Topkapı Palace
The sultans’ palace on Sarayburnu: courtyards, the Imperial Council, the treasury and the terraces over the water. Dated entry, sold online on its own site.
Çevlik Archaeological Site
The site of ancient Seleucia Pieria at Samandağ: a Roman-era tunnel more than a kilometre long, cut through the rock to divert flood water, and nearby rock tombs.
About the museum
Çevlik was the site of Seleucia Pieria, an important harbour city founded around 310 BC by the Seleucids as the port of their Syrian kingdom. The harbour risked being silted up by flood water pouring down from the mountain behind it, so in the 1st century AD a huge engineering project was undertaken to protect the port.
The result is the Titus Tunnel, at Samandağ. It was begun under the Roman emperor Vespasian and completed under his son Titus. Cut entirely through the bedrock by hand, it is more than 1.3 km long, about 7 m high and 6 m wide, and it was designed to divert flood water away from the harbour and the city. Part of its length is closed to visitors. It is striking mostly for its sheer effort.
Nearby are the Beşikli rock tombs, made in the Roman period. They are carved entirely out of the rock and decorated with a pillared entrance. Inside are 12 tombs, including a burial chamber with two side by side, each with an ornamented coffin of the same size.
Tips
- The tunnel can be wet and slippery in places; wear shoes with a good grip.
- Check the official page for current opening hours and which parts are accessible.
Questions
When is Çevlik Archaeological Site open?
According to the Ministry’s listing it opens at 08:00 and closes at 19:00 (last entry 18:30). Open every day.
Can I buy tickets for Çevlik Archaeological Site on this site?
No. This site sells no tickets. Topkapı Palace, the Basilica Cistern, Hagia Sophia and Dolmabahçe Palace are sold on our sister sites; for Çevlik Archaeological Site, buy at the ticket office or on the Ministry’s official e-ticket system.
Where is Çevlik Archaeological Site?
Çevlik Archaeological Site is in Hatay, Türkiye — Kapısuyu Köyü.
Nearby
Hatay
St. Pierre Monument Museum
The cave church near Antakya traditionally held to be the first in the world, where the name Christian was first used and popes have marked a place of pilgrimage.
Hatay
Monastery of St. Simeon Stylites
A 6th-century hilltop monastery near Antakya, built around the column where Simeon the Younger lived for decades, with three churches and a cross-shaped plan.
Hatay
Hatay Archaeological Museum
Türkiye's great mosaic museum in Antakya, with thousands of square metres of Roman floors from ancient Antioch, plus Hittite, Hellenistic and Byzantine finds and a superb coin collection.
Hatay
Hatay Necmi Asfuroğlu Archaeology Museum
A museum built directly over excavated layers of ancient Antioch in Antakya, preserving Roman floor mosaics where they were found, including one of the largest ever recorded.
Istanbul tickets online
Four Istanbul landmarks, each sold on its own site by the agency behind this guide — dated entry and free cancellation up to 24 hours.
Basilica Cistern
Justinian’s great underground reservoir: 336 columns in still water and the two Medusa heads. Fast-track entry with a digital audio guide.
Hagia Sophia
Justinian’s cathedral, the sultans’ mosque and a working mosque again today. The ticket admits you to the upper visitor gallery.
Dolmabahçe Palace
A nineteenth-century palace on the water’s edge: the Selamlık, the Ceremonial Hall under its chandelier, the crystal staircase and the Harem.