Description of the attraction
The Basilica and the Bishop's Palace in Side are some of the most interesting and famous landmarks in the country. This striking example of Byzantine architecture is located near the Eastern gate of the city, at the intersection of two streets - a column street that starts from the Main gate of the city and a street that runs from the eastern gate of the city of Side. The entrance to the building is located on the east side.
The Bishop's Basilica is rightfully considered one of the oldest structures preserved in Turkey to this day. The approximate date of the beginning of its construction is the 6th century BC. Both the basilica and the palace have their own special geometric proportions.
The complex consists of many premises. In the center of the basilica is the square living room, which consists of three small offices. After the narthex (a covered room between the entrance and the middle at the front wall of the temple), the basilica is divided into three naves with two orderly rows of columns. The altar faces east. From the inside, it looks round, and from the outside it has a triangular shape. The altar room previously had three-tiered seating for the ministers of the basilica.
The quadrangular baptismal structure is located to the north of the altar room and can be reached through a rather narrow corridor. The baptismal room has three compartments, and its walls are decorated with semicircular and quadrangular stone niches. In the middle of the room is a marble baptismal pool with three steps leading to the west. In the northern and southern parts of the baptismal room, two semicircular basins were built, inferior in size to the baptismal one. The ceiling of the basilica was a collection of brick belts.
To the south of the basilica is the episcopal palace, it consists of parallel rooms of different shapes. Between these two structures there is a martrion (tomb room), in the western part of which there is an entrance to the palace. Corridors covered with graceful stone arches connect the palace premises. The bishop's room has a quadrangular shape and is divided into three parts. The vaults of the palace roof differ from each other in size, which looks very beautiful from the side. There is also a small bishop's chapel not far from the palace.
Once this entire architectural complex was surrounded by high walls and was located in a beautiful garden. Its area is about 9700 sq. m. The basilica and the palace were planned and partially built during the period when Side was chosen as the seat of the bishop, but acquired its final appearance only after several centuries.
Unfortunately, today the basilica is in a dilapidated state, but despite this, the original Turkish architecture, skillfully complemented by Byzantine motifs, attracts a large number of connoisseurs of the historical features of the culture of ancient Turkey to this complex.
