Gazipaşa - still rural coined Green Area

Gazipaşa - still rural coined Green Area

An excursion tour together with our co-author Detlef Heinzel, who has lived in Gazipasa for several years, had led us again to Gazipasa, the still green and rural small town with a predominantly rural bustle, please follow his short report:

 

After a metal entrance sign, the visitor learns, that the number of inhabitants of Gazipasa is mentioned as 16,000, in reality it is maybe double. The roadside development changes when the center of the township is approached (the crossing area at the Mermaid). The border areas are characterized by wide production areas with low storey buildings and many greenhouses. In the municipality, the buildings change to buildings of 4-5 storey construction. Just before the center of the township at the Mermaid monument you reach the main junction area.

The intersecting roads lead to the north with views of the Taurus Mountains, first big one to the center, passing the fruit and vegetable stalls. If you turn to right before reaching these stores one reaches the marketplace. The market place was redesigned with the Atatürk monument, an symbolic anchor and a ship's masts in 2005. Also, the center received paved roads. A few years ago, when the streets were not paved at all, resembled in the rainy season, the village center with its muddy streets was almost looking like an "old western town." In the immediate vicinity of the vegetable stalls is the large market hall. Every Tuesday there is a Vegetable Market day, on Fridays a textile market day is added.

At the intersection of Mermaid, the road leading south about 2 km towards a major dual carriage road to the harbor. The road then turns right towards the main beach. The main beach is currently receiving a beautiful fortified beach promenade. This is where various smaller Lokantas, Turkish name for restaurants, found a place. At the main beach you can see the ruins of an ancient castle. There is no direct way to this old castle so far. An access road is reached by winding small roads and paths before reaching Gazipasa center next to the business park, locally called Sanay.

Directly on the main beach you will notice some hotel ruins, which will be demolished again because they do not comply with the approved plans for the beach zone. Fortunately Gazipasa has remained still untouched by tourism. It is hoped that the area of Gazipasa continues to be shown as an agricultural area. Approximately 80% of the land area of Gazipasa is used for agriculture. Hopefully they will not repeat construction similar to Alanya or other places. But on the non-agricultural hillsides many new developments have emerged now already.

Starting from the intersection region of the Mermaid we drive about 1.5 km on the road to the main beach. Approximately 500 yards from the harbor you can see the ruins of an ancient aqueduct. We turn left into the street in front of the aqueduct and drive to the bridge of Gazipasa river, called Musa Cay. Immediately after the bridge we turn right, take the dirt road towards Castle Hill. On the left side you will see the castle hill with some ancient ruins of houses. We leave the dirt road about 100 meters to the left and reach the area of the building remains of ancient Selinus (please read the article too).

On display are now only a few ruined buildings and an Odeon and small theater. At a certain building, a billboard is attached with the supposed death place of the Emperor Trajan. The building was reconstructed later in the Seljuk era by using the material of former Roman building.

Your Detlef Heinzel

Please read as well:

Gazipasa - Life and income at the seaside

Gazipasa - the Banana story on the terraces at the Seaside

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://www.alaturka.info/en/turkey-country/riviera/3271-gazipasa-still-rural-coined-green-area#sigProIddfd1145137

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