Visiting Route
Sillyon was located in the Pamphylia Region in antiquity, and today in Yanköy neighbourhood’s Kocagözler locality of the Serik district in Antalya province. The ancient city, approximately 8 km north of the Antalya-Alanya highway, is very easily seen from the highway. There are three different routes to reach Sillyon from the highway. In other words, three brown signs for Sillyon are found at three different junctions on the Antalya-Alanya highway. The first of these is known as the Abdurrahmanlar junction. Continuing in the direction of Abdurrahmanlar-Gebiz from this junction, the road turns east toward Sillyon at the exit of Abdurrahmanlar neighbourhood and reaches the Kocagözler locality where the ancient city is located. The total length of this route is 12 km. The second route, starting from Yukarıkocayatak junction, reaches Yukarıkocayatak neighbourhood, after passing the village proper, it continues to Kocagözler by curving through the fields. The last route starts from Belek Junction, after passing Kayaburnu and Eskiyörük neighbourhoods respectively, joins with the road coming from Yukarıkocayatak and reaches Kocagözler locality where Sillyon is located. This route, which is approximately 8 km long, stands out as the closest route to the highway. All routes consist of main carriage roads leading to rural settlements and provide easy access. One of these three routes can be picked to reach Sillyon according to the direction of drive.
How to reach Sillyon
After the road ends at Kocagözler locality, the ancient city can only be accessed on foot. Starting from the Kocagözler locality the stabilized road going towards the north of the Stadion can be followed; passing through the Stadion it extends towards the Ottoman Fountain and Roman Baths. Also, one can take the path to the Stadion from the front of the Kocagözler Mosque.
To see the monuments on the western slope of the city, the following route is recommended: First of all, after visiting the Stadion, you can visit the Main City Gate, the Ottoman Fountain and the Ottoman Masjid, which are just above the Stadion. The Roman Baths and Nymphaion A, located in the area just north of the Main City Gate, stand out with their monumentality and especially the Baths provides a wide visuality for visitors. Bastion 1 on the southwestern slope of the city dominates over the entire Lower City and can be reached by following the Acropolis Street after the Main City Gate. The Necropolis spread on the southwestern, especially west and northwest slopes of the city, creates a wide urban landscape, and visitors can see tomb examples at almost every point in these areas. The Necropolis areas in the Lower City can be visited by following the paths and ancient burial customs can be examined on site. Other architectural remains prominent in the Lower City are the defence structures. The fortification wall and especially the Hellenistic Tower on this wall await visitors with all their details. The tower standing up to the roof level is known as a tower preserving all the details, exemplary of not only Sillyon but also the antiquity until today.
Sillyon City Map
Walking along the Main Street for some time, the Acropolis is reached after passing the Acropolis North Gate. Arriving at the Acropolis, first the Kale Masjid, the earliest Turkish-Islamic period structure in the region, welcomes the visitors with all its glory. Main Street branches off by the Kale Masjid, and one branch goes south; the other branch eastward into the city. Shops hewn from the bedrock around these two streets are worth stopping by. The residential areas with their original architecture, in the northern part of the Acropolis, will convey the voices of Sillyon’s ancient residents to the visitors. From this area, you can enjoy a small break with a panorama showing all the details of the Acropolis and the magnificent Taurus Mts. Visiting the Acropolis clockwise, walking along ancient streets and through buildings one can feel the joy of touching the history on one hand and on the other, can immerse oneself in the scenery from the Taurus Mts. to the Mediterranean, from pastoral colours to the ocean blue. The Temple Terrace and Temples, Bouleuterion / Odeon and the Theatre located in the south of the Acropolis can be easily visited and taking a break at the Theatre, the vastness of the Mediterranean Sea will be before your eyes. The landslides in this part of the city and ancient buildings destroyed by landslides will make you feel in an archaeo-geological park. After the Theatre, you can continue to the Acropolis South Gate and Bastion 2, where you can enjoy all the details of the Lower City, as well as for the insatiable view of Perge in the foreground and Bey Mts. in the background. From here you can continue your historical journey in Kastron, the largest structure in Sillyon, and the Hellenistic Structure just to the south and the Episkopeion behind them. From here, you can follow the Main Street northward and return to Kale Masjid and complete your tour of history, archaeology and scenery at the Acropolis.