Where To Visit In Antalya

Antalya Museum

Antalya Museum : Founded in 1922 by Suleyman Fikri Erten and housed first in the Alaaddin Mosque in the aged habitation and then in the Yivli Minaret, the museum collection was afterwards moved to its prevailing location. The museum collection contains of 12 show in public rooms and its planted areas and open galleries. In these buildings the past files of Antalya is bestowed in a chronological and instructive latest approach commencing with the first humans and carrying on without disturbance to the recent era.

Museum Tel: (+90-242) 238 56 88-89

Kaleici : Today the historic aged habitation of Antalya famous as Kaleici (the interior castle) is encased by two dividers, most of which have plunged down. The interior divider encircles the harbour in a semicircle. As a effect of restoration, Kaleici has turned into a greatest tourist centre with guest-houses, bars, outlets and eateries, and the Roman harbour has been turned into a recent, well-equipped marina. As a effect of the restoration work, the Ministry of Tourism was rewarded the Golden Apple  in April 1984 by FIJET.

The City Walls : What stays today are a small number bastions indoors the habitation as well as Hadrian's Gate and its towers, the large tower looking at the harbour and a small number components of the harbour walls. One of the dividers surrounds the yacht harbour and the other the habitation, virtually like horseshoe. One of the outstanding towers in the Castle Gate Square is now employed as a chronometer tower. There are four openings in the habitation dividers, which configuration ways in to the city.

Hadrian's Gate : The only habitation opening to have endured until the present day is the most bewitching of the Pamphylia: Uckapilar (Three Gates), in addition famous as Hadrian's Gate, which is protected by one tower on either side. Built to award the emperor Hadrian's visit to the habitation in 130 AD, the total opening, except for the posts, is made of wholesome white marble. The reliefs and carvings are extraordinary.

Old Houses of Antalya : With its sultry summers and soft winters, the homes in Antalya are created to give security not against the chill of winter but against the merciless heat of summer. The boulder overhangs and central areas help give air circulation. The homes in Antalya can be pulled apart into three sorts supported upon the create of the principle building, which in addition serves as a storage area. The three sorts are I buildings, L buildings and U halls. In the create of these homes, many alertness was paid to assembly the necessities of once a day life, while in addition giving harmony with natural world and the environment.

Perge : Situated 18 km east of Antalya, Perge is in the habitation extents of Aksu Bucagi. Because of its placement on the Cilicia - Pisidia thoroughfare, it was a essential part of the province of Pamphylia, and was founded throughout the matching time as the other habitation in the environs (7th one 100 BC). It was an valued habitation for Christians of Perge who had worshipped the mother goddess Artemis. St. Paul and Barnabas stayed at the habitation and affluent benefactors like Magna Plancia had some valued memorials assembled here.

The first excavations commenced in 1946 by Istanbul University and they effected in more valued discoveries: The theatre contains of three principle sections: the seating, instrumentalists and stage. It held 12,000 spectators, with 19 strings of stools on the worse segment, 23 on the apex segment, and a 52-metre stage.

The stadium evaluates 34 quadrangle metres, with 13 strings of stools on apex of the vaults. The to the east and western boundaries have 30 vaults each and the north boundary has 10. For every three vaults there is an way in to the stadium, and the other two were employed as shops.

The Agora was the economic and political centre of the habitation, with outlets surrounding the midpoint central area, some of which have mosaics on the floor. The agora evaluated 76 quadrangle metres, with a circular structure in the centre with a diameter of 13.40 metres.

The colonnaded boulevard lies between the Hellenistic Gate and the nympheum on the inclines of the acropolis. On both boundaries of the boulevard, 20 metres in size, are porticoes, some up to five meters high, behind which are shops. The boulevard is pulled apart into two by a 2-metre large water canal running through the middle.

Other compositions embrace the necropolis, habitation dividers, gymnasium, Roman Baths, memorial fountain and the Greek and Roman gates.

Termessos : The spoilt habitation of Termessos, lying 34km west of Antalya in a rugged outcrop valley, was founded by the Solymi population, from the inside of Anatolia. Among the valued stays are the 4200-seat theatre and the Roman stele that Augustus had assembled at the commencing of the first one 100 AD. The Odeon, the included assembly building, has seating for 600 people. The five inter-connecting below ground cisterns were employed for the storage of water and olive oil.

Other valued stays embrace the Agora, with an open western boundary and other boundaries colonnaded; the heroic memorial of Hereon on apex of a 6-metre high platform; the Corinthian-style temple, the Temple of Zeus, the Lesser and Greater Temples of Artemis, the gymnasium and the watch towers. In augmentation, there are more than 1200 rock tombs.

