Olympos on the mountain, which was within the Lycian Federation and was ruined in 75 B.C., descended to the shore and, after the final defeat of pirates by the Roman Isauricus in 78 B.C., joined the Roman lands. Maritime commerce thrived during the Roman epoch. It became the episcopal centre during the Byzantine era. The city lost its character during the Ottoman era and, owing to the floods, the people abandoned the area. South of the port, a part of the caveas and the entrance of the theatre for 8 thousand people still stand today. The theatre was used as an outdoor Orthodox basilica during the Byzantine era. Remains of the Roman Bathhouse and, on the south bank of the river, the remains of a Byzantine Church of rectagonal plan with wide arched windows can be seen. In the main necropolis to the south of the river are more than 200 inscribed tombs. As a result of recent excavations 2 sarcophagi, named Port Monumental Tombs, have been unearthed. Today the area is a favourite tourist spot, with its beach of outstanding beauty and small guest houses, restaurants, yörük style bungalows and gazebo tree houses, in character with the natural surroundings.
CHIMAERA / ÇIRALI
The place northeast of the Ancient City of Olympos at an elevation of 250 m above the sea is known by Turks as “Yanartaş/Çıralı”. The area is called Yanartaş (Chimaera) because of the inflammable gas, which consists of a 46% hydrogen and 34% methane compound, issuing from the cracks formed as a result of the tectonic earthquakes at those places where the serpentine land and limestone rocks meet. According to mythology, Bellerophon, the son of the Luwian Lord Glaucos, desires to own Pegasus, the winged horse.
Athena the Goddess presents him with a golden rein and tells him that when he fastens the rein on Pegasus the horse will be his. Bellerophon finds Pegasus and puts the rein over its head. So he starts flying and dominates the heavens. Bellerophon, who kills a much beloved friend of his by mistake, becomes very sad and starts wandering around the world. When the hero who helps good people comes to Finike, people “wish him to kill the monster named Chimaera, with a lion’s head, a goat’s body and a snake tail, that burns the villages around it with the fire coming from its mouth.” Bellerophon kills Chimaera with his flying horse, but cannot extinguish the fire coming out of its mouth. Thus, this is the place where the Olympos torch is fired. People organize festivities and celebrations which also lay the foundations of the olympic games in commemoration of this event. When Bellerophon wishes to go to Idyros and drink of the immortality water Pegasus, which is a clever animal, refuses to fly. When Bellerophon insists it throws him off its back. Bellerophon, having lost his horse, becomes distant from people and wanders about in seclusion until his death. The noteworthy ancient ruin in the area is the Byzantine Orthodox Basilica Complex, which contains the residencial quarters of priests, and churches. The ceremonial and reception area in the south being made of large, single piece block stones confirms the existence of the Temple of the God of Fire here. Continuing along the ancient road known as “Road of Fire”, one big and two more small fires are visible. Further up, the road branches into two, the road turning west is called the Sacred Ceremonial Way. 15 km to the east, however, Göktaş Tower is found at an altitude of 800 m.
