Burdur province occupies the transition zone between the Taurus Mountains and the Mediterranean coastal plain. The Pisidian plateau at 1,000–1,500 m altitude was home to several notable ancient cities — Sagalassos, Kremna, Ariassos — of the Pisidia region, which maintained a distinct culture under successive Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine dominance.
Burdur Museum is one of Turkey’s largest and most important regional collections, with exceptional material from Sagalassos and surrounding Pisidian sites.
- Region
- Mediterranean Hinterland / Pisidian Plateau
- Flagship site
- Sagalassos — best-preserved mountain Roman city in the Mediterranean
- Natural site
- Lake Burdur — salty tectonic lake with flamingo colony
- Known for
- Sagalassos ruins, Burdur lake flamingos, Burdur Museum, roses
Sagalassos
Sagalassosis Turkey’s most spectacular Roman mountain city — built between 1,450 and 1,750 m on the southern slopes of the Taurus Mountains, above the modern village of Ağlasun. The city reached its peak under the Roman Empire (1st–3rd century AD) and was gradually abandoned after Byzantine-era earthquakes. What survives is extraordinary: the monumental nymphaeum (fountain building) is 30 m high and largely intact; the Roman theatre seats 9,000; theUpper Agora has colonnaded marble porticoes. The ongoing Belgian excavation (KU Leuven) has produced exceptional finds now in Burdur Museum. Sagalassos is 40 km from Burdur city.
Lake Burdur
Burdur Gölüis Turkey’s largest soda (highly alkaline) lake — 50 km long, at 849 m altitude. The lake is famous for its flamingo colony (up to 20,000 birds, November–April) and is a Ramsar-designated wetland and Important Bird Area. However, the lake is critically threatened — it has shrunk 40% in the past 50 years due to agricultural water extraction from its tributaries. The WWF and Turkish environmental groups have campaigned for restoration. Flamingo-watching is best November–March from the northern shore near Burdur city.
Burdur Museum
The Burdur Müzesiis one of Turkey’s most significant regional museums — its collections from Sagalassos, Kremna and other Pisidian sites include remarkable marble sculpture (the famous “Dancing Girls” frieze), portrait busts of Roman emperors, bronze statues, coins and architectural fragments. The museum is excellent and undervisited; it should be combined with any visit to Sagalassos.
Mediterranean region in pictures
Frequently asked questions
Burdur
3Fly to Antalya (1.5 hrs from Istanbul) or Isparta, then drive to Burdur city (100 km from Antalya, 1.5 hrs). From Burdur, Sagalassos is 40 km south — take the road toward Ağlasun village. The last 7 km is a mountain road. No public transport to Sagalassos; a hired taxi from Burdur costs 200-300 TL. Allow 3-4 hours at the site.
Different but comparable in quality. Ephesus (İzmir) is more famous and more accessible but extremely crowded. Sagalassos has comparable architectural splendour in a dramatically more beautiful mountain setting with virtually no crowds. The mountain location (1,600 m) means cool temperatures even in summer and potentially variable weather. Many archaeologists consider Sagalassos one of the most complete Roman urban sites in the world.
November–March for the largest flamingo concentrations. The flamingos (Lesser and Greater flamingos) use the lake as a staging post during migration and overwinter in the thousands. By April–May most have moved north to breeding grounds. The northern shore (near Burdur city) has the best viewing access; binoculars are helpful as the birds congregate in the middle sections of the lake.