Holidays on the Turquoise Coast

Ancient city in the mountains near Antalya

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Termessos

The city Alexander the Great himself failed to reach

The ancient city of Termessos is located approx. 35 km northwest of Antalya at an altitude of approx. 1000 metres in the middle of a magnificent mountain landscape. From the park entrance at the D350, the connecting road from Antalya to Fethiye or Denizli, a narrow road leads over serpentines for approx. 8 km to the parking lot in the lower area of the ancient city.

Next to today's parking lot stood the temple for the Roman Emperor Hadrian, from whom the portal was erected again. Hadrian had visited the city in 130 AD. The temple was built in his honour.

Today a narrow, stony and quite steep path leads up to the upper town. At that time the main street, the so-called "royal road".

Passing imposing remains of the city wall, the royal road leads to the city gate. One slowly gets an idea why the army of Alexander the Great could not take the city.

Passing the strong remains of a palace wall on the left side of the mountain you reach a small plateau on which the stadium, a well-preserved gymnasium and the cistern-fed baths of the city were built.

Opposite the baths and the gymnasium was the stadium, of which only the remains of the supporting structure for the rows of seats remain today. Earthquakes and landslides have been a major problem for the building over the centuries.

For most visitors, the city's beautifully situated theatre is the highlight of the tour. It is difficult to resist the fascination of this site and its location opposite the Güllük Dağı (mountain of roses).

In summer, when the vegetation is in full bloom, the abundance of the preserved building remains, which are well worth seeing, is almost impossible to detect. In retrospect, one will always find that one has not seen or perceived this and that. In winter, when the trees have lost their foliage, you can see a little more, but without the park administration of the Güllük Dağı Millî Parkı clearing the undergrowth for the umpteenth time, even the attentive observer misses a lot. A hopeless fight, time and time again.

The Bouleuterion / Odeon (town hall) from the first century A.D. is with its almost 10 meters height from the outside still a powerful appearance. However, the interior is filled with debris and sediments blown into it. Coloured marble pieces found here could indicate that the interior walls were covered with marble.

The plateau around the Bouleuterion was the centre of the city. No less than six temples and one heroon were here.

It is still unknown to this day who was especially revered there, usually the legendary founder of the respective polis. Perhaps in the coming decades, once Termessos is systematically researched, archaeologists will find indications of this person.

On the slopes and rock walls around the city there are extensive necropolises with hundreds of stone sarcophagi and partly artistically worked rock tombs.

According to old traditions, the town of Termessos already existed in the 7th century B.C. The town made a name for itself by plundering pamphil cities in the plain.
Due to its protected location and the impregnable defences, the city was able to resist all attackers in the clouds. Even Alexander the Great gave up the attempt to subjugate them in 333 B.C., he only reached the outer city wall. "I will not let my army be decimated in front of an eagle's nest," he is said to have said.
During the long wars in late antiquity, Termessos allied itself with Rome and was granted the status of an independent city. Most of today's ruins date from their heyday in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.
A catastrophic earthquake in 567 AD destroyed the city, which since then has been inhabited only by wild goats and other mountain animals.

With the rental car:
Termessos is located approx. 35 km northwest of Antalya at an altitude of approx. 1000 meters. Coming from Side take the national road D400 past the airport and turn right at the large roundabout after the airport Antalya, direction Kemer. Now follow the signs to Otogar (bus station). You will inevitably come across the four-lane national road D 650, where the Otogar lies. Take the D650 towards Burdur. About 15 km after the Otogar turn left on the D350, direction Denizli / Korkuteli. After another 10 km you will reach the well signposted entrance to Termessos Güllük Dağı Millı Parkı

By bus:
There is a bus service between Antalya (Otogar) and Korkuteli. On request or on demand the bus stops at the junction of the D350 at the entrance of the National Park. From here you can take a taxi to the archaeological site or walk about 8 km.
The 8 km go steeply uphill and there are no catering facilities, even at the entrance to the archaeological site. From here it goes another 20 minutes steep uphill.
So who runs should be in good condition.
The last bus back to Antalya passes the entrance of the National Park at about 6:00 p.m.