After Alanya, Akseki is the oldest district in the province of Antalya, and has an appearance that befits its location in the rugged Taurus mountains, in a forested and very rocky area. The history of Akseki extends back to the Roman era, when it was known as Marla (Marulya), and has been continually inhabited until the present day. The developments in the tourism sector in the Antalya region in recent years have been seen in Akseki as well. The area is well known for the snowdrop flower, and every years sees local and foreign visitors coming every winter to see these flowers breaking through the snow, as the first sign of spring. In the Giden Gelmez Mountains, goats are protected and limited hunting is available year-round with the purchase of a license. Another spot frequented by visitors is the trout farming facilities in the villages of Sinan hoca and Gumusdamla. The primary game in the area is mountain goat, rabbit, bear and fox. Other areas worth visiting are the Goktepe Highland, Giden Gelmez Mountains, Cimi Highland, Irmak Valley and the 340-metre deep Bucaklan Cave, which has only recently been discovered. Buildings of interest are the Ulu Camii and medreses.

Alara Han

Thirty kilometres before reaching Alanya on the Antalya-Alanya highway,one has to make a turn to Alara Han and continue 10 kms. It was built in 1231 on the orders of Sultan Alaeddin Keykubat I. It is a very solid construction, entered through a gate with inscriptions and lion heads. It has somewhat the appearance of a fortress as if warding it from aggressors.

Arykanda

The ruins of Arykanda are on the Elmali-Finike highway, in the village of Arif’s Aykiricay district, 30 kilometers from Finike. The city was an Anatolian city in the second century B.C., and it was called Anna. But objects unearthed at the site has enabled archaeologists to date the city to as early as the fifth century B.C.. Like other Lycian cities, Arykanda was under Persian rule in the fifth century B.C.. Alexander started ruling the city in 333 B.C. After his death, the city was taken by the Ptolemies followed by Seleucids. After the Apameia Agreement, the city was taken under the sovereignty of Rhodes. After some years, together with a number of other Lycian cities, Arykanda also left the dominion of Rhodes. The cities which gained their freedom formed the Lycian Union. Arykanda also joined the union and printed their own coins. This situation continued until the Emperor Claudius ended the Lycian Union in 43 A.D. After this date, Arykanda was connected to Rome. The city was called Akalanda in the Byzantine era and it existed until the ninth century A.D. After that time, it was moved to an area on the south of the highway. This is the reason why the Arykanda ruins are spread over such a wide area, starting from Aykiricay’s spring and continuing all the way to Sahinkaya. The ruins become more frequent over the terraces. On top of these terraces in Sahinkaya, there is a stadium which is only half as large as normal stadiums and it has seats only on one side. There are niches between the seats. There is a very well-preserved theater of Arykanda in the middle of the terrace below. There are also stairs that lead down to this theater. The seats are placed on a natural slope. Theater was built in the Roman era and it is based on a Greek plan. The top two rows of the 20 rows have Greek writings on them. The city’s odeon lies on the terrace below theater. Between the bouleterion and the agora, there are the remains of a small Turkish-style bath and a fountain. Below the agora, there are remains of a larger Turkish bath. The first two floors of this structure still stand today. Next to the bath, there is a gymnasium and to the west, there is a house with inscriptions on it. Above the Turkish-style bath, on the terraces, there is the eastern necropolis of Arykanda. The western necropolis, on the other hand, starts from the cliffs to the west of the city and stretches to the spring of the Aykiricay River. There are very few rock tombs in Arykanda. Most of these are near Aykiricay. Apart from the rock tombs, there are also water channels carved in rocks forming an interesting view. Evidence shows that the people of Arykanda used to get water from the spring of Basgoz. The water channels are connected to two large cisterns (water tanks) to the west of gymnasium. This section of ruins on top of the mountains has an extraordinary view

Aspendos

Aspendos nearby Antalya is famous for its best-preserved theater of antiquity built in the 2nd c. AD with a capacity of 15,000 people. Still used today for performances and festivals, the theater’s galleries, stage decorations and acoustics all testify to its architect Xenon’s success. Next to the stage there is a small room which is used as a small museum where you can see some of the masks and clay tickets. Nearby stand the remains of a basilica, agora and one of the largest aqueducts in Anatolia. Here you can visit also the acropolis of the city with a great view of the river.

Beldibi Cave

The cave is an under – rock shelter located at the 40th kilometer of the coastal highway between Antalya – Kemer, just after the Camdag tunnel. It is at the locality of Oba village. The cave is at 25 m. height from the coast and is in the shape of a shelter. As the cave is damaged extensively by natural destruction, the filling layers are flown away by rain waters and winds. 6 layers containing totally Mesolotic cultures were determined. The cultures found inside this cave display similarities with the alizarin, solitarian and tardenovasior cultures of Europe. At the excavations, Flintstones tools belonging to Upper Paleolithic and Mesolotic periods were obtained. Also, at the walls of this under – rock shelter, human, mountain goat and deer drawing sketches are present. The cave is an archeological side which is continuously open to local and foreign tourists.

