The Pioneer of the Museum: Arif Müfid Mansel

The museum welcomes its visitors in a Roman bath building that was restored and converted into a museum within the Ancient City of Side. The museum's collection largely consists of artifacts uncovered during the archaeological excavations carried out in Side between 1946 and 1966 under the leadership of Ordinary Professor Dr. Arif Müfid Mansel. Side Museum holds the distinction of being the first museum established in a village in Türkiye.

"Side" Means "Pomegranate" in the Luwian Language

Side, one of the most important port cities of the Pamphylia region in antiquity, is located on a peninsula about 8 km from Manavgat. The history of the city dates back to the 8th century BCE. The name of the city comes from the Sidean language, which belongs to the Luwian language group, and means "pomegranate." In the 7th century BCE, Side came under the rule of the Lydians, together with the rest of the Pamphylia region. Later, the city was also governed by the Persians and Alexander the Great.

The city frequently suffered from pirate attacks that spread fear across the eastern Mediterranean. Shortly after the establishment of the Roman province of Asia, the Pamphylia region, including Side, came under Roman administration. In 78 BCE, after the Roman consul Publius Servilius cleared the region of pirates, Pamphylia became an independent Roman province. Beginning in the 7th century CE, the Ancient City of Side gradually weakened due to Arab raids, plundering, and the destruction caused by the Crusades. From the 12th century onward, the city was completely abandoned.

Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine Artifacts on Display

The Side Museum within the ancient city is housed in a bath complex originally built in the 2nd century CE, which reached its present form with additions and modifications made during the 5th and 6th centuries. The Roman bath, located opposite the agora, was restored between 1959 and 1961 and subsequently converted into a museum. Today, the museum displays artifacts from the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods, offering visitors valuable insight into the history and culture of the ancient city.

Ancient City ofSide

Historic Sites