Holidays on the Turquoise Coast
   
  Fortified ancient city near Alanya    

 

 

   
   
  Syedra  
   
   
  A city by chance  
   
     
   

 

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
 

You can only see a small brown sign on the D400 between Alanya and Gazipaşa, 18 km as the crow flies from Alanya.
4.5 km after the end of Mahmutlar, 2 km after the castle-like Hotel Utopia World, a road marked "Syedra" branches off to the left. After 1,4 km you will reach a small school building. From here, an unpaved road leads uphill to the luxurious-looking park platform with toilet facilities. With some driving skills the slope is passable with a normal car.

  
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
 

A few fortified steps indicate the way to the ruins of the once so fortified city. From the end of the steps, a narrow, stony but easily accessible path leads uphill to the gymnasium, the thermal baths and on to the colonnade road.

  
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
 

While the nearby Korakesion (today Alanya) was conquered by the pirate Diodotos Tryphon in the 2nd century BC and developed into a pirate base, Sydera successfully defended itself against the constant attacks of the pirates. This may have been partly due to the location of the town, from which there was a wide view of the coast and the surrounding countryside.

  
   
   
   
     
 

 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
 

The city owes its existence not least to a geological coincidence. By capillary action, the groundwater rises through narrow cracks in the partly massive rock to a height of about 330 metres and emerges in a cave. Together with the rainwater collected in a total of five cisterns, the town had enough water for about 4500 inhabitants and even for a large thermal bath.

  
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
 

The architecture consists of quarry stone masonry, which was once probably covered with lime plaster.
On the rock terraces, the buildings are staggered on partly narrow lanes parallel to the slope or stairways. In the centre there is a colonnaded street parallel to the slope with granite columns. Among the public buildings are a basilica and a thermal bath, as well as a natural rock cave, which was built as a spring house. Remains of late antique fortification walls can also be seen.
Southwest of the city is the imperial necropolis.

  
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
  Archaeological excavations prove a settlement of Asar Tepe, the city hill of Syedra from the 7th century BC to the 13th century AD. Syedra was first mentioned in literature in the middle of the 1st century BC. Originally administered by Cilicia, the city belonged to the Roman province of Pamphylia at the latest since Tiberius (Roman emperor from 14 to 37 AD).