Selchuks district. Hilt ruins — the tourist small town of Turkey should be inspected, as well as innumerable museums of Turkey
Tourist the small town of Turkey - the Hilt
Except Pompeii, the Hilt — the greatest and most ideal the city which has remained in the Mediterranean of an antiquity. After the Istanbul Sultan-hmeta — it is more visited tourist region of Turkey. A huge part of year here strongly there is a lot of people, but, having truly planned a trip, here it is possible to get to rather measured period. This place cannot be passed, even if you will be a little disappointed how here everything is ground under profit extraction, and that the part of the small town is closed for survey. For this purpose to familiarise with sights of Turkey in the Hilt, to you will be useful, on the last measure, two-three hours and a water bottle — hectares of the stoned earth bask in the sun as the grill lattice, and on all extent to you will meet only two cranes drinking water, well and those are at the entrance. St. Maria's church. The first hint that you have got to the old city which becomes visible for a long time before you will approach on an insignificant parking with souvenir benches and excursion buses, Vedius's (Vedius gymnasium) gymnasium and the stadium based by Neron are very destroyed and more very plundered. To a descent behind entrance gate abruptly turn to the right on a path with an inscription «Meguyet of Kilisesi». She will lead you to St. Maria's church, absurdly extended building which has been built here and there between II and IV century of our era. Specifically in this structure which was once the Roman warehouse, the Universal Cathedral of 431 AD has taken place. At present in rather quite good condition only its baptistery which should be inspected during round to Turkey has remained.
Arcady Road and theatre. Behind church are deeply gone to the earth both hard distinguishable baths of harbour and a gymnasium. To them usually approach on Arcady Road which is at present inaccessible as excavation nearby is conducted. This road is called in honour of the Byzantian governor of the V century who has updated it. Now only bushes and trees around grow, and once there were ranks of hundreds shops shined by a night. But even its abandonment — anything on comparison to desolation of old theatre. That during festivals conducted here in the summer to arrange in it it is as much as possible people, it has been roughly restored by materials which outcome cars more would be suitable for props any Californian. If it is simple to you to overcome steps of this calculated on 20 000 audience, half modern theatre, from a hillock top to you will reveal a view of ruins lying low and rural areas surrounding them.
Celsius library. Directly on a skreshcheniye of 2 main streets there is Celsius library on which it is possible to approach by a taxi in Turkey. It has been constructed between And 135 AD consul Guy Julius Akvila in memory of his father Celsius to Polemen which body is buried here and there under the western wall of a structure. The stylish two-floor facade is decorated by niches with the sculptures personifying four intellectual virtues. Now originals are stored in Vienna, and their plaster copies here are exposed. Rooms everything has been made by Snutri for this purpose that twelve тыщ rolls stored here have not suffered from humidity that, vobshchy, has not prevented them to be lost from fire is ready, which have grasped the city in 262. Before an entrance the library is adjoined by a big bottom agora with Mazeus and Mitridat's (Mazaeus Mithridates) restored threefold gate.
Walk on streets of the tourist small town of Turkey
Povdol Street Kureta. On a hillock, up down the street Kureta (Curetes), over the main intersection of the Roman small town the Byzantian fountains look at their public lavatories located directly opposite. If you continue a way on the same party of the street, will approach to Adrian (Hadrian) constructed in 118 on means of rich city dwellers in honour of Adrian, Artemis's and all small town as a whole so called temple.
At present at the left there are stalls with soft drinks for tourists in Turkey. As well as in a case with a library facade, the most part of its sculptures are the plaster copies which originals are stored in Selchuk's archaeological museum. Two little heads on arches which connect four columns at an entrance, represent the option and destiny goddess Tikh and, maybe, the Jellyfish. The first usually put here on fate, and the second — that it frightened off malicious forces.
Behind the temple and a little above it there are baths of Scholasticism (Scholastica) of the I century, named so in honour of the Byzantian lady who on the means has repaired this complex in the V century. Its headless statue decorates now its entrance. From there was an equal road to public lavatories and a brothel though, judging by drawings, and baths also could serve as houses in Turkey for appointments. Here, as well as in almost all other places of the Hilt, the clay drainage pipes fixed into a floor are still visible.
Povdol Mramornaya Street. So called Mramornaya Street begins at the basis of theatre and conducts on the South. A track for wheels in a roadway and put vertically hemp of columns on the right show that its foot zone has been truly divided from the carriageway. On the right you will see the bottom agora (now it too is closed as excavation there is conducted) and the temple of Serapis (Serapis) adjoining it in what the Egyptian negotiators prayed innumerable in the Hilt.
