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THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT KEKOVA SUNKEN CITY
With its structure blended with historical and natural beauties, our country continues to attract more and more tourists every year and to reveal its beauties to visitors. The Mediterranean and Aegean Regions are among our regions that are popular holiday destinations for tourists from all over our country and various parts of the world. These two regions are the focus of attention of visitors who come for historical, natural and holiday purposes.
When we consider the historical and natural places of interest in the Mediterranean Region, these touristic places come first:
-Side Ancient City (Antalya)
-Manavgat Waterfall (Antalya)
-Eğirdir Lake (Isparta)
-Lavender Valley (Isparta)
-Maiden's Castle (Mersin)
-Patara Beach and Ancient City (Kaş/Kalkan)
- Kekova Sunken City and Kekova Island (Antalya / Demre) are among these items.
Apart from these, there are also hidden beauties that have not yet been discovered and are waiting to be discovered. Among these beauties, Kekova Sunken City, located in the Demre district of Antalya, and its story appear as an event that has a place in history.
First of all, are you ready to get to know Kekova island? So let's get to know Kekova island;
Kekova Island, one of the historical and natural beauties of Antalya, is a small rocky island off the coast of Kaleköy and Üçağız, near the Demre district of Antalya. There is no settlement on Kekova Island, which has a surface area of 4.5 square kilometers. Kaleköy, which is connected to the mainland opposite the island, provides accommodation opportunities for those who come to see the island with hostels, cafes and boat tours. After the Italian occupation, an agreement could not be reached between Turkey and Italy for a while about which country the island would belong to, and then an agreement was reached in 1932 and it was left to Turkey.
On the north side, shipwrecks from the ancient city of Dolkisthe, which was destroyed by earthquakes in the second century, can be found here and there. Kekova was re-established and developed during the Byzantine period, but its development could not continue due to Arab invasions.
Kekova and its surroundings were declared a protected area by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry on 18 June 1990. Although it was decided that all swimming and diving would be done with special permission from the government, in the following years this ban was lifted for places other than historical shipwrecks.
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT KEKOVA SUNKEN CITY:
Kekova Sunken City is a structure recorded as a sunken ancient city located in the Demre district of Antalya. It is located at the southern tip of Kekova Island. Kekova Sunken City is crowded with both local and foreign tourists during the summer months, as it offers the opportunity to see the buildings, houses, baths and cisterns from the Ancient Roman period.
The story of Kekova Sunken City, A.D. It begins with being buried under water as a result of a sudden earthquake in the 4th century. This earthquake also destroys Simena, the capital of Antalya at that time. Kekova Sunken City is among the most popular places visited for tourism purposes today. Boat tours on the sunken city and scuba diving inside the sunken city are frequently preferred by visitors.
One of the other features that should be known about Kekova Sunken City is that it is an important tourist destination in Turkey in terms of sunken city tourism. The beauty and historical values of the underwater structures attract tourists here every year. At the same time, the proximity of Demre district to the region and the presence of Santa Claus's grave in this district attract especially Orthodox tourists to this area.
WHERE IS KEKOVA SUNKEN CITY LOCATED?
Kekova Sunken City has many beauties around it. There are beautiful beaches, luxury hotels, historical villages, traditional Turkish coffee houses and various seafood restaurants. At the same time, the ancient cities of Perge, Termessos and Aspendos, which are the historical cities of Antalya, are also suitable for visiting due to their proximity to the region.
The tourism sector has developed rapidly in this city and its surroundings. Therefore, many activities are offered for tourists.
Among these;
Boat tours,
Diving opportunities,
ski fun,
There are activities such as bicycle tours.
One of the closest settlements to the region is Kaş district of Antalya province. Kaş district is a settlement where Greek melodies are felt with both its buildings and restaurants. At the same time, Meis Island is also very close to the region. When all these are evaluated together, many alternatives such as music, historical sites, and blue flag beaches are offered that help tourists have a nice holiday.
HOW TO GET TO KEKOVA SUNKEN CITY?
Antalya Kekova Sunken City is in a location where road transportation is preferred. Among the airport preferences to go to the region: Dalaman and Antalya Airports are located. The closest of these is Antalya Airport.
The approximate distance from Kekova Sunken City to Antalya Airport is 130 km. There are different vehicle options to go to Kekova from the airport. Among these; There are options to rent a car, go by bus or taxi.
Since the bus is the most affordable of these, it would be more appropriate to choose it. However, since the number of touristic areas on the road causes buses to stop and take breaks a lot, it is not preferred in terms of time saving. In order to save time, it is possible to choose a taxi to go as quickly as possible.
However, this method chosen this time is quite high in terms of cost. For this reason, the most logical option to go to the region remains the option of renting a car. It is a known fact that tourists who rent a car save both time and money. These different options, which can vary according to people's preferences, create different alternatives for going to the region.
HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE OF KEKOVA SUNKEN CITY
The history of the Sunken City Kekova dates back to the Roman Empire. Kekova Ancient City (Sunken City) is known as an ancient city located in the Antalya region of Turkey. This city, which was founded during the Roman Empire, A.D. It lived as a rich port city in the 1st century. This city, which is very rich in fishing and trade activities, is mentioned in historical records as serving as a port frequented by the Roman Empire.
About Kekova Sunken City: Being an Ancient City, it also hosts many historical ruins. Among the historical ruins found both at sea level and under the sea, those belonging to the Lycian Civilization are frequently encountered. The ruins under the sea are important for underwater archaeology, and tourists have the chance to see them thanks to diving opportunities.
Among the historical ruins in Kekova Ancient City; There is a church, bathhouse, houses, walls and doors. At the same time, columns, burial chambers and mosaics belonging to the Lycian Civilization and used in those periods are also located in the region.
Kekova Sunken City is an important place for the tourism industry and is known for helping tourists have a nice holiday. At the same time, this place, which has historical and cultural value, is listed among the most important touristic areas of Turkey and hosts thousands of foreign and domestic tourists every year.
Among the Kekova Sunken City structures; It contains works from the Lycian Period, Roman Period and Ottoman Period. For this reason, it presents a historical mosaic to visitors.
It is known that the Kekova Ancient City structures include:
Church: There are churches built during the ancient Roman period.
Bath: There are historical baths. Baths are structures used during the Ancient Roman period and appear to be quite intact.
Houses: There are historical houses. Among the surviving houses, there are only those built during the Ancient Roman period.
Walls and Doors: There are historical walls and doors. It is among the most valuable works in terms of workmanship.
Columns: There are columns used both during the Ancient Roman period and the Lycian Civilization period. Although many of them are not standing, the standing columns give clues about how they looked in the past.
Apart from these, there are also burial chambers and various mosaics. Mosaics, which are frequently encountered in Anatolian geography, hold an important place in the understanding of art of ancient times.
