ANCIENT CITIES
Antiocheia Antic City: Antiocheia; is nearly 1 kilometre north from Yalvaç county that depended to Isparta province and built on a productive area which lies towards the south slope of Sultan mountains.
Pisida Antiocheia Limenia Island - Artemis Temple: liemnia Island is in side the Hoyran lake at the Gaziri locality that 25 kilometre away from Yalvaç county. Island is surrounded from waters and a temple built in for the name of Artemis, moreover other building ruins exists. It is understood that island was settlement place since the First Ages and was an important center for praying.
Seleukeia Sidera (Bayat): it is 7 kilometre south of Atabey, at the Bayat Village. Excavation processes done at the Antic city bring light Hatilli south terrace, acropolis east gate, south slope gate, stairs - tunnel - well system, building with podium, theatre and necropolis (grave yard).
Adada: it is 12 kilometre away from Sütçüler county
and 2kilometer away from Sigirlik Village. Today some ruins can bee
seen at Antic city is; Main street of first age that floored by big
stones and placed at the geometric axis of Cities area. And ruins of
little temples that that temples built by rectangular (shape of square
prism) stones which cut so smooth, some ones leaved with decoration
salient part. Moreover Agora and buildings complex that surrounding
it, Bouleuterion (meeting place for city governors), some parts from
city water system, Necropolis, mausoleum (monument tombs built like
house) are present. ANTIQUE CITIES The Ancient City of Antioch Antiocheia is was founded about 1 km north of Yalvaç in the province of Isparta on a fertile area lying along the southern slopes of the Sultan Mountains. It was the capital city of the Pisidia and a Seleucid colony like Apollonia. It was built between 281-261 BC by Seleucus's son Antiocheia and named "Antiocheia" in his honor.
In 25 BC with the selection of Pisidia as the site of Rome's first and biggest military colony, the city was rebuilt by emperor Augustus. Augustus brought 3000 soldiers from Rome and settled them here in Antiocheia. The city was given the name "Seven boroughs" and in Latin texts it is referred to as "Res Gestae." For this reason the ancient Roman city and Antiocheia are sister cities with an important place in history.
At this time, there were inscriptions in Antiocheia of two Lefro (V-VII). In the Roman era, the city had, according to inscriptions, a population of over 100,000 people. The official language was Latin but the population at large spoke Greek. In the early part of Emperor Period of Rome the city was rebuilt according to a ordered city plan and many buildings both religious and civil were constructed.
The Sections of the City The main entrance to the city is via the Western Gate. Cardo Maximus, the main street has narrow but straight side streets leading into it. The city is made up of two main squares (Augustus and Tiberius). These are located in the eastern section or main part of the city.
The city walls of Antiocheia total around 3000 meters. Built in the Hellenistic era, these magnificent walls were expanded and repaired during the Roman and Byzantine periods. The Western Gate, which guards the entrance to the city, is decorated with reliefs of shields and weapons of war and symbolized the might of the city. The grand Temple of Augustus, which crowns the city's sacred high place, makes the presence of the sacred powers felt in an almost tangible way with its consummate architectural style. The propylon (Memorial Entrance 1st century AD) is situated at the nexus of the Square of Augustus and the Square of Tiberius. The Square of Tiberius (15-40 AD) is located to the east of the Street of Columns, one of the city's most important sections. In the gallery where the shops were located quite a lot of glass, pottery and bronze items have been recovered. The ancient theater was built on the slope of a hill quite close to the city center. The theater is composed of three main parts and unlike most theaters of the day, has a tunnel 56 meters long and 8 meters wide. Decorated with many fine reliefs, the theater's estimated capacity was 5000 people.
The Roman Baths (1st-2nd century AD) located in the northwestern corner of the city, was constructed in a style reminiscent of the prevailing architectural style. In the baths are the cool, warm and hot sections as well as dressing rooms, water jugs and storage areas.
The Stadium, which sits up on the foothills of the Sultan Mountains west of the acropolis, was built during the Hellenistic period. It is 190 meters long and 30 meters wide. This structure which once hosted sports activities such as wrestling and boxing, was destroyed by fanatics. At one time the scene of combat for gladiators and wild animals, the stadium is wrapped in the glory of old Rome.
The church of St. Paul, which is enormously important for tourists of the Christian faith, is the first and biggest church in Antiocheia. It is located 200 meters south of the Roman Baths. It is a basilica. Researchers at the site have discovered a smaller church constructed much earlier than the present one. The mosaics which adorn the floor and the column-lined wall are quite impressive. Underneath the smaller church the remains of a synagogue have been discovered. There are numerous graves and skeletal remains within the church. The name of Optimus, an Orthodox leader who was the bishop of Antiocheia between 375-381 AD, can be found among the inscriptions in the church.
In 46 AD, accompanied by Baranabas, St. Paul gave his first sermon in the synagogue discovered underneath the church. The church was the scene of many more sermons given by famous saints visiting the site.
The aqueducts which have come to symbolize the city, were built in the Roman era. Stretching all along the northern side of the city, the aqueduct brought water from a source 10 km away. These aqueducts, which brought the life-giving water to the city, stand erect today in obstinate defiance of the ravages of time and war.
MUSEUMS Yalvaç Museum The archeological and ethnographical items here date back to the pre-historic era. The museum is open 7 days a week between 08.00-16.30. Museum Tel: (+90 246) 441 50 59 |
With
more than its share of history, the town of Yalvaç has a beautiful museum
in which the artifacts recovered from excavations in the area are displayed.