The Magic of a City Side in Turkey

The Magic of a City Side in Turkey
Side is a resort town on the Turkish Riviera in the Manavgat district of the Turkish province of Antalya. It lies between the cities of Antalya and Alanya. Since a municipal reform, Side is no longer a municipality, but a district of Manavgat. With seaside resorts such as Side, Evrenseki, Kumköy, Colakli, Sorgun, Kızılağaç and Kizilot, Manavgat is one of the most important tourist regions in Turkey. Side includes the modern resort and - situated on a peninsula - the ruins of the ancient city
The tourist center is the village of Selimiye, which occupies the southern tip of the peninsula, with many bars and restaurants, souvenir shops and the port. Part of the ancient city is located under today's Selimiye. Life, which is shaped by tourism, therefore takes place in the midst of considerable ruins, because parts of many buildings from the ancient port city have been preserved.

Today's place was only settled around 1900 by a group of Muslim emigrants from Crete. In the 1970s, mass tourism discovered the fishing village. As a seaside resort, Side, like many places on the Turkish Riviera, has experienced a constant tourist boom ever since. A popular photo motif is the Apollo Temple at the port, from which five pillars have been erected. There are extensive sandy beaches on both sides of the peninsula, some with hotel complexes behind them. The gently sloping sea is ideal for snorkelers. A special attraction is watching sea turtles near the beach west of Side.
In ancient times, Side was an important port city in the Pamphylia region. The ancient city lies on a flat peninsula with a port facility at the top. The scientific investigation of the ruin site began around 1900 and continues to this day. Ancient tradition assumes that Side was founded around the 7th century BC. from the Aeolian Kyme. The city became very important for a while and minted its own coins, which often bore a pomegranate (Anatolian = side) as a symbol. In the 2nd and 1st centuries B.C. BC Side was considered a focal point of pirate mischief. The most important ruins date from the Roman era, the 2nd and 3rd centuries. Other important buildings were built when Side became a bishopric in the 5th or 6th century. The city was probably abandoned in the 10th century. An earthquake in the 12th century destroyed many of the remaining structures for good. Side was supplied with drinking water from the source of the Manavgat River, 25 kilometers away, via an aqueduct. Remains of the aqueduct bridges can be seen upstream from Manavgat near the river.