Damlatas Cave

The cave is located inside the borders of Alanya and is at the coast. It is 3 km away from the city center. The total length of the cave is 30 m. and is horizontal. It covers an area of total 200 m. The cave is 15 meters high and has a marvelous vision formed by numerous stalactite and stalagmites. With the carbon dioxide gas, high humidity, low temperature and radioactive atmosphere, the cave is extremely beneficial for asthmatic patients. Therefore the asthmatic patients form the most dense visitor groups. The formation period of the stalactite and stalagmites inside the cave are estimated to be between BC 20.000-15.000 years.

Duden Waterfall

All the streams of the region aim at finding their way into the Mediterranean and they pour down the slopes of the Tauros, sometimes overland sometimes underground and, reaching their destination, result in lovely waterfalls, of which there are more than twenty.The loveliest of these are the Duden Falls, 15 km. north of Antalya, the Kursunlu Falls 18 km. along the Antalya-Alanya highway and those of Manavgat 3 km. north of the town.

Elmali

The exact founding date of Elmali, which is located within the borders of ancient Lycia, is unknown. Excavations to the east at Karatas near the village of Semahoyuk, and to the west in the village of Beyler indicate that the area has been inhabited seen the Bronze Age. Throughout history it has suffered the rising and falling fortune of the Lycian region, being ruled respectively by the Persian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman empires. Tumuluses There are several tumuluses in nearby villages. The first is west of the city in the village of Mugren, on top of which sits a small fortress dating back to the Roman era. Surface-level archaeological research indicates that the area was inhabited in the Bronze Age by various civilisations. Another village to the west, Semahoyuk, has a tumulus but due to the fact that an Ottoman cemetery is located on top of it, no research has been done. The third and largest tumulus is in Beyler, south of the city on the Elmali – Kas road. Excavations conducted here show that the area has been continuously inhabited from the Bronze Age right up to the present time. The items unearthed in the excavations are exhibited in the Antalya Museum. East of the city 6 km from the village of Elmali near the village of Bayindir, there are several tumuluses side by side. Artifacts dating back to the 7th century BC were unearthed during the excavations. Now on display in a special section of the Antalya Museum, these findings represent a cross-section of life during that era. A statuette of pure silver and two of ivory bear witness to the fact that the art of sculpture in ancient Anatolia had reached a level of some sophistication. Memorial Tombs There are tombs in Karaburun and Kizilbel. The walls of the King’s Tomb in Karaburun, on the Antalya – Elmali road, is decorated with frescoes of scenes of hunting and war. The tomb in Kizilbel is west of the city on the Elmali – Yuvayol road, and is a single room made of limestone blocks. Define Described as the Treasure of the Century, this was discovered in 1984, just north of the Antalya – Elmali road between the King’s Tomb and the village of Gokpinar. Consisting of 190 pieces of ancient silver coins, the treasure was smuggled to America by antique treasure thieves. It is still on display in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts as part of a private collection. The Athens Decadrachme, 14 pieces each worth US$600,000, is said to be the world’s most valuable treasure find. Mosques The most interesting mosques in the area include Selcuklu Camii, Kutuk Camii, Sinan-i Ummi Camii, Omer Pasa Camii and medrese.

Hidirlik Tower

Hidirlik Tower is a mausoleum built next to the city walls, at the intersection of Hesapci Street (regarded as the main axis of the city) with the sea, in honor of a Roman senator and his family… The tower was conveniently located at a place visible by ships approaching the city and was perceived to be just a street monument, and until very recently kept this identity. However the latest research proves that it actually a mouseloum reaches 14 meters, with its circular tower rising on a square pedestal…

Idyros Antique City (Kemer)

