BEYŞEHİR
Beyşehir is located on the shore of Beyşehir
Lake which is the third largest lake after
Lake Van
and the Salt
Lake , and Turkey's largest freshwater lake.
Beyşehir National Park also is Turkey's largest.
Numerous archaeological remains can be seen
in the area, such as the carved Hittite
monuments of Fasıllar (south of Beyşehir)
and the unusual Eflatunpınar monumental
fountain (north of Beyşehir) which is a 13C
BC relief carving depicting men, women and animals
resembling lions.
After different periods of domination, Beyşehir,
after the collapse of the Seljuks
at the beginning of the 14th century, became
capital of the Turkish Eşrefoğulları
emirate, which itself declined in importance
in Ottoman times.
The most important historic buildings in Beysehir
date from that period and include the Eşrefoğlu
Mosque (1298). The cedar wood columns and
flat ceiling, the stone and wood carving, tiling
and mosaics are exquisite examples of Seljuk-style
decoration. Also the Eşrefoğlu Kumbet mausoleum,
Ismail Aka Medrese, Kuruçesme Han, and the bazaar.
Other places of interest in the area is
Kubad-Abad Summer Palace located
across the lake near Gölyaka: it
was built by the great Seljuk sultan Alaeddin
Keykubad in 1236 and has remarkable stucco
and tiling decoration. Opposite is Kız
Kalesi Castle which stands on
one of the 22 islands.
PERGE
Because of the names of legendary heroes
Calchas and Mopsus written on the basis of
statues, the inhabitants of Perge believed
that their city had been founded after the
Trojan War. However,
Perge did not appear in history until Alexander
the Great came here in 333 BC. From that
period, it became an important city surrounded
by fortifications. Under the domination of
the Seleucid kings, Perge enjoyed a considerable
freedom and rights of minting. On most of
the coins, Artemis Of Perge was represented
because at the time, there was in the city
a sanctuary dedicated to Artemis that was
famous in the whole Pamphylia.
In 188 BC, Perge came under the Roman
domination and went on flourishing and expanding
through the first three centuries AD. At the
time of their apostolic trips through Asia
Minor, St
Paul and Barnabas staid in Perge.
Apollonius, mathematician of the 3-2C BC and
known as the "Great Geometer" (Treaty
of Conic Sections) was born in Perge.
The beautiful sculptures from Perge are displayed
in Antalya
Archaeological Museum.
The Theatre,
originally a Hellenistic theatre with a horse-shoe
shaped orchestra and modified by the Romans,
had a seating capacity of 15,000 people. There
still are beautiful reliefs depicting the
life of Dyonisus or the river-god Cestrus,
which adorn the stage building (2C BC). On
the outer facade there was a nymphaeum, of
which five fountain niches have survived.
The Stadium
is a 2C AD Roman building and is, after Aphrodisias,
the best preserved in Anatolia.The seating
capacity was 12,000. 30 barrel-vaulted rooms
placed under the rows of seats were used as
shops, except one out of three that was used
for access to the stadium.
The 4C AD Gate
The Baths Complex with a frigidarium,
tepidarium and caldarium was all made of marble.
Statues which decorated the place are exhibited
in the Antalya Archaeoligical Museum .
The Main Gate of the Hellenistic
walls, is flanked by two imposing round towers
dating back to the 3C BC. Behind is a horseshoe-shaped
courtyard that was transformed by Plancia Magna
into a beautiful place covered with marble during
the Roman period : inside the niches there were
many statues including those of Plancia Magna
who was chief priestess of Artemis and benefactress
of the city.
The Colonnaded Street
was 20m/65feet wide and stretched from the Hellenistic
Gate to the Nympheaum. In the middle,
there was a water canal which was used to cool
the atmosphere during the long-lasting hot summers.
On both sides, the street was lined with shops
fronted by a roofed colannade.
The Agora was built when
the city was enlarged in the 4C AD.
Details
of reliefs from the stage building
KÖPRÜLÜ CANYON
The 14 km / 8 miles long beautiful canyon
is situated in the Köprülü National Park,
92 km / 57 miles north-east of Antalya.
It can be reached by a road that snakes
along the Köprüçay where there are
many falls. Köprüçay River is the Turkish
name for Eurymedon which at ancient time
was navigable as far as Aspendus.
There are many fish restaurants along the
river.
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Roman
Oluk bridge on Köprüçay river
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ASPENDUS
According
to the tradition, Aspendus was founded by
colonists from Argus led by legendary Mopsos
in the 13C BC., near the Eurymedon
river (Köprüçay) which at the time
was navigable. Through the centuries, it was
a prosperous city due to the ships that could
reach its walls, making maritime trade easier
and active in the whole Mediterranean sea.
In the 6C BC, it was taken by Lydian king
Croesus, and later
came under the domination of Persia. In 468
BC, the Persians
were defeated during a famous battle that
took place at the mouth of the Eurymedon.
Later the rich city was punished for not being
willing to pay tribute to Alexander
the Great, and was compelled to show obedience.
Having become vassal of Pergamum,
it was rallied to Rome
in 190 and in 129 BC it was incorporated to
the Roman Province of Asia and enjoyed its
most prosperous period. The city declined
under the Byzantine
rule and was finally abandoned.
Concerts are
given in the theatre as part as the Antalya
Film and Art Festival.
The
Theatre
which is the best preserved Roman theatre
in Asia, was built by local architect Zenon
in the 2C AD under the reign of Marcus Aurelius.
It has a capacity of 20,000 spectators. The
cavea which has a diameter of 95m/313 feet
( it is wider than the stage) and a height
of 30m/ 98 feet, is only partly built against
the hill. The Romans succeeded to realize
a perfect unity between the auditorium and
the skene (stage building). A colonnaded arcade
surmounts the upper half of the 39 rows of
seats. The stage building was covered by an
overhung roof that provided shade but also
better acoustics. The stage wall with five
windows set in it, was decorated with 40 columns:
ten pairs on two levels with Ionic capitals
below and Corinthian above, surmounted by
pedimented entablatures.
Entertainment and concerts take place in the
theatre during summer.
The Aqueduct that brought water from
the surrounding hills, is well preserved.
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