Side Harbour
Side, Turkey
Temple of Apollo, Side
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Photo: Maksym Kozlenko, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Free, no ticket
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Hours
- 24 hours, open-air site
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 30 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Right now
- Under restoration since May 2026, scaffolded; completion expected 2027
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time needed
- 20–30 minutes, longer at sunset
- Where
- Southern tip of the Side peninsula, past the harbour
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - From the Vespasian Gate
- ≈ 15–20 min on foot through the old town
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Key facts
2nd century ADbuilt under Emperor Antoninus Pius
2 sourcesi
English and Russian WikipediaHürriyet Daily News5 columnsre-erected with their entablature — all that stands today
2 sourcesi
English and Russian WikipediaTurkish Archaeological NewsMedusaheads carved in the frieze above the columns
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Russian WikipediaTurkish Archaeological News6 × 11columns on the short and long sides — a Corinthian peripteral temple
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Russian WikipediaTurkish Archaeological News≈ 16 × 30 mthe stylobate, or platform, of the temple
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Russian WikipediaTurkish Archaeological News≈ 9 mcolumn height including the capitals
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Russian Wikipedia (8.85 m)Tonkosti1984–1991the columns were pieced back together from fallen fragments
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English Wikipedia (1984–1990)Russian Wikipedia (1991)1947Arif Müfid Mansel began excavating the harbour sanctuary
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Russian WikipediaDaily Sabah2 templesside by side: Apollo and the larger Athena
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Russian WikipediaTurkish Archaeological NewsNovember 2024restoration of the neighbouring Temple of Athena finished
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MilliyetHürriyet Daily NewsIs the Temple of Apollo free?
Yes. There’s no ticket office and no gate: the temples, the Byzantine basilica and the waterfront around them form an open archaeological area in the middle of the resort, accessible day and night. You only pay nearby for the Roman theatre and the Side Museum.
Because it’s open-air, there is no shade at the tip of the peninsula. On a summer afternoon it’s hot and glaring; evening is far more pleasant, and the columns are floodlit after dark.
Temple of Apollo history
The temple went up in the 2nd century AD, under Emperor Antoninus Pius, when Side was a wealthy port of Roman Pamphylia. It was a Corinthian peripteral temple — ringed by columns, six on the short sides and eleven on the long ones, on a platform of roughly 16 by 30 metres. The columns stand almost nine metres tall.
In Byzantine times the pagan sanctuaries were pulled down and their site became the atrium — the forecourt — of a large Christian basilica. Earthquakes did the rest. Arif Müfid Mansel began excavating here in 1947, and between 1984 and 1991 five columns with their entablature and part of the pediment were reassembled from the fragments.
That rebuild used concrete bases and steel rods, which later rusted and cracked; salt spray from the sea eats into the marble too. Broken parts were patched in 2017, and the full restoration started in 2026.
Temples of Apollo and Athena: which is which?
Two temples stood side by side at Side’s harbour — an unusually close pairing. Mansel decided the smaller one was Apollo’s and the larger one Athena’s, the city’s protector and patron of harbour trade, and the names stuck.
Not everyone agrees. The Medusa heads on the frieze are Athena’s emblem — in the myth, Perseus gave her the Gorgon’s head — so some scholars think the famous columns belong to Athena’s temple. On the ground it makes no difference, but signs and guides don’t always use the same names.
The Temple of Athena was restored in November 2024, with columns raised again around its edge. Apollo’s turn came next.
What to see
- The five columns and their frieze against the open sea.
- Medusa heads between the frieze brackets — step back to see them.
- The Temple of Athena next door, with its perimeter columns re-erected in 2024.
- What’s left of the Byzantine basilica whose forecourt once swallowed both temples.
- Sunset over the water directly behind the columns.
- The floodlighting after dark — best seen from a boat in the bay.
How to get to the Temple of Apollo
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Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- Side Harbour is about 4 min away on foot.
- Side Old Town is about 7 min away on foot.
- Roman Theatre of Side is about 11 min away on foot.
More tips
- Take a dolmuş minibus from Manavgat or the coastal hotels to the Side bus stop and car park by the Vespasian Gate.
- Walk 5–10 minutes, or ride the little shuttle train, to the Roman theatre where the pedestrian old town begins.
- From the theatre, follow the main street, Liman Caddesi, down to the sea — about 10 minutes past shops and cafés.
- At the harbour turn left and walk south along the water to the tip of the peninsula — another 5 minutes.
- You’ll see the columns long before you reach them. Head back the same way or along the eastern beach promenade.
Is it worth visiting during the restoration?
If you’re already in Side, yes — with the right expectations. It costs nothing, takes 15–20 minutes to walk to, and sunset on the point is lovely even without close access. Don’t make a special trip just for the temple until the work is done; combine it with the old town, the harbour and the theatre instead.