ldyros was found in Kemer, close to the French Holiday Village, during the excavations carried out by Antalya Museum in 1976-1977. There is no sufficient information about Idyros antique city in the ancient sources. Carl Ritter writes down the followings about Idyros: From Phaselis to the northern west, the fisherman shelters belonging to the ancient times at Ekber location, at the northern slopes of Cape Awawa is said to be Idyros city. It is said that Skylax and ldyros are between Phaselis and Lurnateia (Rat Island). On the other hand, in the maps of Kipert it is indicated that the city was at the bay where Cape of An (Awawa) at the southern coast of Kemer Mountain. In this regard, there is almost nothing belonging to that city. Byzantine wall ruins, three doors threshold and a wall resembling the abscissa were found in the excavations. The studies made at 60-90 cm depths, brought some of the remains of Byzantine church into the light; the church’s dimension was 25 x 11,50m. The floor of the church was made of orange, tile red, white and gray stones, and it was coated with mosaic. The ornaments with the geometrical motifs are surrounded with vegetable boards at the heart shapes. A chapel was found in the southern part of the church. The chapel inclined to the front of the chapel church abscissa. It was at 55 x 5,20m dimensions at rectangle shape. A skeleton was found near the abscissa at the northern wall of the chapel. As it will be seen after the examination of the little findings and coins found during the excavations of the church and its complex, this complex was used in the 4th and 6th Centuries. It was found by means of the coins that the rubble walls at the lower level dated 6th Century AD. Therefore, it was found that the church dated 6th Century AD and it was restored in the 7th Century AD, and an external wall was made, and a Baptisterium was added at the northern part. While constructing the additional wall the pavement was taken to some part of the street, and the street was minimized half and half. There are residences displaying the characteristics of the same epoch at the western side of the church and the street in front of it. Pitos that were most probably used for storing food were found in some of these islands. In the southwest, a necropolis was found belonging to the Byzantine era. The graves were formed by connecting three pad-like brick plates in the Necropolis. There was a graveyard belonging to the Classical Age settlement area besides that Byzantine necropolis. The graves were made of brick as it was in the Agva necropolis. The gifts of the dead people were found in the graves belonging to the 5-4th centuries. As far as the existence of the necropolis belonging to the Classical Age was concerned, it was found that Idyros was one of the settlements of the Classical-Hellenistic period. However, during the excavations no remains were found belonging to the period before 5th Century AD. In the southeast part of the excavation center, there was a city wall belonging to the Classical Age at the hill where the forest fire-watch tower existed. No other early age remains were found except for this. The Byzantine Settlement extended through the area where French Holiday village existed, and the bridge with the legs on the brook allowed crossing between the settlement and the holiday village. There is a clover shape church and some other constructions in the holiday village.

Karain Cave

The cave is found inside the borders of Yagca Village which is at 5 – 6 km. distance to the old Antalya – Burdur highway, 30 km northwest of Antalya. The Karain cave which is one of the greatest natural caves of Turkey, is 150 m high from the travertine valley in front, ve430-450 m. high from the sea. The cave stands in the period of the beginning of the history of the mankind, as the cavern was continuously accommodated by early humans during the prehistoric and classic periods starting from lower Paleolithic, medium and high Paleolithic, Neolithic, Calcolithic and Ancient Bronze stages. As a natural result of this, the cavern contains a thick cultural layer which can be 11 meters. But the longest and most important accommodation period of the cave is relevant with the Paleolithic period. The usage at the classical period is more likely as an Offering Cave(Temple) and there are Greek inscriptions and niches at the cave exterior walls and ceiling. The archeological findings discovered from the archeological excavations done inside Karain Cave are displayed at the Antalya Museum and at the Karain Museum which is just near the cave.

Kocain Cave

The cave is on the 45 km. north of Antalya at Indag Mountain. It is possible to reach Kocain Cave by Karatas – Camilikoy – Ahirtas Village road which is branched from Burdur-Antalya highway at least 20 km away from Antalya city. The cave contains the widest entrance and one section largest gallery of Turkey. There are 50-60 m. high pillars and a cistern from the Roman period inside the cavern. The cave was formed from two extremely large saloons and the entrance is 35×70 meters wide.

Kursunlu Waterfall

All the streams of the region aim at finding their way into the Mediterranean and they pour down the slopes of the Tauros, sometimes overland sometimes underground and, reaching their destination, result in lovely waterfalls, of which there are more than twenty.The loveliest of these are the Duden Falls, 15 km. north of Antalya, the Kursunlu Falls 18 km. along the Antalya-Alanya highway and those of Manavgat 3 km. north of the town.

Letoon

It is near Kumluova Village at 65th km of Fethiye – Kas highway. In accordance with a story told by the poet Ovidius, the city was established in the name of Leto, who became pregnant from Zeus. The traces of old settlement in the city goes back to 7th century BC. The ruins and the inscriptions obtained show that this place was a religious and political area. There are three temples at the center of the ruin place side by side. The one at the most northern direction is devoted to Leto, the one in the middle is devoted to Artemis and the one in the south is devoted to Apollo. In the southwest of the temples, there is a fountain building and just beside it, there is a church. In the northern side of the city, there is a Stoa and a theater, which gives its rear side to the natural slope partially, belonging to the Hellenistic Period. Letoon has been left in the 7th century AD.

