Phaselis

Phaselis is an ancient city located near Kemer. This remarkable town, at the very cape above the sea, is filled with ruins of ancient buildings, gorgeous coastlines, as well as amazing vegetation of the Mediterranean.

The city of Phaselis is the birthplace of the famous poet and philosopher Theodectes. The area also became famous for the extraction of aromatic essential oil, which was obtained as a result of processing the roses that grew on its territory.

The city of Phaselis has been known since the sixth century BC, when the Dorians settled in its three bays, representing an ancient Greek tribe. After some time, the local area turned into a bustling trading center, where trade was conducted between Asia and Greece, Phoenicia and Egypt. The ships of Phaselis transported their famous essential oil, the first perfumes, as well as wood to other places. The past history of ancient Phaselis is quite diverse and rich.

The ruins that have survived to our time previously belonged to the Byzantine and Roman periods. Here you can see the remains of a small square that was once located near the theater and the agora. An alley runs away from it, which leads to the theater, as well as the local acropolis. The theater belongs to the IV century, it could accommodate up to 3 thousand visitors at a time. Later, when the Late Roman period came, this theater served as an arena.

At the very entrance to the city, you can see the ruins of a fortress that existed here, as well as the remains of some kind of temple. The ruins of the city, located above the aqueduct, look quite impressive. Phaselis contained three city market squares, where the townspeople usually gathered. There were public baths near the town square, and their heating system was similar to Roman baths.

Scientists claim that the ruins of two temples on one of the slopes of the acropolis belong to the temple of Athena and the temple of Hermes. By the way, the goddess Athena was the patroness of Phaselis.

Many ancient structures that belong to this city are still hidden underground. A large number of different artifacts found on the territory of Phaselis are preserved in the Antalya Museum.

An excursion to the ruins of the city of Phaselis is sure to be fascinating and informative.