Olympos is a valley at the south coast of
Turkey, 90 km southwest of
Antalya city near the town of
Kemer.
The city was founded in the Hellenistic period, sharing its name with nearby
Mount Olympos.
The coins of
Olympos date back to the 2nd century BC. The city became one of the six leading cities of the
Lycian federation.
In the 1st century BC,
Olympos was invaded and settled by pirates. This ended in 78 BC, when the
Roman commander Servilius Isaurieus added the city to the
Roman Empire.
The emperor
Hadrian visited
Olympos after which it took the name of Hadrianopolis for a period, in his honour.
Near
Olympos, about 200 meters above sea level, some
eternal flames called the
Chimaera may be seen issuing from the ground.
The fuel source for the
flames is natural gas, largely methane, seeping through cracks in the earth. The mythical
Chimaera - was a savage beast who sprouted fire from its mouth.
In the Middle Ages, Venetians, Genoese and
Rhodians built two
fortresses along the coast, but by the 15th century
Olympos had been abandoned.
Today
Olympos attracts tourists, not only for the artifacts that can still be found, but also for its scenic landscapes supporting wild grapevines, flowering oleander, bay trees, figs and pines.