Lycia, Likya

The region, west of the line between the north edge of Antalya Bay and Fethiye (Telmessos) was called Lykia in ancient times. The coastline in the Lykia region has a complex structure, allowing ships to dock, contrary to the other coastline area in Pamphylia. Therefore, you may find ruins next to each bay along this coastline. Works from the Bronze Age, were found in Semahiiyuk, near Elmali, in the inner parts of the region… Homeros, the Anatolian poet, was the first to mention and describe this region. He wrote about the Lykians, and Sarpedon, their brave leader, who fought against the Trojans and desc ribed Xantos (Kinik). Heredetos, the historian who lived in the fifth century BC described the Lydians fiasco in capturing Lykia… The most important invasion, was the Persian invasion in the sixth century BC… After a long struggle, Harpagos, the Persian commander, occupied the city. Later, the city was occupied by Greek units under the command of Alexander, who entered the region in 334 BC. In the middle of the fourth century BC, the Lykians united and organized as a federation… The sources state that the region was put under the control of Rome at the beginning of the second century BC, and Rome transferred this control to Rhodes. After the Rhodes’ dominance, the Lykian Union again became a current issue and this time it succeeded. The re-indepen dence of this region is interpreted as the strong power of union between the Lykian cities. The region was a pirates den during the first century before Christ… Zeniketes was the most famous pirate of the old times, living around Olympos and Phaselis… Zeniketes was defeated by Servilius Isauricus, the Roman General in year 78… The End of Zeniketes Strabon, the historian, describes the fall of Zenikes with these lines: “The pirate fortress of Zeniketes is located on the slope of theTaurus (Toros) Mountains. I mean Olympos. Likya, Pamphylia, Pisidia and Milyas may be seen from both the sea and the fortress. But Zeniketes burned himself and his family when Isauricus captured this mountain. Many other cities in Kory-kos, Phaselis and Pamphylia belonged to him.. During the Roman Empire era, Lykia became richer and lead its brightest era… However, the earthquakes in 141 and 240, problems with the pirates, and a spat between the Pagans and the Christians weakened the region. After Arab attacks in the seventh century, the cities of this region became villages.

Lymra

Lymra is an antique city established on the Finike Plain, 110 km from Antalya and 6 km. from the sea, on the slopes of Tocak Mountain and in the middle of natural springs. The ancient name of the city was Zemuri. Lymra, and can be reached by following the road from the slope of Tocak Mountain, passing through orange gardens, and welcoming you with its rock tombs. The city is located around Acicay (Ad River), whose source originates from a spring near a rock tomb. Starting an opposition against the Persians, and claiming their rights to Lykia at the beginning of the fourth century BC, Tyrant Perikles chose Lymra as the capital city. Heroon, found during excavations under the Acropolis, is the tomb of Tyrant Perikles. Presumably, sea journeys between ancient Myra (today called Demre) and Lymra, in historical times, were made over Lymras, formed by the Lymra springs. The city supported Antiokhos III, the king ol Seleukos, against the alliance of Bergama ant Rome at the beginning of the second centim BC. Sources state that Gaius Caesar, the step son of Emperor Augustus, during a campaign to Armenia, was brought to Lymra to be taken to Rome and that he died in this city in the year 4 AD. The grave of Gaius Caesar is on the west side of the city… Another interesting remain in Limyra is the theatre… The legends state that Lymra was affected by the earthquakes in Lykia and Opra-maous. A wealthy citizen in Rhodiapolis, the neighboring city, had the theatre repaired b; paying 20.000 dinars. A sarcophagus with inscriptions, called Xanbura, was discovered at the east end of the theatre on the road, during digs made in recent years. The floor where the water flowed from a source at the southeast of the theatre, was tiled with block stones. Benches found near the water show that the people oil the city may have been using this part of the] city for relaxation.

