The Colonnaded Streets of Side
The Colonnaded Streets of Side in Side, Turkey
The Colonnaded Streets of Side are part of the ancient layout of the old town, located on a peninsula along the Mediterranean coast in the historic center of Side. These streets connected the city gates, public buildings, trading areas, and the harbor district, so they offer a clear idea of how a Roman city was organized.
The best-preserved sections are near the ancient theater, where the foundations of the colonnades, fragments of the stone paving, and traces of dense urban development on both sides are still visible. In other parts of the routes, individual architectural details and sections of the ancient surface can be seen, integrated into the modern urban environment.
For tourists, this place is interesting not as a separate monument, but as an important part of Side's archaeological landscape. A walk along these streets helps to show how the ancient city was connected to the theater, agora, temples, and port, and also gives a better understanding of the scale and structure of the ancient settlement.
A visit to the colonnaded streets is usually combined with a tour of the theater, the monumental gate, and the seafront part of old Side. Even preserved as ruins, these sections make it possible to trace the direction of the city's main routes and imagine the everyday life of the ancient city.
The Colonnaded Streets of Side on the map
The Colonnaded Streets of Side near the theater and ancient gate
Here you can trace the layout of the ancient city and its connection to the harbor.
Fragments of ancient roads between the theater, gates, and harbor
During a walk through old Side, you can see several sections of ancient streets that were once lined with colonnades. Today, the route near the theater is the easiest to follow: here you can clearly see the lines of the street, stone slabs, and the remains of structures that once stood along the road. In some sections, it is easy to see how the ancient street passed among commercial and public buildings.
It is worth paying attention not only to the large ruins, but also to the details underfoot and along the route: fragments of paving, broken pieces of architectural decoration, wall foundations, and sections of ancient masonry. It is precisely these elements that help to show that the colonnaded streets were not just ceremonial decoration, but an important part of urban life and movement within Side.
These routes are convenient to explore together with the nearby monuments. Close by are the ancient theater and the monumental gate, and toward the harbor are the temples of Apollo and Athena, so it is easy to plan the walk as a последовательный осмотр основных руин исторического центра.
The easiest way to get here is on foot through the historic center of Side, since a significant part of the ancient streets lies among the main archaeological sites of the old town. For visiting, it is best to choose comfortable shoes: the surface is uneven in places, with stone slabs and excavation areas.
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