Here and there in the middle of Mramornaya Street metal racks have fenced an old symbol — engraved on a stone foot and the female head which designated a brothel. It is placed in the centre of the Roman small town, on a skreshcheniye with other his main artery, Kureta Street named so in honour of the priest of the temple of Artemis. From the house of pleasures there were only walls in height to a breast of the adult person, but on a floor it is possible to make out a delightful mosaic with the image of 4 seasons. Fallichesky images which are stored now in Selchuk's museum have been right there found in rather quite good condition.
Sights of the tourist small town of Turkey and councils to tourists
Houses with terraces. On the return from Adrian's temple the end of Kureta Street there is a big mosaic which once decorated facades to a descent of several shops. Nearby the street, going ledges up, conducts to houses with terraces which are concluded in the iron and plexiglass show-windows protecting fragile finds from wishing to break off from their piece. Access to them is limited by a series of a wood planked footway which conduct by the remains of 6 houses and 62 rooms. Considering them, it is possible to present, as daily life during the early Byzantian and imperial times flew, but hardly this show deserves that for it so terrible additional payment was raised.
The 1st house is built round an atrium with a fountain surrounded with a black-and-white mosaic. Walls of its east room are covered with frescos, including a fresco with the image of fight of Oat-flakes with river god Akhelon. The central yard of the second house is decorated by a delightful mosaic with a triton and nereids, and to the South from it there is an arch with jarred on, but still fine mosaic on which are represented Dionysus and Ariadn. During excavation of a huge central dome which was a part constructed in 588. Dionysus's houses, the tiny gold figurine of the Egyptian priest which is at present exhibited at Selchuk's museum has been found.
Top entrance. Ворачиваясь on Kureta Street, you will pass by Traian's fountain. An ornament decorating it also is at present in a museum of Turkey in Selchuka. Then the street forks at other fountain, Gidreion, and Oat-flakes gate where the remains of a relief of columns represent the hero in a skin of the Nemeysky lion. If on a skreshcheniye of streets to turn to the right, you will come to Domitsian's temple from which complex there was only a ground floor where the Museum of Inscriptions (during the current time takes place now is closed). Then the main road bends around the huge, top agora which has grown with a grass which is opposite to the civilian centre of the Roman small town, пританеума, a public hall for reception of notable people and guests. Once in it the unquenchable sacred flame of the Hilt burnt and there were Artemis's two sculptures (are now in Selchuk's museum), despite of that the main goddess of Romans was Gesty (Vest). Adjoining to пританеуму одеон at what the local parliament sat, has been roughly restored and transformed to the main theatre. Now in it 27 ranks are unique only. Varius's (Varius) baths note the end of paved system of the Roman streets. In the same place there is the top entrance. At gate powerful east gymnasium, and near it — gate Magnesia (Magnesia) which designate the end of the old small town takes place. From here the five-kilometre asphalted road conducts to Meriyemana, but to reach there better by a taxi or a poputka as lifting here very abrupt, and pleasures from walk in a dust passing by cars you will not test.
Practical information. Visit of ruins of the Hilt. Ruins of the tourist small town of Turkey - the Hilt are open once a day with 8. 30 on 18. 30 h. h. (in the winter they are locked in 17. 30 h), the last tickets are on sale for 30 mines before closing, an entrance fee — 15YTL, the place on a car to a parking costs to 4YTL.
To reach here from Kushadasa, ask the driver долмуш to plant you at motel of Tusan which is all in kilometre from entrance gate in the Hilt and its ticket offices.
From Selchuk it is better to reach not on motor transport (if, naturally, you have no own car). It is possible to give in to arrangements of carriers which will take you to a place in the vehicle harnessed by horses (10YTL), or to walk on foot three kilometres, from which 1st two — in a shadow of mulberry trees on the parallel brisk route to a path.
In the Hilt southeast, on the way to Miriyemana, there is the 2nd, top entrance to the city. Perhaps, it is the best method to study ruins in the summer in Turkey as in this case you will always go down on a hillock down in the summer. Excursion buses usually land own passengers specifically there, taking away them from the bottom entrance. If you reach by a taxi from Selchuk to Meriyemana (40YTL for the car), for you will wait half an hour at «Maria's House», and will take to the Hilt later.
Sail away to rounds to Turkey from Murmansk behind new impressions and feelings.
