The Temple Dedicated to Athena, the Main Goddess of Ancient Side, Attracts Attention

The Ancient City of Side in the Manavgat district of Antalya, a witness to thousands of years of history, has been reborn with the restoration of the Temple of Athena. Side, one of the most important port cities of the Pamphylia region, was founded in the 7th century BC and attracts visitors with its temple dedicated to its chief goddess, Athena.

Side is an ancient city that is thought to have been founded before the 7th century BC and has been home to many civilizations such as the Lydians, Persians, Macedonian Kingdom and Roman Empire. The city, which became the center of trade especially during the Roman period, lived its brightest period in the 5th and 6th centuries.

The temple dedicated to the city’s chief goddess Athena, located next to the Temple of Apollo, regained its former glory with the restoration works completed in November 2023. Side Ancient City Excavation President Prof. Dr. Feriştah Alanyalı states that the restoration works not only raised the temple, but also obtained important data that will shed light on the city’s building history.

The fact that the Temple of Athena is located right on the shore of the harbor further increases its importance. Prof. Dr. Alanyalı emphasizes that the juxtaposition of the temples of Apollo and Athena is a special example and says, “Athena is an important cult center that has taken its place in the city, right on the shore of the harbor, throughout the Ancient Age as the guarantor goddess of trade in the harbor.”

The Temple of Athena, which visitors could not perceive much before the restoration, is now revealed in all its glory. Prof. Dr. Alanyalı explains, “Since it was not possible to raise all the columns, the depth and size of the area were intended to be reflected to the visitors by raising the front of one temple and the back of the other.”

With the completion of the restoration at the Temple of Athena, the city’s settlement history and its place in the religious history of the Ancient Age have been emphasized and made perceptible to visitors. The Ancient City of Side has become a more attractive destination for both domestic and foreign tourists with this important restoration.