PHASELIS / TEKIROVA
Travelling from Antalya along the coastal highway in the direction of Finike, after the 60th km descending to the sea for another 2 km, the peninsula where the ancient city of Phaselis lies can be reached. The city is established upon a peninsula with three small bays. The maquis, Mediterranean flowers, eucalyptus and oleander trees are noticeable in the ancient city covered with pine forests all around. The beach of the northern port of the city is a natural egg-laying site of caretta caretta turtles and is under protection. It is reckoned that the name of the city was “Phasala/Paassala” meaning “Sea Urbanism” in the Luwian language. As a matter of fact, the Phoenicians who were engaged in maritime trade defined the city as a “seaside city spared by God”. The fact that the history of the area dates back to around 4000 B.C. is reckoned from the Luwian characteristics in the area. In Termessos established at an elevation of 900 m on the mountains, liquid products such as wine and olive oil flowed in the canals carved into rocky slopes along the mountain sides to Phasala. The liquid products flowing in the canals of which the traces are still distinguishable were poured into amphoras and pitchers at the port and shipped to the Mediterranean countries. Moreover, the fame of the numerous Mediterranean flowers growing in the area where the city lay spread throughout the ancient world. The city, which produced and exported perfumes and flower oil, matched the Paris city of today. To this small port city, of which the population increased upon the immigration of the Anatolian people returning from the Trojan War during the 12th century B.C., joined the Rhodians in about 690 B.C., thereby starting the main urbanisation. It was stated that, with the dominance of Hellenic cultural elements in daily life, the city was set up by those coming from Rhodes. However, this cannot be true. The reason being that colonists, irrespective of where they came from and to whichever city on the Anatolian shores they emigrated to, found the cities to have previously been established by the Anatolian people. Therefore, the account given by the Hellenic historians that the peninsula upon which Phaselis was established was purchased by the Rhodian colonists from a shepherd in the area against dried fish is absurd.This invention was held in derision, and the phrase “sacrifice Phaselisian style dried fish”, that is to say, have your lie acknowledged, to mean “hoping for the impossible”, was used. The famous Phaselisian thinker of the ancient times is the philosopher Teodectes. Furthermore, Phaselisians were historically notorious for their stinginess. Phaselis, which remained under Persian sovereignty until the arrival of the Macedonian King Alexander the Great at the city, continued with maritime trade also during this period of occupation. Phaselis which was later seen to be within the Lycian Union, was exposed to the invasions of pirates during the 1st century B.C. and, then, taken within the boundaries of the Roman Empire. The city, which maintained and developed its character of a port city during this epoch, was again captured by pirates during the Byzantine era and subsequently exposed to the Arab raids after the 7th century A.D. Having lost its importance when the plain turned into a swamp and was occupied with mosquitoes and wasps, it was abandoned. The Turkoman Yörüks who arrived during the 12th century in the area which had been left abandoned for years, improved the swamps 2 km to the north-west of the remains and opened agricultural fields. Today, the remains of the ancient city are mostly in ruins. To the north, south and east of the peninsula are three natural bays used as ports. The Colonnaded Street linking the northern and southern ports to each other, laid with stone blocks on the floor and lined with columns on the right and left was the busiest place in the city. In the middle of this street was the Agora square, in circular form, and at the western end was the Municipal Palace Bauleterion, thought to have been two-storoyed. To the eastern end of the square are the remains of the Roman Bathhouse functioning on the under-heated hypocaust system with cold and hot water pools. Ascending to the acropolis from here, the theatre, with 20 caveas, bearing the traces of the 4th century B.C. is seen. The theatre, with a seating capacity of 3 thousand people, has a total of 3 actors’ doors, one of which is small. The building is faced with marble reliefs, with the statue of Bacuss, god of entertainment, thought to have existed at the uppermost point. In the theatre, which was transformed into an arena during the late Roman era, cages were built in the lower chambers of the stage building in order to protect the spectators from wild animals. On the hillside east of the acropolis the remains of two temples belonging to Athena Poltas, the chief god of Phaselis, and Hermes, God of Trade, are visible. It is reckoned that the entrance gate, viewed from the north, in the form of a triumphal arch which is in ruins to a substantial part, was built to commemorate the Roman Emperor Hadrian’s visit to the city. The water canals immediately adjacent to this door carried water to the city from Mount Tahtalı at a distance of 25 km. Furthermore, there are several water cisterns used to collect rainwater. In the two necropolises within the city the various sarcophagi, sarcophagus covers and the figures of eros and lions worked on them are striking. The remains unearthed as a result of the excavations in the city are on display in the Antalya Museum. Today the settlement unit of Tekirova has become a tourism centre with its facilities and shopping centres which meet world standards.
