Temple of Apollo (Side)
The Temple of Apollo is a Roman temple built around 150 A.D. during the Pax Romana era in the ancient Carian town of Side, in southern Turkey on the Mediterranean Sea coast and dedicated to Apollo, the Greek and Roman god of music, harmony and light.[1][2]
| Temple of Apollo | |
|---|---|
 Temple of Apollo in Side, Turkey | |
| Religion | |
| Region | Roman Caria |
| Deity | Apollo |
| Location | |
| Location | Side, Turkey |
  Location of the Temple of Apollo in Turkey | |
| Geographic coordinates | 36.76426°N 31.38664°E |
The Temple of Apollo dates back to the time of Roman emperor Antoninus Pius (r. 138–161).[2]
Between 1984 and 1990, the five columns, which remained standing side by side over centuries, and the capitals were restored. As the concrete base carrying the columns started to wear down, and the iron bars inside the columns came to the surface effected by weather conditions, restoration works were carried out in 2017. The broken parts of the columns were repaired with same material used during the restoration in the 1980s.[2]
The Temple of Apollo is a notable tourist attraction in Antalya Province.[3]
Recent events
In May 2022,[4] a night club named "Apollo" was opened nearby the archaeological site of the adjacent Temple of Athena, using historical remains as its entrance gate. The club started operating despite the complaints and warnings of archaeologists that lighting and loud noise would cause damage to the ongoing excavation works and pose a catastrophic effect for the surrounding monuments.
References
- "Side Apollon-Athena Tapınağı" (in Turkish). Müze. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
- "Temple of Apollo restored in Antalya". Hürriyet Daily News. 23 August 2017. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
- "8 reasons to visit Side before summer ends". Daily Sabah. 8 September 2018. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
- "Athena'ya ihanet! Side antik kentine bar açtılar".
