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.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
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.
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