BELDİBİ
It is located at a distance of 25 km to the west of the provincial centre of Antalya. Beldibi is today included within the “Olympos Beydağları National Coastal Park” and located on a thin, long plain covering an area of four thousand acres from cape Reis to Akyarlar. To the east of the plain mountains plunge very steeply into the sea, forming cliffs of falez rock. Three families that came to the area, which was completely covered by oak forests until one hundred and fifty years ago, built up a settlement here and, subsequently, with those coming from Anamur the population increased and it became a neighbourhood under the Mukhtar (Village Elected Head) of Kemer. Sprawling on the land with an area of 30-40 acres located above the pool immediately beside Kocasu spring are the remains of the Ancient City of Marma. The area where the remains are found is densely covered with forests. Part of the remains of the ancient structure lie on a great rocky mass on the slope. Not much information is available as no excavation or research is conducted in the city. The only thing known is that they were punished, because of their plundering, by Alexander who spent the winter in Phaselis with his army in the 3rd century B.C. upon the wish of the neighboring Phaselis locals. The settlement, which became a Mukhtarlık (Village Elected Head’s Post) in 1973 and, later, a Municipality in 1994 has today become one of our foremost tourism centres thanks to its nature, citrus fruits, parades, daily picnic areas, touristic facilities and neighbouring shopping centres. GÖYNÜK is a plain in semicircular form extending from Beldibi to Kemer. Kındıl Fountain, with its fine sandy bay at the entrance of Kemer, is one of the daily resorts. The name Göynük is Gökbük in the Luwian/Etruscan language meaning “Fertile plain on the bank of a river at the joining point of the blue sky/blue”. Indeed, if Göynük plain is inspected closely it appears to have merged into the sky. It is reckoned that the ancient way, called the Old Road, to the north of the area connected Göynük to Pisidia, Termessos and Attaleia. In ancient times the valley of Göynük creek always had an important position, therefore it remained under the control of the plunderers of Pisidia. It is understood that the merchants descending from the plateau down to the shore, following the shore, went to Phaselis in the west and the plain of Attaleia in the east. The Turkoman yörüks who settled on the Cuma plain and the tablelands of Altınyaka during late 11th century revived this route to descend down to the shore and subsequently, they established a small settlement unit as a quarter subordinated to Kemer. Today there are touristic facilities to world standards along the coast of Göynük. Alternatively, hiking tours organised in the area towards the valley of the river Göynük are attractive. The narrow canyon measuring 350 m in height and 6 m in width serves tourism and is full of mysteries. KEMER/IDYROS 40 km after the provincial centre of Antalya one arrives at Kemer. The settlement lies behind the bay of the same name, on the plain again bearing the same name extending to the Taurus mountains. 251 species of flowers are grown in the area. According to mythological accounts, Abıhayat/Bengisu, that is, spring of immortality water, should be somewhere in the sea section of the cape into which Ağva creek at the south-western end of the Kemer bay flows. The area, called Abaawa, that is, “Sacred Water Spring” by the Luwians was subsequently named as “Ağva” through the same phonetic saying by the Turkoman yörüks who later came to the area. We know that the history of the area goes back to thousands of years before Christ. According to the Luwian myth, the bull-headed chief god and symbol of masculinity Adra/Toro/Toros, while watching the dolphins swim in the sea, likes it very much and he himself also dives into the sea by jumping over the Mount Tahtalı. He swims after the fish with beautiful colours that he sees and arrives at the shore where Mount Çalış steeply plunges into the sea. Adra, who here finds Abıhayat/Bengisu, that is, the spring of sacred immortality water, drinks of the water and becomes everlastingly immortal. Luwians, based on this myth, build the Sacred Temple “Adrawana” meaning the country of Adra, male of the mother goddess, near the water of immortality in the Bay of Kemer. Deeply impressed by the legend of the sacred temple and Adra/Toro/Toros the god, Alexander the Great also pronounces the name of the temple as “Idyros” with its phonetics in the Hellenic language. Furthermore, the Macedonian historians hastily adapt a version of this myth to Alexander the Great. According to this, his chef wishes to cook fried fish for Alexander; the fish suddenly become alive and escape by swimming. The cook also jumps off into the sea after the fish and, reaching Abıhayat/Bengisu, that is, the spring of sacred immortality water, he becomes immortal. The Taurus myth is preserved in every