One of the most popular Turkish resorts, Side is famous not only for its luxurious all-inclusive hotels, wide sandy beaches and warm Mediterranean Sea, but also for a number of historical monuments. What to see in Side, where to go first, tourists will be advised in any hotel. Ancient ruins, the remains of thermal baths and fountains, an interesting museum are located on the Selimiye peninsula, which can be reached from the city bus station by minibus. In the vicinity of Side, there are also interesting tourist sites worthy of the attention of travelers.
Top 10 attractions of Side
Side Museum of Antique Art
Side Museum of Antique Art
Side can be confidently called one large area of archaeological excavations, where, albeit in part, the monuments of the ancient and Byzantine periods have survived. Artifacts found during the research, which took place in 1947-1967, had to be stored somewhere. This is how the Museum of Ancient Art appeared in Side, which occupied the restored premises of the ancient thermal baths, built in the 5th-6th centuries. The exposition of the museum contains richly decorated sarcophagi, bas-reliefs, remains of frescoes, ancient coins, jugs and amphorae. The attractions of the museum are bronze and marble sculptures depicting gods and heroes. All of them are replicas of older ancient Greek statues. Only parts of some sculptures have survived.
There is an open courtyard adjacent to the baths, where gymnastic exercises were performed in the past. There are the remains of ancient Roman columns and details of friezes with inscriptions.
Commercial agora
In the city of Side, the ruins of two agoras were discovered, called the Commercial and the State. The most interesting and visited is the Commercial Agora, which got its name due to the fact that in ancient times a slave market was located here. It is located near the Roman amphitheater and is a square area surrounded by four-meter walls with porticoes that protected from the scorching sun. They relied on columns of granite, which have partially survived to our time. There were shops along these walls.
In the center of the agora you can see the foundations of the pagan temple of the goddess Tyche, who is better known by her Roman name - Fortuna. The Temple appeared here in the II century BC. In one of the corners of the agora, there are brick buildings that were used as public toilets in ancient times.
Side Theater
Side Theater
Tourists who come to Side must visit an amazing place - the ruins of an ancient Roman theater, erected on the remains of a Greek structure in the 2nd century AD. NS. The theater, which is considered the largest of its kind in Turkey, was designed for 18 thousand spectators. For them, 51 rows were built with seats arranged in a semicircle in front of the stage. The lower part of the spectator seats was located on the slopes of the hill, the upper, supported by stone blocks, rose above ground level. There was also a building where the actors changed their clothes for the performance. From it there are only friezes with images, which have now been transferred to the Side Museum of Antique Art. The Roman amphitheater was used for its intended purpose until the 4th century, and then it was abandoned, and its stones turned into a running building material for residents of nearby villages.
Temple of Apollo and Temple of Athena
Temple of Apollo
Side's business card is five Corinthian columns about 9 meters high each, left over from the ancient temple of Apollo. White columns rise above the open area above the blue sea near the side harbor.
Temple of Apollo and Temple of Athena, built in close proximity to each other in 150 BC e., probably were part of a single complex. They were surrounded by one fence. They were located at the end of the ancient Colonnade Avenue, which ran through the whole of Side.
The temples were dismantled in the 5th century, and the marble blocks were used to build the Christian South Basilica, which is now also in ruins. During her research, archaeologists discovered ancient temple foundations and remains of marble decorations. The columns of the sanctuary of Apollo were restored at the end of the 20th century and moved to a new place, where they are now.
Manavgat waterfall
Manavgat waterfall
About 10 km from Side, there is a beautiful natural landmark - the Manavgat waterfall, formed during the construction of a dam and changes in the level of heights of two adjacent land plots. The waterfall is not high - only 2-3 meters, but its width is 40 meters. Why come to Manavgat waterfall:
- ride a yacht along the reservoir and see the waterfall from the water;
- relax and enjoy Turkish cuisine in one of the restaurants that are built near Manavgat;
- swim in the place where the Manavgat river flows into the sea;
- take beautiful photos of a powerful cascade of water.
