Sights of Turkey: Olympos
To the east of the finnight, the road runs past a multi-kilometer beach, interrupted only by the estates of rivers and scalded placers, past the Badarglary National Park with its dense pine forests and steep cliffs, past the narrow canyons and the ruins of the ancient cities, on the shores of the picturesque Cover of Karaza and Adrasan, leaving the bay Antalya.
From the highway number 400 two good country roads lead to the ruins of the ancient city Olympos. Almost nothing about the origin of this city is unknown, only its name allows you to associate it with Greek culture (it is believed that Mount Tachtal, towering 16 km north of the city, was also called Olympos). Just knows that already in the second century BC. NS. The city minted his own coin, and Straboon described it as one of the six most important cities in Lycia, who had three votes on the Federation Council. Legends say that the main deity of the city was Gefest (volcano during the Romans) – God of Fire and Kuznetsov, a native of these very places. After the brief domination of the Cilician pirates in the first century. NS. The city falls under the power of Rome and quickly becomes one of the dissemination centers of Christianity. In the XI-XII centuries. NS. Olympos becomes the shopping center of Venetsians and Genoesers, but after the invasion of Osman in the XV century was almost completely abandoned by people.
Two entrances to the archaeological site of Olympos (open daily: from April to October – from 8.00 to 19.00, from November to March – from 9.00 to 17.30, Login – 2 TRY) Lying just a 15-minute walk from the excellent beach of the Quiet Spare village of Chiraly (Cirali). The most well-visible monuments on this sufficiently vestuous tourists plot – extensive Byzantine-Genoese fortifications, inside which you can find two Lycian graves, part of the wall of ancient berth and the arcade of the former warehouse; a little east – the Byzantine church and supports for a long time of the disappeared bridge through the stream. And a little deep down, under the shadow of a small forest, you can see a strongly destroyed theater. The most interesting monuments have been preserved on the north shore of the river – the marble doorway, built into the wall of the Taucan Stone (the inscriptions on the foundation of the statue standing here once dates the complex 172-175 by our era), the Byzantine villa with mosaic floors and a small mausoleum, as well as Byzantine aqueduct, which served water from sources above the slope straight to the city center.
- Beach near Olympos
- Ruins of Roman Term
- On the top of the Takhtaly Mountain
- The coast from the top of the Takhtaly Mountain
North of Olympos, in the foothills of Takhtaly, a small mountain rises Chimera, being a natural yield of natural gas. "Eternal Flame Chimera" Lies approximately in an hour on foot from Chiraly and is often called Turkish manner – Yanartash ("Burning stone"). About 20 gas yields are concentrated here, and they are scattered very picturesque – part hides under the woods of the forest, the other – beats straight from the slope or barely glows somewhere in the depths of the Hollow. Perhaps this is the place with His forever burning lights and served as a prototype of the fiery forge of Hephaesta, at least the sanctuary of this ancient deity was accurately here – now there is a small Byzantine chapel with him. The greatest impression of Chimera (input – 2 Try) produces, of course, in the dark. And just below, on the beaches of Chirala, sea turtles put their eggs, and thousands of birds nest.
Above the valley of Olympos is a village Beijik (Beycik), actively mastered by the rich Turks as a mountain resort, from where you can make climbing Takhtaly Dag (2375 m, covered with snow from November to May), to the saddle of Chukul-Yalah or Plateau, the cuzder, as well as to sources near the village of Ulupinar (Ulupinar ). The region has the status of the National Park, but the parking lots and breakdown of the tents are allowed here, and overnight stays under the superstar stars local sky are quite an independent landmark. Approximately 18 km south of Olympos, also within the boundaries of the National Park, is a cozy bay Adrasan (Chavush), at the top of which the resort settlement of the same name is located. Relatively inexpensive and not crowded with tourists, he is famous for the calm sea and the picturesque bay, fenced from the north and south by rocky capes – the spurs of Mount Mount and Kyzyldag, respectively. And the north of Olympos begins already famous beach areas directly Antalya.
Reviews and studies of trips
Olympos and Chimera
Unlike other ancient Greek-Turkish cities, Olympos is covered with forest, and therefore the heat + 36c did not suffer. Moreover, in the territory of the city runs by the aqueducts mountain stream. Read more →
Olympos, Chiraly, Ulupinar – Another look at the Turkish beach vacation
Prepared to travel in advance, we learned about the place of Ulupinar (on the way from Facelis to Chiraly), where the streams flow from the mountains, and directly on them are restaurants that serve fresh river fish read more →
RingRinghouse | May, 2013
Peace and other cities of Likia
We continue to ride in Turkey: the birthplace of the sweetest oranges in the world, many sea, sun and Lycian necropolis, flooded antique cities, as well as terrible truth about Santa Claus read more →