epoch with its characteristics and sacredness and adapted to current circumstances. From this, we understand that the ancient city owned a large, sacred Adra temple as renowned not only in Anatolia but in all of the Mediterranean countries. Upon the very frequent overflowing of the Creek Ağva which was joined by the floodwater from the Taurus mountains the Temple Adra subsequently went into ruins and remained under alluvial earth. The plains of Kemer and Ağva where the temple was located, which turned completely into a swamp and were abandoned to mosquitoes in time, were improved with the name Eskiköy by the Teke Yörüks towards the end of the 1800s. However, in the place of the village, which was ruined again because of the flood from the mountains, a marshy lake was formed. The area was rebuilt by the yörüks coming from the Taurus tablelands between 1916-1917. In order to protect the village a protection arch was woven in the form of a stone wall on the slopes of the Mount Kızılcık. This wall was compared to an arch and the village established later became associated with the name Kemer (Arch). In 1992 it became a municipality. The locals of Kemer eventually improved the swamps on the plains of Kemer and Ağva and grew the famous Kemer oranges. Subsequently, the tourism potential developed in the area at a great pace. The Yörük Park daytime facilities and restaurants, with the ethnographic characteristics of yörük lifestyle, on the Kemer Ayışığı Bay are well worth a visit. Kemer, which was replanned with all its infrastructures in the subject of urbanism has become one of the foremost tourism centres with its touristic facilities renowned throughout the world. Beycik Tableland in Kemer, thanks to its low level of humidity and cool air and the facilities and villas built among its natural beauties, has turned into a mountain resort. “Anatolian Rally” has been organised as a sportive safari activity on the tablelands of Kemer since 2000 and recorded in the World Rally Championship Calendar under the name “Rally of Turkey”. Among the natural beauties of the Taurus Mountains there are 18 special lap track courses on the routes of Ovacık-Konyaaltı-Kemer-Phaselis-Olympos-Myra-Simena-Aspendos-Perge covering a total of 1300 km. The rally organised over three stages has a special lap of 380 km on the ground track course. ”Altınlar Tourism Carnival” is organised in Kemer and “Yeşilyayla Oil Wrestling Matches” on Söğütcuması, Gödene and Belen, of the tablelands on the Mount Beydağları, every year. On the same tableland jeep-safari tours are organised for tourists. Furthermore, touristic hiking tours are carried out among the unique natural beauties on the routes of Kemer –Kuzdere –Karataşlar –Sapandere –Aslanbucak. Kemer-Ağva Cape provides excellent means for underwater diving. In brief, Kemer, which was set up by the spring of immortality, today opens the doors of its touristic facilities built to high standards for tourists visiting from all around the world, offers means of shopping with perfect friendship and shows of affection and grants immortal memories and beauties to them through magnificent excursions into nature. ÇAMYUVA is a narrow plain to the west of the Kemer settlement irrigated by Ağva Creek. Today it is a tourism centre with all its magnificent touristic facilities. The most notable aspect of the natural port of Ağva is that it was the place where the battleships Paris II and Alexandra were sunk during the Ist World War in 1917. KİRİŞ is a natural bay of the same name where the blue sea meets the pine forests and enjoys touristic accommodation facilities renowned worldwide. There are parades through the forest and along the coast between Kiriş – Çamyuva and Kemer.
ALARA AND ALARA HAN
The caravans travelling from Alaiye to Antalya and Konya have been staying at Alara Han (Inn) from the Middle Ages until recent times. The quadrangular caravanserai, with dimensions of 38x50 metres, located on the first plain to the eastern bank of Alara Creek, was built of dressed stone blocks with symbols visible thereon, except for the eastern walls. The Inn was reinforced by triangular and quadrangular struts on three façades. To the north is a portal embellished with lion’s head relief, crowned with a depressed arch. On the inscription consisting of six lines over the portal, after many attributes exalting the Sultan Alaaddin the date of 1232 is given. One passes through the courtyard behind the portal to the bedrooms and a large courtyard with a masjid and fountain. The chambers have a ceiling formed of cradle vaults with a light hole. Travellers used to sit and chat in the exedras, which had pointed arches. Stables in the form of vaulted galleries encircle the inn on three façades. Small windows were opened on the rear walls of the chambers where passengers could talk to their servants or see the animals. In the inn are the only examples in Seljuk architecture of oil lamp consoles with the form of a lion’s head carved on the face.
