Interesting places in Turkey

   
  City in the ancient Pisidia  
 
 

   
  Sıa (Taştandam)  
   
   
  Ancient city away in the mountains  
     
     

 

   

 

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  House-grave in the necropolis  
     
 

Sıa is located 15 km as the crow flies from Ariassos. The Via Sebaste, an old fortified pass road, connected both cities by the shortest route, starting at Maximianupolis. The road was one of the most important connections from the coast over the mountains to the hinterland.

 
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Temple ruin  
     
 

The city was probably founded in the 2nd century BC on the southern and western slopes of a hill. From the Hellenistic period parts of the city wall with towers and gates are preserved. Most of the houses date from this early period.

 
   
   
     
 

 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 

Ruin of a house grave with partially intact roof

 
     
 

A common feature of these houses is that their roofs were designed to collect rainwater, which was collected in bottle-shaped cisterns on the ground floor.

 
   
     
 

 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 

Entrance to the Bouleuterion

 
     
 

From Roman times, we can see a bouleuterion, three Roman temples and a monumental staircase, as well as an agora with Doric stoa. From the Byzantine period there are ruins of two basilicas.

 
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  The Bouleuterion  
 

 

 
 

Sıa was historically meaningless in view of its remote location. Due to the lack of passable roads, the preserved building fabric is well preserved. Only the inhabitants of the nearby village of Karaot have used the lower buildings as a quarry for centuries.

 
   
   
     
 

 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  open cistern  
 

 

 
 

Special care should be taken when visiting the city area. In several places you will come across unsecured, deep openings in the ground, former cisterns. Sturdy shoes are recommended.

 
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Cistern inflow  
 

 

 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Necropolis  
     
 

Due to today's dense forestation, the city area is almost unmanageable. A local guide from nearby Karaot is certainly helpful even without a good knowledge of the language.

 
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  The base of a temple  
     
 

Sıa can be reached from via the national road D650 Antalya-Isparta. Coming from Antalya, after about 50 km you will first pass through several excellently constructed serpentines to cross the pass of the Çubuk Beli at its end. After about 3 km you reach the exit to Dağbeli.

Cross the village Dağbeli. At the end of the village follow the signpost to Karaot. The narrow, but continuously asphalted road leads through the typical foothill landscape of this area. After about 15 km you will reach the village of Karaot. Unfortunately, there is no signpost from the D650 onwards to Sıa.
At the rear of Karaot, a path on the right leads slightly uphill. Follow this road for about 2 km through wooded area. 200 metres before the forest ends on the left and becomes agricultural land, a narrow forest track turns off to the right at the bend. The car must be parked here. After about 600 meters on the previously mentioned path you have reached the edge of the forest. After another three hundred metres you will find yourself in front of the first tomb of the northern necropolis. The actual city was located on the left side of the hill.