Side, which is 7 km.
away from Manavgat, is an ancient settlement center.
Side, which is mentioned by historians as founded on
1405 A. D., had met with the reigns of Lydian, Persian,
Alexander The Great's, Antiogonous's, Ptolemaioses,
respectively beginning from the second
half of VI th century
A. D. After 215 A. D., The city, which is improved under
supervision of Syrian Kingdom, and turned into a science
and cultural center, had left to Bergama Kingdom on
A. D. with Apameia peace, then had protected its
independence with
Eastern Pamphilya region, and reached to a great
richness and prosperity with a huge commercial
fleet.
It entered under Byzantium reign after Roman reign
after 78 B. C. Side, which was a Bishop center
during Vth and VIth centuries, had lived its greatest
times during these years.
Main gate of the
city, which has a unique labor, is between two
towers. There are two main streets in Side province.
These streets are samples of columned streets
of Ancient Age. After passing city gate, flat
stones adorned area is the starting point of this
street. There are columned porticos beside both
sides of these streets, and shops behind them.
There is a "Nymphaeum", biggest historical
fountain of Anatolia, against city gate, outside
ramparts.
A wide pool place
is below this foundation. You can reach to a monumental
structure, passing through a street after theater.
This building with dimensions of 100x100 m., is
an agora. Agora, which is the Bazaar area of the
city, is surrounded by porticos and there are
shops at three sides of it. There is a Gymnasium,
surrounded by porticos and composed of three halls,
on the street, south side of the Agora. In the
main street at North - south direction, there
is an arched structure, constructed during Roman
Period. Importance of Side city's theater, in
connection with architecture, is its construction
on arched places instead of a slope of a hill
like other roman theaters.
Theater, which is composed of three divisions,
cavea, orchestra and scene, is the biggest and
most monumental one among Pamphylia theaters,
and has a capacity of 20.000 spectators.
There are wide
cemeteries outside of Side's ramparts, and most
important one of these, Western Necropolis, is
1,5 km. away. There are also temples and aqueducts
in Side. Most important ones of the temples are
Athena, Apollon and Men temples. Water of side
is brought from Dumanli source, within Oymapinar
Dam Lake, approximately 25 km. away. This water
transportation system is composed of ten aqueducts,
of which some of them are two layered.
Biggest one is
near to Oymapinar and has 40 specs.
A huge Roman Hamam is turned into a museum, and
hosts for most beautiful archeological pieces
of art collection of the region. The city, which
is reigned by Seljukians during XIIIth century,
Hamitogullari and Tekeliogullari during XIVth
century, and finally Ottoman Empire during XVth
century, was not a settlement during this period.
Although most parts of the city ramparts, which
are holding structure and characteristics of Roman
and Byzantium periods, has been demolished today,
nearly all of the ramparts at land side had remained.
