HISTORICAL PLACES

ANTALYA

The city of Antalya stretches along the bay bearing its name, and is built at 39 meters altitude on a rocky coastline. One is immediately struck by the Taurus mountains rising to 3086 meters above this coastline, intersperesed withvalleys of varying sizes. Land and sea everywhere meet the beaches stretching for miles or the steep cliffs. The Taurus mountains against the blue backdrop of the sky, the precipices and especially the caves close to the sea add another dimension to the beauty of the region.

Small and large streams emerging from the west side of the Taurus water the plains on their journey to the Mediterranean. This translucent running water, cascading into the sea at points along the coast, is another attractive sight. The plant life of Antalya is extremely varied. Every kind of tropical plant can be found along the coast. Visitors to Antalya are struck by the size attained by the different species of cactus. When you reach the foothills of the Taurus, you will see they are covered in the typical Mediterranean maquis, while the forests are full of thriving oaks and pine trees. The coton and sesame plantations and citrus and banana groves of the plains have a beauty of their own. In Antalya the four seasons only appear on the calendar, as there is no real winter here, so much so that when in 1985 for the first time in 60 years snow fell, it was front page news.

BRIEF HISTORY OF ANTALYA
Evidence of human habitation dating back over 200 000 years has been discovered in the Carain caves 30 km to the north of Antalya city. Other finds dating back to Neolithic times and more recent periods show that the area has been populated by various ancient civilisations throughout the ages.
Records from the Hittite period (when the first recorded political union of Anatolian cities was set up calling itself the Lycian league) refer to the area as the Lands of Arzawa and document the lively interaction going on between provinces in 1700 BC.
Historical records document how cities developed independantly, how the area as a whole was called Pamphilia and how a federation of cities was set up in the province. There is also a record of the migration of the Akha clan to the area after the Trojan war.

The reign of the kingdom of Lydia in west Anatolia came to an end in 560 BC after it was defeated by the Persians during the battle of Sardis in 546 BC.
From 334 BC until his death Alexander the Great conquered the cities of the area one by one - leaving out Termessos and Silion.
With the defeat of the Seleucid army at Apamaea began the reign of the kingdon of Pergamom. In 150 BC Attalos II, king of Pergamom, founded the city of Attalaıa (present day Antalya) to base his powerful naval fleet.
When Attalos III, the last king of Pergamom, died in 133 BC he left his kingdom to the Romans. The Roman and subsequent Byzantine Empires ruled the area for the next 13 centuries.

In 1207 A.D. the Selchuk Turks conquered Antalya and then Alanya in 1220 A.D.This marked the end of Roman/Byzantine rule.
Ottoman rule began in 1391. The brief occupation of the area by the Italians came to an abrupt end after the First World War with the founding of the Turkish Republic in 1923. The area is now registered as a province of the Republic of Turkey. 

OLYMPOS

It is located between Kemer and Adrasan. After passing Phaselis on the Antalya- Kumluca road, signpost leading to Olympos and Çirali will be seen and Olympos can be reached by following either route. Çirali is the name of the village near Olympos, which was a port city established in the 2 nd century B.C. and abandoned in the 6th century A.D. The famous myth of Bellerophontes fighting the Chimera took place here. The antique city is on both sides of a beautiful valley. A sandy beach is found where the town and the valley meet the sea, into which a mountain stream flows. An hour's walk from Olympos brings you to the natural phenomenon of the Chimera. Known by the inhabitants as the "burning mountain", it is a result of escaping natural gas, whose flames have been shooting heavenwards for centuries. The path to the Chimera is narrow and steep but is well marked.

PHASELIS

Phaselis is reached one km after turning left 57km along the Antalya-Kemer highway. This was settled by the Rhodians in the 7th century B.C. and for many years was claimed to be the most important port city of the eastern Lycian seaboard. Phaselis has three harbours the north, the military protected and the south harbour, of which the most important is the later. A 220-24 m wide avenue runs throughout the city. The western end is the site of Hadrians Gate. On both sides of the avenue are sidewalks and shops. Close to these can be seen the public places like baths, theatre and agora. It is reached by road and also from the sea. 

TERMESSOS

Termessos is perhaps the most interesting ancient city in Antalya region. It is a Psidian city built at a height of 1050 meters in the Taurus Mountains. Termessos constitutes an unusual synthesis of a large number of rare plants and animal species, which are under protection in the Termessos National Park. When turning off the Antalya-Burdur highway (11 km.) in the direction of Korkuteli, the Termessos signpost will be seen 14 km. further on, and Termessos itself is a further 9 km. A visit to this site requires time and the stamina to walk uphill, because Termessos is built entirely on a mountainous area difficult to access.

The inhabitants of Termessos were known as the Solyms but unlike those of other cities of the time they did not come from the sea and were entirely of Anatolian origin. What is known of their history commences principally at the time that Alexander the Great surrounded the city in 333 B.C., which he likened to an eagle's nest and failed to conquer. Termessos, after a gradual decline, was finally abandoned in the 5th century A.D. 