Olympos : Lying between Kemer and Adrasan is the aged harbour settlement of Cirali, the remnants of Olympos and the place of the Chimaera. The past files of Olympos days of the year back to the 2nd one 100 BC when it was an valued Lycian habitation, though it was empty by the 6th century. The Olympians worshipped Hephaestos  the god of blast, possibly bound to the eternal fire, or Chimaera, which still arises from the mountain. Known in addition as Yanartas (burning stone), the fire is produced by the consuming of natural gas arising from the mountain. Apart from the remnants, Olympos is well famous for its straightforward treehouse tents, where most travellers stay, and a natural surroundings thanks to woodlands and vineyards close to to a gorgeous beach.

Ariassos : The aged stays of Ariassos, throughout 50km from Antalya, are found on a incline and encompass bathtubs and rock tombs.

Phaselis : On the seaside area, 60km south of Antalya, Phaselis was founded by the Rhodians in the 7th one 100 BC, and was famous as the most valued seaport in Eastern Lycia. On the west of the habitation is Hadrian's Gate, with outlets and bathtubs on either side. The habitation is accessible both by thoroughfare and sea.

Limyra : Believed to have been in existence since the 5th century, Limyra is still in existence despite a massive earthquake in the mid 19th century although was emptied in the 7th and 9th centuries after the Arab invasions. The city, which is 11km south, composes of three section; the acropolis, areas of settlement, and necropolis.

Arycanda : Excavations of this city reveal that it probably existed from the 5th century BC, and controlled much of the Arycanda valley. Having survived a destructive earthquake in 240 AD, the city maintained its prominence until the 11th century, and its most important structures still survive today.

Demre (Myra) : Demre was one of the most important cities of the Lycian civilisation. 25km west of Finike and 48km east of Kas, Demre was a place of settlement from the 5th century BC. The city was deserted in 9 A.D after the invasions of the Arabs. Rock tombs, theatres and the Church of St. Nicholas (said to be the original Santa Claus) are the most interesting sites in the town today.

Simena  : Receiving its beauty from its history, sea and sun, Simena is accessible from Ucagiz. The submerged city and the ancient remains at the opposite island of Kekova island, make it a worthwhile trip. There are traces of Roman and other civilisations in Simena, the history of which dates back to Lycian civilisation. There is a small theatre carved into the rock, and Roman city walls.

Aspendos: The ancient city, 48km east of Antalya, is most famous for its theatre, probably the best preserved in Asia Minor. It is still in use today, and stages the annual Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival every summer. It was the scene of a huge bloody battle between the Persians and the Greeks in 469 BC, and then ruled by the Spartans 120 years later. The city became part of the Seleucid kingdom after the death of Alexander the Great, and then became part of the Roman province of Asia in 133 BC.

The famous theatre was built in the 2nd century AD, using a Roman design, and it is still intact. Ataturk was responsible for much of the restoration, who after visiting it declared that it should be used as a theatre rather than simply a museum.

In addition to the theatre, there is an acropolis on a hilltop, of which the nymphaeum and basilica are still fairly intact.

Opening hours: Summer 08.00 - 19.00; Winter 08.00 - 17.30.

Kekova : It is between Kas - Demre. It is an ancient submerged city 500 m far from the Ucagiz Village in Mediterranean.

Patara : Patara It is on Kalkan -Fethiye road,nearly 10 km before Kalkan and is located at the south.. The colorful ceramics in the center of the city reveal that the history of the city reaches back to 5 B.C. Besides its being the birth place of St. Nicholas,it was one of the most important seaports during the times of Alexander the Great. Three gated city walls,one of which leads to Patara, was constructed by the governor Modestus in 110 . One of the most important remnants is the theater currently buried under the crystal clear sandy beaches of Patara.

Xanthos : Founded on the Xanthos river basin, Xanthos is the biggest and the most ancient city of Lycia. Having being remained independent till the invasions of the Persians in 4292 B.C,Xanthos tried hard to defend against the invasions;however, upon realizing the remote victory the people of Xanthos first murdered their women then commited suicide as a whole.Afterwards 80 family imigrating to the region refounded the city but approximately 100 years later the city was totally destroyed by a great fire. Reesatblished city thenceforth strengtened its connection with west and became an important center.Still the city can not be saved from misfortune. Upon resisting to the taxes of the Roman Brutus, the city was ruined and the people were dragged into war. And Xanthos became the city of catastrophe.

The city was founded around center of Lycia and outside it were the remnants of Roman city center. Roman theater and the findings at the west side of the theater still attracts the visitors. Harpy memorial on the rocks is one of the most important traces. Only the duplication of the work of art, the original of which is on exhibit in British Museum in England,can be seen in the region.

Kas : One of the Lycian towns, Kas took its name from the Greek word "Phellos" meaning stony place. With its well preserved rock tombs and theater, Kas is a wonderful town on the Mediterranean coast.

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