The Titus Tunnel is a Roman engineering marvel. During the reign of Emperor Vespasian (69-79 AD), the Roman governors of Seleucia Pieria, the port city for Antioch ad Orontes, decided to divert a river.
They put Roman legionnaires, sailors and prisoners to work cutting a channel along and through the rock for about 1.4 km (nearly a mile). Vespasian conceived this Titus Tunnel to supply the local city with water and also serve as a diversionary channel for the river when the waters threatened to flood.
Continued under Emperor Titus (79-81), inscriptions tell us it was completed during the reigns of the Antonine emperors decades later.
Today the channel is dry, but still worth a visit. A small parking area and entrance is just inland from the beach at Seleucia Pieria. A path ascends along the channel, open to the sky, up and down steps and rocks, to where an arched limestone footbridge crosses.
Above the footbridge, the channel continues into the solid rock. You’ll need a powerful flashlight/torch to continue.
The Roman Emperor Titus ordered slaves to dig this tunnel outof the rock so that flood waters from the mountains would be diverted around the city.
Titus Tunnel, Seleucia Pieria
This tunnel dates back to 69, created by human force only. It’s about 1.4 kilometers and it was created by the effort of slaves in order to divert the river. It’s really amazing to see what humans can achieve, though it’s hard to imagine how it has been done. Walking through it is possible only at the first couple of meters as it’s quite slippery today. The path next to it leads to "Beşikli Cave" which is a rock cemetery. On the way, there are villagers who are selling water, fresh fruits (in our case it was tangerines as our trip took place in early November), handcrafts, olives etc. Especially the fruits help a lot during the long and hilly walk. The view of Mediterranean Sea from the top is stunning. Once you’re in the area, you should not miss this place which combines history and nature.
If you go to Antakya you should definitely see this place. The nature here is amazing.
Very good surprise. was there for business and high standard hotel.
bed are very comfrotable
Room are large, hotel is very new, everything works, super hammam facilities
restaurant is very good and there is a nice terrace on the 2nd floor
the decoration of the hotel is upper standard, sometime kitsch but not too much
I would definitely recommend this…
Titius and Vespanius tunnel, is an acient tunnel, cut through and along the rock, about a mile long, to divert the river bed that was flooding the region which was then serving as the harbor of Antioch. The construction started during the reign of Roman Emperor Vespanius (69-76 Ad) and continued in Emperor Titius reign. It is said that thousands of slaves ( then jewish) were used in construction. Currently the tunnel is dry. There also is a very elegant Roman bridge on the aqueduct.Even though the site is not very well organized ( poor explanations), need some jumping and climbing , the trip is well worth to seefor what can be done by human hand . The region also houses the tombs, of Roman officers and their families , Beşikli Magrasi .You can drive from Antakya or may ask for a bus tour from the city. There is a parking lot and there is an entrance fee, part of the site is easy to walk but you need to wear sneakers to climb and jump where needed. Open air attraction beware of sun in summer time and wear hat and sun screen . There is cafe outside the parking lot on the beach for a light meal, coffee or drinks.
We stayed for 3 nights in August and explored the areas around Dörtyol ( Iskanderun, Payas, all the way down coast to Silfilke).
We enjoyed our stay and would come again. The hotel was almost empty and we took a suite on the top floor with a view of the sea. Huge windows, comfortable bed and bedding. We slept very…