Some of the remains found there are the walls, the Hadrian's triumphal arch, the cisterns, the theater, the gymnasium, the agora, the odeon and the heroon. Among the tombs which are scattered far and wide can be seen those of Alcates, Agatemeros and the Lion decorated sarcophagi, which are extraordinary.

PERGE

This city was built 18km east of Antalya between the Düden and Aksu streams. Is reached along the Antalya-Alanya highway, turning north at Aksu. As it was not on the coast, it was not subjected to raids by pirates and therefore continued its progress without interruption. It was settled in 1200 B.C. In 332 B.C. Perge, like Side, reached an agreement with Alexander and thus did not go to war or suffer the usual ravages. It lived through the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine epochs.

Its 15,000 spectator theatre was built in the 2nd century A.D. and the nearby stadium could hold 12000. With the exception of the Aphrodisias stadium, it is the best preserved in Anatolia. There are 30 rooms, believed to have been used as shops, underneath the stadium seats. A great many statues and other valuable items have been unearthed in recent digs, of which many are in the Antalya Museum. Some of the things worth seeing in Perge are the gates, agora, nymphaeum, the pillared streets, sarcophagi, basilica and acropolis.

ASPENDOS

After passing Serik on the Antalya-Alanya highway, you turn north and continue for 4 km. Aspendos dates back to the 5th century B.C. The theatre, which was built in the 2nd century A.D., was periodically repaired by the Seljuks who used it as a caravanserai. It is one of the best preserved theatres to be found today. Allowing 0.50 m per seat, the theatre holds 17000 spectators, with an additional for 500 in the orchestra. Today it is used for concerts, festivals and grease wrestling events. In addition to the theatre the agora, basilica, nymphaeum and 15 km of aqueducts are to be seen. The pressured aqueduct system is a feat of engineering from the Roman period.

SIDE Side is to be reached by turning right 3 km before Manavgat on the Antalya- Alanya highway. The exact date of its founding is not known. In the language of Anatolia, "Side" means Pomegranate. From inscriptions it appears that Side dates back to the Hittites. The city was constructed on a peninsula and was a Hellenistic and Roman town, protected by city and sea walls. One's attention is particularly drawn to the city gates and walls, as well as the many remains of aqueducts which brought water from the Tauros mountain foothills and surrounding country. The old baths have been restored and turned into a museum, in which are exhibited some of the statues and art treasures found in Side. One of its most important buildings is its 15000 spectator theatre. The difference between this Roman theatre and other antique theatres in the region is that it is not built against a hillside. The 2 storey theatre, built on a series of arches, is 20 m high. The orchestra and stage are in a state of ruin. Rainwater channels run under the theatre Side has colonnaded streets, a triumphal arch, harbour, baths, fountains, cisterns, aquaducts, temples and a agora.

KEKOVA

After leaving Kas one sails past Uluburun and sets a course for Kekova, a spot that is like heaven on earth. One first encounters the Sicak peninsula at the end of which are two islands: Toprakada and Karaada. Kekova island stretches out from here and it is because of this island that the whole area is called Kekova. Passing among the islands and arriving at Kekova, the safest anchorage is Üçagiz, which is a good, all-round harbor.

MYRA Situated between Finike and Kas, Myra is 25 kms. from Finike and 48 kms. from Kas. It was one of the most important cities among the other six Lycian cities. It was settled in the 5th century B.C. Although it was originally a coastal town, it has retreated from the sea because of the alluvium from the Demre stream. It was abandoned in the 9th century A.D. after the Arab invasion. The rock tombs, the theatre and St. Nicholas Church have survived to make it a place worth visiting. St. Nicholas, born in 245 A.D. in Patara near Fethiye (known variously as St.Nicholas, Father Christmas, Santa Claus, Heilige Nikolaus and Pere Noel) died in 363 A.D., having spent his life in Anatolia. Son of a wealthy family and of good education, he devoted himself to mankind. Because of the assistance he rendered to those around him, St. Nicholas was known as the protector of children and sailors, and to this day the legend of Father Christmas has continued to live as vividly as ever. As the Bishop of Demre, by his religious and social work, he solved the problems of the people in a humane way. After he died he was buried in Demre and a church was built there for his memory. In 108 Italian pirates stole some of his bones and took them to Bari. In their haste they left a few behind and these are today on display in the Antalya Museum. In a number of countries the death of St. Nicholas is commemorated by special ceremonies and by giving presents to children, and in fact it takes on the significance of a new year. It was in the years 1951-55 that it was realized St. Nicholas was Santa Claus (or Father Christmas) and this drew a lot of attention to Turkey, with articles in the papers and items on the radio, and in 1955 a Father Christmas stamp was issued. After that date celebrations for Father Christmas started to be held regularly. The first Father Christmas symposium ever held in Antalya was between 5-7 December 1983. This is now held annually and is attended by religious and scientific people from all over the world. In these symposiums, in keeping with Anatolia's St. Nicholas' love for humanity, a call is made to people of different religions and beliefs for peace, friendship and brotherhood.

XANTHOS

PATARA

KAS