Soli
Soli Antik Kenti · Güzelyurt
Tier II · Worth a detour
One of the ten ancient city-kingdoms, with mosaics under a protective roof.
What to see at Soli
- The floors of the early Christian basilica keep their mosaics, seen from walkways under a modern roof that shelters the ruins.
- Among them is a swan mosaic, and a column base still stands in the mosaic floor.
- A Roman theatre with its tiered seating is cut into the hill above the basilica.
- The city lay on the coast of Morphou Bay.
History of Soli
- About 600 BC
- By one account, King Philikypros of Aepea moves his capital here and names the city after Solon.
- 498 BC
- Soli joins the Ionian revolt against the Persians, who take the city and build Vouni Palace to control it.
- AD 325
- Three bishops of Soli attend the Council of Nicaea.
- 1927–32
- Swedish excavations open part of the city; Canadian teams follow in the 1960s.
Visiting Soli
Allow about an hour. The site lies near Denizli, about 4.5 km north-west of Lefke. The D.30 road passes about 250 m away, a car park is mapped about 50 m away, and no bus stop is mapped within about 500 m.
Monuments near Soli
- Vouni PalaceThe fifth-century BC hilltop palace built to watch over Soli.
- Lefke Mining MuseumThe story of Lefke's copper mines in the former Vasıf Palas.
- St Mamas MonasteryThe church with the carved iconostasis in Güzelyurt.