Soli Ancient City

Soli is a ruin located on the northwestern coast of the island of Cyprus, about a mile west of Gemikonağı, within the borders of Aşağı Bağlıköy. The ancient city of Soli, named after the famous philosopher Solon, was one of the most important capital cities of the island of Cyprus from foundation to fall. Excavations have determined that the history of Soli extends from the 11th century BC to the 7th century AD.
Throughout history, the city of Soli has become an important port city with its protected harbor and fertile lands. Apart from this, Soli also has an important place in the history of Christianity. The city participated in Christian councils and became one of the bishopric centers on the island during the period. The city, which was subjected to external attacks many times, was finally defeated and destroyed by Arab raids in the mid-7th century AD.
As a result of the excavations carried out in Soli City, a theatre, temples, palace ruins, agora, basilica and necropolis areas belonging to various periods were unearthed.
Soli Basilica is one of the first churches in Cyprus. The basilica has gone through several construction phases. The first structure is a five-aisled basilica dating back to the 4th century BC. Later, in the 6th century AD, the structure was converted into a 3-aisled, 3-apse basilica. The church is divided into 3 naves by 2 rows of twelve columns. The bases and bodies of the giant columns can be seen in the ruins today. Mosaics of significant value for the Mediterranean world also cover the floor of the structure. The most important of these mosaics is the Swan mosaic of unique beauty.
The Roman theater in Soli was built on the site of a Greek theater that once stood on the same site on the slope of a hill overlooking the sea a little above the city. The theater dates back to the end of the 2nd century AD and the beginning of the 3rd century AD.

TİKA's Contributions

Within the scope of the project carried out in 2024, in the Ancient City of Soli, a section of the walkway platform, which was built about 1 metre above the ground to visit the site, was passing over a special mosaic. For this reason, the mosaic under the walking platform could not be seen by the visitors. In order to ensure that this mosaic could be seen clearly, that part of the platform was changed to glass. In addition, the city's identification boards and other boards containing information about historical monuments were renewed.