Selge Ancient City

Did you know that hidden among the high mountains of Antalya lies a city nestled among the clouds? Nestled between massive boulders and lush green trees within Köprülü Canyon National Park, it is a magical place whispering tales thousands of years old.

The foundations of Selge were laid over 4000 years ago, at the end of the second millennium BCE. According to tradition, after the famous Trojan War ended, people arriving with the Dorian migrations established a secure haven atop the mountains.

This city was so powerful that many different kingdoms—including Lydia, Persia, Alexander the Great, and Rome—left their mark upon it. When Alexander arrived, the people of Selge immediately accepted his rule. During the Roman period, when the city reached its peak, as many as 20,000 people lived here! This made it one of the most populous and vibrant cities in the world at that time.

When you visit Selge, you are first greeted by the massive ruins of the city walls, built by its warrior inhabitants for protection. But the true star of the city is the ancient theater, rebuilt in the 3rd century CE and carved into the mountainside.

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There is much more to discover in the city:

• Sports and Education: A school for athletic training and an arena where competitions were held.
• Temples: Two large temples dedicated to Zeus, the god of the sky, and Artemis, the goddess of the hunt. To the west of the theater stands a unique Ionic-style temple, its ceiling adorned with a magnificent eagle motif.
• Social Spaces: The agora (marketplace) where citizens gathered, a basilica, massive cisterns (water reservoirs), and a colonnaded street.

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With the arrival of the Turks in the 13th century, the city’s name changed to “Zerk.” Today, when you visit Selge, the ruins of the ancient city are interwoven with the homes of the modern Altınkaya neighborhood. You can stand beside a village house just next to a theater built over two millennia ago, and encounter goats wandering among ancient columns.

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