Myra

A well-paved road leads to Myra, which is famous for its striking rock tombs. This place is between Kas, in Antalya’s Kale (Demre) township, and Finike. Myra was an important Lycian city in the Middle Ages and St. Nicholas served as a bishop in the city. Lycia means “the place of the sacred Mother Goddess.” Myra, or “Myrrh” in the Lycian language, was set up on the coastal side of the mountains with a wall on the northwestern side of the Demre valley. First, the city that was built on today’s rock tombs on top of the hill expanded towards lower parts of the hill and it became one of the most important six cities of Lycia. The first coins of the city in the fourth century B.C bore pictures of the Mother Goddess. Although old sources date Myra to the first century B.C., it is understood from coins and rock tombs that the city existed as early as the fifth century B.C. The Myros River (Demre Cayi), which flows across the city, helped the development of naval maritime trade but also left the city vulnerable to pirate raids. At their port of Andriake, the Myrians tried to put a stop to these raids by putting a chain across the river’s mouth to the sea. Brutus, famous for killing Julius Caesar in 42 B.C, came to Lycia to gather soldiers and after they conquered Xanthos, he sent his commander Lentulus to Myra to collect tribute. The Myrians resisted this and tried to defend themselves, but the commander broke the chains across the river’s mouth and managed to enter the city. In 18 A.D., the adopted son of Tiberius, Germanicus, along with his wife Agrippina visited here and the Myrians showed their respect for them by erecting sculptures of the couple at their Andriake port. In 60 A.D., St. Paul changed ships in Myra on his way to Rome. Old sources tell about ship tours between Myra and Limyra. Myra, the metropolis of the Lycian Union, developed greatly in the second century A.D. and many buildings were constructed with the financial assistance of the wealthy people of Lycia. One of these individuals, Licinius Langus from Oinoanda, had a theater and portico built by donating 10,000 dinars. Inscriptions tell us that Jason from Rhodiapolis and Kyeanail also made great contributions to Myras development. During the time of Theodosius II (408-450), when St. Nicholas served as an archbishop, Myra was the capital of the Lycian region. Starting in the seventh century, the city was raided by Arabs until the ninth century. Finally in 809, one of the commanders of the Caliph Harun el-Rashid gained control of the city. The Church of St. Nicholas was demolished in 1034 during an attack of Arabs from the sea. Most inhabitants of Myra left the city because of the Arab raids and because of the Myros Stream’s frequent floods which filled some of the buildings with mud. Myra soon turned into a village. When Turks first came to the area, Myra had shrunk into a very small place indeed. Nothing much is left of the acropolis on the mountain behind theater. In 1842, Spratt visited Myra and climbed to the acropolis, and he saw nothing but small rocks. There are remains of walls in the Roman rampart which survived from Hellenistic times and even from the fifth century B.C. On the way to the city, at the end of the road you’ll see remains of a Turkish-style bath and a basilica that were built in later times. Myras water needs were met by water channels carved into rocks in the valley where the Demre Stream flows. These channels are still visible even in our day. Other structures of Myra remain hidden beneath the earth waiting for their new day in the sun. On the way to Myra, in the Karabucak area, you will notice a well-preserved Roman mausoleum. There is an ancient city, Sura, near Myra’s port Andriake and this city was famous for being a center for prophecy and soothsaying. A few kilometers away from Sura, there is the Trebenda ancient city in Gurses. Now let’s take a look at theater, the tomb rocks and the St. Nicholas Church. Myras splendid theater has survived to our day and it is still in good shape. Behind it, the cavea of the theater located on the steep side of the mountain is mostly carved into rocks. The theater was later used as an arena, and so some changes were made to it. In Myra, which owes its fame to its rock tombs, these tombs are located mainly in two places: one group right on top of theater and the other in the river necropolis on the eastern side.

Olympos

On the Antalya-Finike road, in order to go to Olympos, you should make a turn from Ulupinar when you see the sign pointing to the ruins. A narrow but beautiful road will take you to the beach of Olympos. To go to the ruins, you’ll pass a creek and walk a little on a wide beach which will take you to the creek that passes across Olympos. Olympos was set up in the Hellenistic period. We have coins of the city printed in the second century B.C.. In 100 B.C., Olympos became one of the six leading cities that had the right to vote. In the first century B.C., pirates became so fond of the city that Olympos almost became a settlement area for the pirates. In 78 B.C. the Roman commander Servilius Isaurieus drove out the pirates and added the city to Roman territory. During the Roman era, the city became very famous with the cult of the blacksmith god Vulcan (Hephaestus) in nearby Cirali, where natural gases keep a number of flame perpetually burning.

Patara

Ancient Mediterranean port of Lycia . It was a Dorian colony, and became the seat of the Lycian League (167 B.C.–A.D. 43). According to the Acts of the Apostles, St. Paul visited Patara. Extensive excavation of the city’s ruins only began in the late 20th cent. Apart from biblical references, Patara is also an old settlement on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. This region boasts thousands of years of history, breathtaking scenery and hundreds of miles of unspoiled coastline.

Perge

Perge, one of Pamphylia’s foremost cities, was founded on a wide plain between two hills 4 km. west of the Kestros (Aksu) river. Skylax, who lived in the fourth century B.C. and was the earliest of the ancient writers to mention Perge, states that the city was in Pamphylia. In the New Testament book, Acts of the Apostles, the sentence “…when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perge in Pamphylia” suggests that Perge could be reached from the sea in ancient times. Just as the Kestros provides convenient communication today, the diver also played an important role in antiquity, making the land productive, and securing for Perge the possibility of sea trade. Despite its being some 12 km. inland from the sea, Perge by means of the Kestros, was able to benefit from the advantages of the sea as if it were a coastal city. Moreover, it was removed from the attacks of pirates invading by sea. In later copies of a third or fourth century map of the world, Perge is shown beside the principal road starting at Pergamum and ending at Side.