If what you want is the classic shot at the foot of the columns, save it for after the scaffolding comes down.
Best time for sunset photos
The sun sets into the sea on this side of the point, so the columns are silhouetted against it. Be on the waterfront just east of the temple 30–40 minutes before sunset — the good spots fill up fast in summer.
While the scaffolding is up, wide shots of the whole headland with both temples, a view from a harbour boat trip and the night lighting work better than close-ups.
Before you go: checklist
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Temple of Apollo vs the theatre and museum
| Temple of Apolloyou are here | Five columns by the sea | Free | 24 hours | 20–30 min | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roman theatre | Roman theatre | Ticket | Daytime | ≈ 40 min | Morning |
| Side Museum | Sculpture in Roman baths | Ticket | Daytime | ≈ 45 min | Midday heat |
The temple is the free finale of a walk around Side. Do the museum in the heat of the day and the point at sunset.
Ancient Side compared
Every historic site in Side rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.
| Side Old Town | 54 | 2 h | Free | 6 min walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agora of Side | 45 | 30 min | Free | 11 min walk |
| Temple of Apolloyou are here | 44 | 30 min | Free | — |
| Side Harbour | 44 | 45 min | Free | 6 min walk |
| Roman Theatre of Side | 39 | 45 min | Closed for restoration | 10 min walk |
| Side Museum | 39 | 45 min | €5, under 8 free | 12 min walk |
| Selge | 29 | 1 h | Free, no ticket office | 56.6 km |
| Köprülü Canyon | 16 | 4 h | Free | 51.0 km |
Side in half a day: gate to sunset
Museum and theatre in the afternoon, old town and harbour towards evening, sunset at the Temple of Apollo to finish. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and walks.
- Side Museum45 min · €5, under 8 free
- 3 min walk from the previous stopRoman Theatre of Side45 min · Closed for restoration
- 4 min walk from the previous stopSide Old Town2 h · Free; theatre and museum extra
- 5 min walk from the previous stopSide Harbour45 min · Free
- 6 min walk from the previous stopTemple of Apolloyou are here30 min · Free
5 places · about 5 h 3 min with walks · 18 min on foot in total
Nearby — add to your day
How to do it right
- Get to the waterfront half an hour before sunset — spots with a clear view of the columns go quickly.
- In the midday heat, do the Side Museum first; it’s cool inside. Walk to the point in the evening.
- The columns look best from the water — boat trips leave from the harbour.
- Stay after sunset: the floodlights come on and the crowd thins out.
- Dolmuş minibuses run less often in the evening — ask the driver when the last one back leaves.
Questions
Is the Temple of Apollo in Side free?
Yes. It’s an open-air site with no ticket office. The paid sights nearby are the Roman theatre and the Side Museum.
Is the Temple of Apollo closed for restoration?
The temple itself is: restoration started in May 2026, the columns are scaffolded and you can’t get close. The area around it stays open and you can see the columns from the waterfront. Completion is expected in 2027.
What are the Temple of Apollo opening hours?
It’s open 24 hours, every day — there is no gate. The columns are floodlit in the evening.
How long do you need at the Temple of Apollo?
20–30 minutes for the temple and the Temple of Athena beside it; about an hour if you stay for sunset.
How do I get to the Temple of Apollo in Side?
Dolmuş to the Side bus stop by the Vespasian Gate, then walk through the old town to the harbour and south along the water — 15–20 minutes in total.
When was the Temple of Apollo built?
In the 2nd century AD, under Emperor Antoninus Pius. The columns standing today were reassembled from fragments between 1984 and 1991.
What is the difference between the temples of Apollo and Athena?
They are neighbouring temples at the harbour; Apollo’s is the smaller. The famous five columns with Medusa on the frieze are called Apollo’s, though some scholars assign them to Athena.
Is the Temple of Apollo worth visiting?
If you’re in Side, yes — it’s free, close and spectacular at sunset. While the scaffolding is up, don’t travel to Side for it alone.
Is the Temple of Apollo good for kids?
Yes for a short stop: it’s a flat, open waterfront area. Watch children near the stone edges and the sea.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- English Wikipedia: Temple of Apollo (Side); Russian Wikipedia: Temple of Apollo in Side; Wikidata Q4500686
- Turkish Archaeological News: Ancient temples and Byzantine basilica in Side
- Hürriyet Daily News, 2017: Temple of Apollo restored in Antalya; 2025 — on the Temple of Athena
- Milliyet, 17.03.2025 — completion of the Temple of Athena restoration
- Daily Sabah — on excavations in the harbour sanctuary
- Türkiye Turizm, 03.05.2026: Side Apollon Tapınağı'nda restorasyon başladı
- Antalya Hürses, 2026 — progress of the restoration and expected completion
- Tonkosti: Temple of Apollo in Side
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