The entrance to Alara Han, two small quadrangular towers built on both sides of the portal, had oil embrasures and shields on the walls for security. The great hall of the inn, which is ornamented, is covered with star shaped vaults. Today the caravanserai has been restored true to its authentic original and touristic Turkish Nights are organized. THE ALARA FORTRESS was built on an elevation of 300 m in the eastern direction at the point where the creek abandons the valley during the Byzantine Era. This Acropolis Fortress built to control the passageway connecting Central Anatolia to the Mediterranean was seized by bandits and used as a centre of plunder during various epochs. Hidden galleries descending down to Alara Creek through the Castle are visible. Touristic canoeing and rafting tours are organised on Alara Creek today. The area is well-known for its banana plantations.ALANYA – KOREKESION
On the eastern boundary of Antalya and in the very midst of a narrow 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 m and 800 m in length, surrounded by natural beaches on both sides, situated on a peninsula steeply plunging into the sea, later expanded down to the beginning of the eastern littoral. Today, the area considered as one of the foremost centres of Turkish tourism is covered with banana and citrus fruit plantations. It is known that the city was formerly named “Korakassa/Karakassa” meaning “Point/Protruding City” in the Luwian/Etruscan language. It is observed that later this name was adapted to the Hellenic dialect and changed into Korakession. Alaaddin Keykubat, the Turkish Seljuk Sultan, who besieged the Fortress Korekession in 1221, demanded the city folk to surrender the city. However, the number of the Turkish soldiers was only 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 with an 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 King and rulers of the city, thinking that the Turkish army would attack with substantial force, surrendered the city to the Turks. Thus, Alaaddin Keykubat, the Turkish Sultan, carried out the most interesting bluff in history. According to Hittite inscriptions, the existence of a city named Karkisa 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 the borders of today’s southwestern province of Konya. It has been discovered that the historical trade route which descended from the Central Anatolian region to the Mediterranean by passing from Kawana and southwards along the valley of the creek and ended in Korekession has been in use for thousands of years. During the Persian and Hellenistic eras, one military garrison each was established, as the acropolis was suitable for this, thus it took the 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 under the command of Diodotos Tryphon, and during this epoch, various structures, primarily including a palace, were built by the pirates on the acropolis fortress and thus, urbanisation started. After the final defeat of the pirates of the Mediterranean by the Romans in 68 B.C. a Roman garrison subordinated to the province of Pamphylia was brought to the fortress. The actual development of the city took place during the Byzantine era and the fortress regained its character of a city; basilicas and chapels of various sizes were built; fortress walls were expanded with a somewhat large new palatial building constructed upon them. During this era name of the city was also changed to Kalonoros meaning “Beautiful Mountain”. The name of the city, which was seized by Turks in 1221, was changed to Alaiye in memory of the Sultan Alaaddin and it was adorned with various structures reflecting Turkish Seljuk architecture. The inner fortress at the highest point of the peninsula is 180 metres long and enclosed with walls. Extending from east to west, 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, of which the remains can be seen immediately on the right after the entrance, is thought to have been built of rubble stones, with two storeys. Going northwards from here one notices the remarkable quadrangular Byzantine chapel, 6x6 m in dimension with a single dome set upon four walls and frescoes on the interior. From here one arrives at the quadrangular garrison building, adjacent to the inner wall of the fortress, and the ammunition depot/Arsenal immediately behind. Walking from this section in a westerly direction, one arrives at a sheer cliff over which slaves condemned to death were thrown into the sea. The peninsula descends steeply into the sea in a westerly direction, in the form of a ribbon, forming a small peninsula, 4000 m long. This was called “cilvarda”. On the small peninsula are a watch tower, a work of art dating from the Seljuk era, and a small Byzantine chapel. Other remains visible in the inner fortress are the water cisterns of various sizes used in collecting rain water. To the east of the fortress is the three-storeyed Red Tower, considered as the symbol of Alanya today, built by Turks in 1227 of red dressed stone blocks, measuring 33 m in height and 29 m in diameter, octagonal in structure, with various chambers, refectories and dormitories on the first two floors and a large water cistern on the third floor, in its open courtyard. It is understood that the Red Tower was built to protect the port. Further on from the tower is a quadrangular Shipyard building constructed right next to the sea. The façade of the shipyard building has 5 arches which enable the entry of ships and a width of 60 metres. A quadrangular protection tower has been built at the southern end of the Shipyard building which is understood to have been built during the same period as the Red Tower.