Phaselis

When you are driving on the new road parallel to the coast that offers you all the beauties of the Mediterranean, if you turn to Phaselis 35 kilometers before Antalya, this road in the woods will take you to Phaselis in the village of Tekirova. Although the nearly Beldibi Cave was labeled a prehistoric site, the establishment of the city of Phaselis doesn’t go earlier than the seventh century B.C. Phaselis was founded in 690 B.C. as a colony of Rhodes. It had three ports and was close to rich forests. In the sixth and seventh centuries B.C., the sea was the only source of income for Phaselis. At that time the Persians took control of Anatolia, and later Alexander defeated the Persians and conquered Phaselis. The people of Phaselis opened their doors to Alexander and made him their guest. Alexander received several ambassadors of from Pamphlia cities here in this city. He also conquered all the cities on the coast one-by-one and went on the way to Gordion. After the death of Alexander, from 309 to 197 B.C , the city was ruled by the Ptolemies of Egypt. It was later given to the Kingdom of Rhodes like other Lycian cities in the peace of Apamia. Phaselis stayed under the rule of Rhodes from 190 to 160. After 160 B.C., the city joined the Lycian Union under Roman sovereignty. Phaselis was attacked by pirates in first century B.C.. The city was ruled by a pirate named Zenekites for some time before the Romans defeated him. In 42 B.C. Brutus and the Romans took possession of the city. During the Byzantine era, Phaselis became the center of the episcopate. Because of its good ports, the city was attacked again by the third century B.C., and after that it lost its importance. It became even poorer with Arab raids. By the 11th century B.C., Phaselis could no longer survive. It was forgotten totally when the Seljuks came to value the ports of Alanya and Antalya more. In its early years, the city met its water needs with wells and cisterns. In Roman times, it brought water to the city via aqueducts from faraway places. They transported water from a spring to the north to a hill behind the Hadrian Agora and from here they distributed it to the city through channels. The main ruins of the city are found on two sides of the main avenue that connects the military port with the south port. There are three steps on the sidewalks on two sides of the avenue which is 125 meters long and 20-25 meters wide. The avenue forms a square in the middle and leads to the south port. The avenue is paved with regular stones and has sewage and drainage systems underneath it.

Selge

Selge was an important Pisidian city. It lies on the southern slopes of the Taurus in a naturally fortified spot difficult of access. It is reached by a forest road that climbs past cliffs, rivers, and small waterfalls, then passes over a Roman bridge. Thanks to its natural and historical treasures, it has been included in the Koprulu kalyon (Bridged Canyon) National Park. According to Strabo, Selge’s founder was Calchas, and it was later resettled by the Lacedaemonies (Spartans). The first settlement occurred during the Doric migrations which took place at the end of the second millennium B.C. and were connected with the Trojan War. The second settlement took place at the beginning of the seventh century B.C. together with the colonization of Rhodes. No inscription confirming this has come to light in the city, however and the idea that colonists would choose a place hard to spot from the coast and hidden in the mountains seems difficult to accept.

Selinus

3 km. on south of Gazipasa about 45 km. away from Alanya. The city is on a skirt of hill extending to the sea in elbow shape. There is acropolis of the city on the hill. There is cradle vaulted two room bath in the point where Selinus (Haci Musa) meets the sea. The columns of Agora on sea side have been lost but stylobat traces can still be seen. When moved toward east from Agora a building with apsis is seen. It is mostly probable that the building was established on a religious temple. There is monumental structure on the east of the church. The entrance door being the only Islamic structure of the city is surrounded with zigzags motives of Lescuklu in colourful manner. This ruin must have been of a mansion. The tomb structure in cemetery which is nekropol of the city indicates the customs of burying of Kilikya in the best way. Some parts of water canals of the region still survive at present. Roman Emperor Traianus died in the city while he was returning from Part mobilisation and his ashes were buried in Rome. The ruins are dating from Roman, Byzantine and Middle Ages.

Side

Side, ancient Pamphylia’s largest port, is situated on a small peninsula extending north-south into the sea. Strabo and Arrianos both record that Side was settled from Kyme, city in Aeolia, a region of western Anatolia. Most probably, this colonization occurred in the seventh century B.C.. According to Arrianos, when settlers from Kyme came to Side, they could not understand the dialect. After a short while, the influence of this indigenous tongue was so great that the newcomers forgot their native Greek and started using the language of Side. Excavations have revealed several inscriptions written in this language. The inscriptions, dating from the third and second centuries B.C., remain undeciphered, but testify that the local language was still use several centuries after colonization. Another object found in Side excavations, a basalt column base from the seventh century B.C. and attributable to the Neo Hittites, provides other evidence of the site’s early history. The word “side” is Anatolian in origin and means pomegranate.

