Bishop's Palace and Basilica description and photos - Turkey: Side (Topic)

Bishop's and Basil's Palace description and photos - Turkey: Side. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photos and a map showing the nearest significant objects.

Photo and description

The Basilica and the Bishop's Palace in Side are some of the most interesting and famous landmarks in the country. This striking example of Byzantine architecture is located near the East Gate of the city, at the intersection of two streets - a column street that starts from the Main City Gate and a street that runs from the eastern gate of Side. The entrance to the building is located on the east side.

The Bishop's Basilica is rightfully considered one of the oldest structures preserved in Turkey to this day. The approximate date of the beginning of its construction is the 6th century BC. Both the basilica and the palace have their own special geometric proportions.

The complex consists of many rooms. In the center of the basilica is a square living room, which consists of three small offices. After the narthex (a covered room between the entrance and the middle at the front wall of the temple), the basilica is divided into three naves with two orderly rows of columns. The altar faces east. From the inside it looks round, and from the outside it has a triangular shape. The altar room previously had three-tiered seating for the ministers of the basilica.

The quadrangular baptismal structure is located to the north of the altar room, you can go to it along a rather narrow corridor. The baptismal room has three compartments, and its walls are decorated with semicircular and quadrangular stone niches. In the middle of the room is a marble baptismal pool with three steps leading to the west. In the northern and southern parts of the baptismal room, two semicircular basins were built, inferior in size to the baptismal one. The ceiling of the basilica was a combination of brick belts.

To the south of the basilica is the bishop's palace, it consists of parallel rooms of different shapes. Between these two structures there is a martrion (tomb room), in the western part of which there is an entrance to the palace. Corridors covered with graceful stone arches connect the premises of the palace. The bishop's room is rectangular in shape and is divided into three parts. The vaults of the palace roof differ from each other in size, which looks very beautiful from the side. Not far from the palace there is also a small chapel of the bishop.

Once this entire architectural complex was surrounded by high walls and was located in a beautiful garden. Its area is about 9700 sq. m.

We also recommend reading Melek-Chesmensky mound description and photo - Crimea: Kerch

Topic: Bishop's Palace and Basilica description and photos - Turkey: Side.