Clik here to view.
Columns in the Colonnaded Street at Perge, Turkey. Photo courtesy of Frank Kovalchek via Flickr.
Straddling the Mediterranean coast and flanked by the Taurus Mountains of southwest Turkey, the region of Antalya, known as ‘Pamphilia’ in the ancient world, is full of archaeological treasures, many of which are within an hour or so of the city.
If you’re interested in the ancient world, there is more than enough to keep you busy for at least a few days. Here are a few options for visitors interested in Antalya’s archaeological sites:
Antalya Old Town (Kaleici)
The remaining ancient sites within Antalya city date from the city’s Roman and Ottoman periods and are located mostly within Kaleici, the picturesque old quarter in the center of modern Antalya. With its narrow winding streets and historic wooden houses, bars, restaurants and Ottoman-style boutique hotels, it’s a great place to wander around, or to base yourself if you will be staying for a few nights.
The quarter’s most famous landmark is the imposing Hadrian’s Gate, a great example of Roman architectural genius, constructed in 130 AD. It features a triple-arched portal and decorative marble columns. The gate marks the entrance to Antalya’s old city, where you’ll find architecture dating mostly from the Ottoman period, though the walls surrounding the quarter date to Roman times. Also in Kaleici are the remains of the Korkut Mosque. Originally a 2nd-century Roman temple, the structure was later converted to a Byzantine church, a Seljuk mosque, a crusader church and finally an Ottoman mosque.
Also worth checking out is Antalya’s Archaeological Museum, which has an impressive collections of art and artifacts from excavations throughout the region.
Perge and Aspendos
Located only 11 miles east of Antalya, Perge has the region’s most significant Roman ruins.
Originally settled by the Hittites in the Bronze Age, under Roman occupation Perge grew to become one of the most impressive cities of the ancient world. Little of this ancient splendor remains, but ruins include a large Greco-Roman theater with fine marble reliefs, a stadium capable of seating over 12,000 people, a long colonnaded street, an agora, public baths and a gymnasium. Of these, the theater and the stadium are the best-preserved.
Down the main road a short drive east of Perge is Aspendos Theatre, built in the 2nd-century AD. It is considered the best-preserved ancient Roman theater in the world and is still used for opera and ballet performances and concerts. Behind the theater you can also visit the ancient Roman Aqueducts.
Termessos
Less than half an hour (24 miles) from Antalya lies the remains of ancient Termessos, the mountaintop city that Alexander the Great once found impenetrable. You can drive to lower reaches of Termessos through the Gulluk Dagi National Park, but wear some decent shoes and be prepared to do some climbing if you want to reach some of the higher, more impressive ruins. Most impressive is the Theater, which is built into the mountain and offers spectacular views of the surrounding landscape. Other major sights in the upper part of the city include the Agora, the Cistern with Five Partitions, a colonnaded street, and the Corinth Temple.