Simena

The village of Kale was set on the ancient city of Simena. From inscriptions at this site, we can date the city to the ninth century B.C. The Simena fortress was used in the Middle Ages. There is a temple and a stoa connected to the temple inside this fortress. Here there is also a theater with seven row of seats carved into rocks for an audience of 300. This is the smallest theater that was built in a Lycian city. Above the rock tombs, there is a Roman wall formed by regular columns and above that there is another wall built in a later period. Here one can see traces of three different eras in a single place. The Turkish-style bath on the coast bears an inscription saying, “This is a gift to Emperor Titus from the people of Aperlai, its Parliament and all the cities of the Lycian Union.” There are many tombs in this area, including two house-type tombs. There is an epitaph written in the Lycian language on a house-type tomb to the north of Kale. When you look from Kale to Ucagiz, you can see what a naturally secure port this is.

St. Nicholas

Saint Nicholas, who is known worldwide as Santa Claus, was born in the ancient Lycian city of Patara, an important city on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Around 300 AD, during a prosperous era for Patara, a rich wheat merchant had a son and named him Nicholas. His birth was accepted as a gift from the Heavens, the fruit of his parents prayers and wows and a savior for the poor people. It is believed that he performed miracles even as a young man. According to one legend, Nicholas was trapped under the wreckage of an old church and he survived it while his mother was crying and calling out for him. After the death of Nicholas father, he inherited a large estate which he decided to use to aid the poor. At around the same time, one of Patara’s wealthiest men fell into poverty to such an extent that he lacked the means to even put together dowries for his daughters. He felt so desperate that he was even considering selling his daughters when Nicholas decided to help them. One night he entered the their house secretly in order to remain anonymous and also to spare the family’s honor. While the family was asleep he dropped into the open window of the eldest daughter a bag of gold, enough to cover her dowry. In the morning, the daughter was overjoyed the find the gold which would save her from this desperate situation.

Sillyon

This Pamphylian town, located between Perge and Aspendos, is situated on top of a flat-topped hill with almost vertical flanks. With its unusual physical formation, the hill is easily recognizable even from a distance. Strabo mentions in his writings that the city, some 40 stad or 7.2 km, inland, was visible from Perge. It is generally accepted that Sillyon, like other cities in Pamphylia, was founded after the Trojan War by the heroes Mopsos and Calchas. A statue base found in Sillyon bears Mopsos’ name.

Termessos

Termesos is one of the best preserved of the ancient cities of Turkey. It lies 30 kilometres to the north-west of Antalya. It was founded on a natural platform on top of Gulluk Dagi, soaring to a height of 1.665 metres from among the surrounding travertine mountains of Antalya, which average only 200 metres above sea level. Concealed by a multitude of wild plants and bounded by dense pine forests, the side, with its peaceful and untouched appearance, has a more distinct and impressive atmosphere than other ancient cities. Because of its natural and historical riches, the city has been included in a National Park bearing its name.

The Fluted Minaret and Complex

The “Kalekapisi” neighborhood is where number of buildings of Seljuk origin are concentrated, and consist of the following: the Fluted (Yivli) Minaret, the Yivli Mosque, the Giyaseddin Keyhusrev Medrese, the Seljuk Medrese, the Mevlevi Han, the Zincirkiran Mausoleum and the Nigar Hatun Mausoleum. The Fluted Minaret is one of the first Muslim edifices in Antalya and is an 18th century work of the Seljuk period. Its base is of hewn stone and the trunk of bricks and turquoise colored tiles, and it has eight grooves. This minaret has now become the symbol of Antalya. It is 38 meters high and the top is reached by 90 steps. The Yivli Minaret Mosque is to the west of the Truncated Minaret. It is the oldest example of the multicupola construction in Anatolia; it is covered by six semi-spherical cupolas. It was built in 1372 by Balaban Tavsi and it can be seen that ancient ruins have been used in addition to other products in its construction. Giyaseddin Keyhusrev had the Medrese built in his name by Atabey Armagan in 1239. Facing the entrance of this building are the ruins of what is thought to be a 13th century Seljuk Medrese. The Zincirkiran Mausoleum is north of the Fluted Minaret in the upper garden and is of Seljuk design. However, because of the simplicity of the exterior, of having windows, and the tombs being at a lower level, it has the characteristics of the Ottoman Mausoleums. In was built in 1379 and contains three tombs. The Nigar Hatun Mausoleum is also north of the Fluted Minaret. It is of simple design and is hexagonal in shape. The Seljuk style mausoleum dates back to 1502. It is believed that the Mevlevis house to the west of the Zincirkiran Mausoleum was built by Aladdin Keykubat in 1225. Its inscription has been effaced, but the building has been repaired and is today used as a fine arts gallery.