Previously, no money was charged for visiting the waterfall. Now the locals realized that they could make money on the curiosity of tourists, and organized the sale of tickets to this attraction.
Side city walls
The city of Side in ancient times was surrounded by a ring of city walls. Powerful walls were erected even from the side of the sea. Merchant ships were allowed into the city only through a narrow canal, which, if necessary, was blocked by a thick chain. Now there is nothing left of the fortifications in the harbor. The walls in the northern and eastern sectors of the city have survived.
Researchers distinguish two types of Side city walls. The most ancient defenses are called Hellenistic. They were built in the III-II centuries BC. NS. Part of them were two gates through which one could get into the city: the Great, behind which the main street of ancient Side began - Colonnade Avenue, and Vostochnye. The Great Gate has not survived to this day: a high-speed highway is now laid above it. And the East Gate can be seen. They are located in the city center.
The second system of fortifications is named after a wealthy local resident, who in the 4th century AD. NS. donated funds for its construction - Philip Atia. They are located next to the theater.
Ali Bey Club Park Water Park
Ali Bey Club Park Water Park
Ali Bey Club Park water park is one of the most popular recreation areas for tourists and locals. It is located at the hotel of the same name, away from residential bungalows. The area of the water park, where there are fun attractions for children and adults, is 25 thousand square meters. m. The depth of the swimming pools for adults is 1.25 meters. The most terrible and exciting slides are located here, the descent from which will take your breath away. The area for teenagers is smaller - only 80 cm.
Children are offered mini-versions of some of the attractions that are installed in the adult pool. For example, there is a small Kamikaze slide here. In the center of the children's pool, there is a pirate ship that can be explored with fun company. There is also a water reservoir for the little ones in the Ali Bey Club Park water park. The water level in it reaches only 50 cm. In the pool for kids there are fountain mushrooms, as well as funny figures of an octopus, a snake, a rabbit, an elephant and a dolphin.
The ancient city of Seleucia
The ruins of the ancient city of Seleucia are located more than a dozen kilometers from Side, near the Manavgat waterfall. The city, which in ancient times was called Libre, was probably founded in 330 BC. NS. The location for this settlement was very well chosen: all the main buildings were erected on a hill, from where the surroundings were clearly visible. The latest information about Seleucia dates back to the end of the 12th century. The remains of this ancient center were discovered in the 70s of the last century. Architects from Istanbul have studied the ruins of temples, agora, thermae and necropolis for several months. The artifacts discovered during these excavations, and these are several valuable statues, are now kept in the Historical Museum of Antalya.
The ruins of Seleucia are in the middle of a pine forest. Access to them is free.
Port baths
The remains of an interesting structure (several arched ceilings, foundations and partly walls) are located in the harbor of Side. These are the Port Baths, erected in the II century AD. NS. at the direction of the city authorities. Each traveler who arrived in the city had to first take a steam bath, and only then go to the territory of Side. This is how the authorities tried to avoid epidemics.
The baths consisted of several rooms with cold, warm and hot baths. Adjacent to these halls were rooms where guests could change and leave their clothes. In the northern part of the complex there are a number of small rooms, the purpose of which is unknown.
In the Port Baths, a heating system, traditional for Roman baths, was created. The air was heated by special stoves, and then rose along the walls along the left voids, providing a pleasant microclimate.
This monument can only be viewed from the outside.
Monumental Fountain Nymphaeum
Fountain Nymphaeum
While relaxing in the city of Side, it is worth taking a few minutes to explore the wonderful Nymphaeum. This is how the grotto-shaped sanctuaries that adorned water reservoirs were called in ancient times. Usually they were an open two- or three-story semicircular structure, decorated with graceful columns. Such peculiar fountains were usually erected in crowded places.
Two Nymphaeums have survived in Side: the Great Nymphaeum and the Nymphaeum with three pools. The most interesting are the ruins of the Great Nymphaeum, 35 meters long, which was built in the 2nd century near the main gate of the city. The fountain consisted of three parts, each of which contained a gutter through which water entered the reservoir. The third tier of the fountain was destroyed. The two lower ones are pretty well preserved.
