Olympos Ancient City and Chimaera in Antalya-Turkey

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This ancient city is situated on the southern side of Mt.Tahtalı. Whether coming by sea or land do not miss the Olympos Valley shaded with oleander and laurel shrubs and the refreshing quiet pools of flowing water.

The ancient city of Olympos is an important port city located in the Kumluca District in the west of Antalya. The distance of the ancient city to Antalya is 87 km and the distance to Kumluca is 28 km.

This ancient city is adjacent to the beach of the same name.

There are two entrances on the Antalya-Kumluca Highway. If you come by Kumluca Adrasan entrance; If you come from the direction of Kemer, the use of Olympos entrance will save time.

Olympos is the second most important port city after Phaselis on the southern coast of Antalya. The ruins of Olympos, which have reached to the present day, are generally scattered from the east to the west at the mouth and at the mouth of a river that flows into the sea.

Olympos Ancient City Reconstruction Map (Source: Olympos Ancient City Archeological Excavation Team, http://www.olymposkazisi.com/indexe.html)

In this ancient city, there were harbor structures, necropolis, medieval bath, mill, water canal, church, amphitheater, basilica, and other residential buildings. The river, which divides the city into two in the ancient period, was taken into a canal and both sides were used as scaffolding and connected with the bridge.

The most interesting of the ruins is the sarcophagus of Captain Eudomus who was brought to light by the excavations carried out by the Antalya Museum.

The building known as the Necropolis Church is located in the northwest of the ancient city divided into two by Olympos River, to the south of the entrance to the northern necropolis. Of the church located by the side of the river, today only the northern nave and the attachment adjoining the building at the northern face remains. The central nave, apse, and southern nave were destroyed as a result of a flood that occurred in 1969. Therefore there are no architectural remains belonging to the apse, naos, and southern nave of the church.

The design of the mosaics in the Olympos bath is enhanced by the play of light while a temple gate and a theatre are of interest along with the other walls and towers around the bay which date from the Middle Age.

North of Olympos, up from Çıralı Beach, is Chimaera (Yanartaş) (at a height of 300 m) where, according to mythology the fire breathing monster, Chimaera, was slain by the Lycian hero Bellerophon who was mounted on his winged horse Pegasus.

Yanartaş is a magnificent natural wonder at an altitude of 250 m above sea level, 600 meters from the seaside of Çıralı. The flames are most dramatic at night.

The Chimera (Yanartaş), the eternal flames on a rocky mountainside above Çıralı village near Olimpos. The flames are burning a sort of methane gas that has been venting from the earth on this rocky slope for thousands of years.

Nearby you can see remains from the Byzantines who attached religious importance to the area.

Tranquil waters and sandy beaches line the Bay of Adrasan, situated south of Olympos. This enchanting bay is yours for an unforgettable experience of water-skiing on glassy water, for discovering the colorful marine life in waters clear enough to see to the bottom, or exploring the incredible sea caves on the northern shore.

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