On the western slope of the peninsula, 70 m in from the sea, is Damlataş Cave, 18 metres deep, thought to have formed over 15,000 years according to scientists. Damlataş Cave, which was found at the bottom of a rocky slope on the beach to the west of the Alanya peninsula, was coincidentally uncovered in 1948. Damlataş Cave was geologically formed as a result of tectonic factors within the semi-marble metamorphic limestone belonging to the Alanya massif, displaced from the Taurus mountains through a fault system, the movements of the fault and flexure systems within the white marble, movement of the sea waves, and chemical dissolving by the surface water, which contains large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2). Damlataş Cave consists of a small circular hall comprising stalagmites and stalagtites of magnificent beauty, which form to fill a space with a diameter of 10 m and height of 15 m. Through the 45 m long corridor, which extends towards the cylindrical space, one descends a flight of steps to the beach forming the floor of the cave. People sit on the benches placed on the floor of Damlataş Cave and inhale the air within the cave, which has therapeutic properties, for 4 hours every day. In the section from the entrance up to the cylindrical space, it is possible to encounter stalagmites and stalagtites that have joined together to form large columns. It has been found that the air of the cave with its carbon dioxide, nitrogen and radioactivity content is beneficial to sufferers of asthma and bronchitis. The air inside the cave is at a constant temperature of 22 degrees and is naturally formed of stalagmites and stalagtites. Alaaddin Mosque on the north-eastern slope of the acropolis hill, estimated to have been built during the 16th century, was constructed of stone and red bricks, with three domes resting upon four piled columns. The inner window boards of the mosque present the finest example of wood-carving craftsmanship. To the east of the mosque is Bedesten-Arcade, 35 metres long by 13 metres wide, quadrangular in structure and consisting of 26 chambers and a large depot. The museum, located immediately next to Damlataş Cave, was opened in 1967. The museum has four indoor and one outdoor exhibition hall with the archaeological and ethnographical works of art uncovered in the area on display. The most important work of art is the bronze statue of Herakles. Today Alanya serves world tourism with its magnificent coasts and touristic facilities. Boat tours to the marina and environs of Old Alanya, restaurants and shopping centres and the Phosphoric and Lovers’ Caves, which are sea caves, are attractive to tourists. Moreover, rafting tours are organised around the valley of Dim Creek. In the restaurants located on Dim Creek set up in the river water with tables and gazebos, it is possible to find authentic Turkish dishes and different types of seafood. Jeep-safari tours are organised to the Tablelands of Gedevet and Türbelinas located on the Taurus Mountains. The Tableland of Çayarası is the hunting place of the local people. Cave research report, architectural and electrification application projects were implemented by MTA (Mine Inspection and Search) for Dim Cave between 1986-1989. The cave is located at a distance of approximately 13 km from Alanya in the direction of Gazipaşa. It was formed on a fault running from north-west to south-east, within a Permian old dolomitic, crystallized, semi-marbled limestone and is the dominant formation of the area. The entrance mouth of the cave is at an altitude of 215 m from the sea. The stalagmites and stalagtites of the cave, with their magnificent beauty, have been brought under protection and have a total length of about 350 m. The formation, reminiscent of the sight of a frozen waterfall within the cave, is well worth a visit. Dim cave is presently in a fossilised state, maintaining its character as being one of the most important caves of the Antalya region in terms of biological research.
SELEUKEIA
To the northwest of Manavgat are the remains of the ancient city of 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 final defence 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 people immigrated to Seleukeia. The bronze statue of Apollon understood to have been built during this era is on display in the Antalya Museum. During the Pax Romana period, on the other hand, acropolis cities eventually lost their former importance. The first of the remains are the city walls understood to have 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 the middle. 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 to music 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 a single 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 temple that 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 the remains were found is a sacred cave where baptism rituals were carried out in ancient times, which still holds drinking water even today. To the west of 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 and various chambers at the sides. To the southwest of the bathhouse is a great basilica with coloured marble slabs on the floor under which are sarcophagi are found.
Friday, January 26, 2007
Marmaris Links
Links of Marmaris / Turkey
» In Town» The City where the sea is at your front door.
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» Trekking, Canyon climbing, Hill climbing.
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» Marmaris cuisine for unforgettable tastes
» Marmaris nights
» Festivals, activities
» Blue Journeys (yacht trips)
» Daily boat tours
» Congress, Incentive and Wellness Tourism
» Discover MARMARIS
» Diving points and tours in Marmaris
» Archaic age settlements
» Günnücek, Fake Strait and Paradise Island
» Gökova Gulf Shores
» From Marmaris to Bozburun
» Towards Datça and Knidos…
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