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Area Attractions - Area attraction***OLYMPOS It is located between Kemer and Adrasan. After passing Phaselis on the Antalya- Kumluca road, signpost leading to Olympos and Cirali will be seen and Olympos can be reached by following either route. Cirali is the name of the village near Olympos, which was a port city established in the 2nd 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. Manavgat Waterfall away 3 km at north of Manavgat. KOPRULU KANYON NATIONAL PARK is in the Manavgat district of the Antalya province. The road along the coast from Antalya to Manavgat then passes through Tasagil and Beskonak. SİDE, which is 7 km. away from Manavgat, is an ancient settlement center. Side, which is mentioned by historians as founded on 1405 A. D., had met with the reigns of Lydian, Persian, Alexander The Great's, Antiogonous's, Ptolemaioses, respectively beginning from the second half of VIth century A. D. After 215 A. D., The city, which is improved under supervision of Syrian Kingdom, and turned into a science and cultural center, had left to Bergama Kingdom on A. D. with Apameia peace, then had protected its independence with Eastern Pamphilya region, and reached to a great richness and prosperity with a huge commercial fleet. SİDE MUSEUM - Hamam of the antic agora, remaining from 5th and 6th century A. D., against the agora, which belongs to Roman Period, is restored on 1960 / 61, and turned into a museum. 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. PERGE This city was built 18km east of Antalya between the Duden 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. |