The Truncated Minaret Mosque

Examination of the building reveals that it dates to the 2nd century A.D. and that in the 5th century A.D. a basilica was built on an ancient temple. The son of Bayazit II, Sultan Korkud, transformed it into a mosque and had a minaret added. When a fire broke out in the 19th century the timber section of the minaret was burnt out, and since then it has been called the “truncated minaret”. It is to this day in a state of disrepair and does not function as a mosque, but as visitors can see ancient, Byzantine and Seljuk remains all at one time, it still serves as an unusually interesting sight.

Theimussa

This ancient settlement, a sheltered cove east of Kas, is famous for its sarcophagi, more than its structures… Theimussa, reached by a road which heads south from the 18th km marker off the road from Ka§ to Demre, has some of the most magnificent scenery in Antalya. Two islands nearby create a triple entrance by sea, therefore, the village is named Ucagiz (Three entrance). The ancient city gate is still used. Theimussa, used as an anchoring and resting place today, is and was in ancient times, one of the ports most visited by yachts.

Xsanthos (Kinik)

This is the oldest and the largest city of the mountain province of Lycia, settled in the valley of the Xanthos river. Until the Persian invasion it was an independent state. When the people of Xanthos,who had bravely tried to defend their city, realized that they could not repulse the invasion, they first killed their women committed mass suicide by throwing themselves into the flames. About 80 surviving families and people who immigrated there rebuilt the city, but a fire which broke out about 100 years later razed it to the ground. In spite of this, the city was again rebuilt and, as a result of establishing good relations with the west, was considered as an important centre. However, Xanthos again met with an unfortunate end. As a result of resisting the taxes the Athenians wanted to impose on them in 429 B.C., the city was largely destroyed and the inhabitants were drawn into a war. And thus Xanthos became “a city of disasters”. The city itself consists of the Lycian acropolis and the parts remaining outside it, as well as the Roman acropolis. The most interesting building is the Roman theatre and the edifices of the theatre’s western shoreline. Of these the most famous is the Harpy Monument, which is a family sarcophagus situated on a rock. The original of this relief-decorated sarcophagus is in the British Museum, and a very good copy of this is in its place. Close by can be seen very interesting Lycian sarcophagi from the 6th and 1st centuries B.C.

The city supported Antiokhos III, the king ol Seleukos, against the alliance of Bergama ant Rome at the beginning of the second centim BC. Sources state that Gaius Caesar, the step son of Emperor Augustus, during a campaign to Armenia, was brought to Limyra to be taken to Rome and that he died in this city in the year 4 AD. The grave of Gaius Caesar is on the west side of the city… Another interesting remain in Limyra is the theatre… The legends state that Limyra was affected by the earthquakes in Lykia and Opra-maous. A wealthy citizen in Rhodiapolis, the neighboring city, had the theatre repaired b; paying 20.000 dinars. A sarcophagus with inscriptions, called Xanbura, was discovered at the east end of the theatre on the road, during digs made in recent years. The floor where the water flowed from a source at the southeast of the theatre, was tiled with block stones. Benches found near the water show that the people oil the city may have been using this part of the] city for relaxation.

Homeros, the Anatolian poet, was the first to mention and describe this region. He wrote about the Lykians, and Sarpedon, their brave leader, who fought against the Trojans and desc ribed Xantos (Kinik). Heredetos, the historian who lived in the fifth century BC described the Lydians fiasco in capturing Lykia…

The most important invasion, was the Persian invasion in the sixth century BC… After a long struggle, Harpagos, the Persian commander, occupied the city. Later, the city was occupied by Greek units under the command of Alexander, who entered the region in 334 BC. In the middle of the fourth century BC, the Lykians united and organized as a federation… The sources state that the region was put under the control of Rome at the beginning of the second century BC, and Rome transferred this control to Rhodes. After the Rhodes’ dominance, the Lykian Union again became a current issue and this time it succeeded. The re-indepen dence of this region is interpreted as the strong power of union between the Lykian cities. The region was a pirates den during the first century before Christ… Zeniketes was the most famous pirate of the old times, living around Olympos and Phaselis… Zeniketes was defeated by Servilius Isauricus, the Roman General in year 78…

The End of Zeniketes Strabon, the historian, describes the fall of Zenikes with these lines: “The pirate fortress of Zeniketes is located on the slope of theTaurus (Toros) Mountains. I mean Olympos. Likya, Pamphylia, Pisidia and Milyas may be seen from both the sea and the fortress. But Zeniketes burned himself and his family when Isauricus captured this mountain. Many other cities in Kory-kos, Phaselis and Pamphylia belonged to him.. During the Roman Empire era, Lykia became richer and lead its brightest era… However, the earthquakes in 141 and 240, problems with the pirates, and a spat between the Pagans and the Christians weakened the region. After Arab attacks in the seventh century, the cities of this region became villages.