Çayırhan: Juliopolis and the landscape around the Sarıyar Reservoir

Çayırhan brings together the history of an ancient city and the landscape around the Sarıyar Reservoir in an unusual way: Juliopolis is located here, and some remains of the ancient city are partially visible on the reservoir’s northeastern shore. If you and your family enjoy discovering how tombs, coin finds and historic routes tell the story of a city from the past, Çayırhan offers a specific focus for your visit. The necropolis and its location by the water offer different insights from the history of the old road that ran through Juliopolis.

Juliopolis and the Necropolises

The ancient city of Juliopolis is located in Çayırhan, in the Gülşehri locality. The Juliopolis Grade I and III archaeological conservation area lies in the Çayırhan district, in the Gülşehri locality, and is registered as an archaeological site. Another archaeological point of interest is the Kanlıtepe Necropolis: it too is located in the Çayırhan district, in the Gülşehri locality, and is registered as a Grade I archaeological site. These different protection grades and place names are among the specific features that distinguish the archaeological sites.

A total of 434 graves have been excavated at the Juliopolis necropolis. Coins found during the excavations, minted at the Juliopolis mint, showed that this area belonged to the necropolis of the ancient city. The finds thus connect the burial ground with the city itself. Excavations at the necropolis have continued since 2009, carried out by a team of museum archaeologists. For those interested in culture, the focus is therefore both on the extent of the burial ground and on the connection between the city and the necropolis.

River, Reservoir and Bridge

The landscape is also part of the picture of the necropolis: the area is divided by the Aladağ Çayı, while the necropolis lies on a limestone outcrop on the northern shore of the Sarıyar Reservoir. Together, these features describe the archaeological site’s distinctive location between river and reservoir. Some remains of the ancient city are partially visible on the reservoir’s northeastern shore. Two perspectives on Juliopolis thus complement each other: its archaeological traces and the landscape where parts of the ancient city are located.

Another point of interest is the arched Çayırhan (Davutoğlan) Bridge. Its construction technique is typical of the period in which it was built. Çayırhan’s cultural interest therefore includes not only the ancient city and its tombs, but also a structure whose form and technique offer a different way to explore the history of construction. If you find these contrasts interesting, you can consider the necropolis, the waterside location and the bridge as separate themes for your trip, rather than treating them as a single attraction.

Juliopolis on an Ancient Route

Juliopolis lay on the border between Bithynia and Galatia and was Bithynia’s easternmost border city. An ancient route ran through the city, leading via Chalcedon, Nicomedia and Nicaea to Ancyra. In Roman times, both armies and civilians used this road. Its location along this route adds another dimension to the archaeological finds: Juliopolis was not only connected to its necropolis, but also lay on a road linking different places.

This gives your trip planning a clear thematic focus. If you are especially interested in Juliopolis, its necropolis and its historic position on the border, you can choose Çayırhan as your destination when looking for a holiday apartment. The topics described offer different starting points for conversations and discoveries with children: the number of graves excavated, coin finds from Juliopolis, the location by the reservoir and the ancient route. Which of these shapes your stay depends on whether you would rather focus on archaeological traces, historical connections or the landscape.

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