SARIHACILAR KÖYÜ: WALKING THE OLD SILK ROAD

The settlement of Sarıhacılar is located not too far from Ormana, around an hour’s drive from the Mediterranean coast in Side. This settlement, which is largely unknown to visitors now, was once the hub of the Silk Road caravan trade. Now, away from the throng of people, the almost ghostly village with its quaint button cottages and a century-old mosque is the ideal place for strolling timelines.

It may be tough to put into words the emotions that overtake you when you stroll around Sarıhacılar, but you can be sure we tried! And after reading this post, we secretly hope you’ll head over and give it a try.

SARIHACILAR: THE RESURRECTION OF A GHOST VILLAGE

Sarıhacılar is located at the end of a twisting road, just off the D695 to Beyşehir. The small road is bordered by walls on both sides just before you enter the village, giving it a little dramatic touch and feeding your anticipation that you’re going somewhere exceptional. When you first arrive in the settlement, the majority of the nearly completely collapsed button houses—a common construction method in the Akseki region—are visible.

See our post about Ormana for more information about button dwellings.

Parking is easy to find because Sarıhacılar appears to be completely abandoned at first glance. Not a single other car, and it seems like not a single person. But music is audible to us, therefore obviously there’s another person out there. You’re surrounded by an odd blend of decaying, damaged structures and perfectly preserved button cottages near the village square. It seems as though Sarıhacılar is a ghost town. Aside from the music, the street corner signage do appear to indicate that the hamlet is ready for visitors. Either way, the entire ambience heightens our curiosity to explore this fascinating village.

The stunning woodwork of the button houses

It is hard to imagine that Sarıhacılar was once of relative importance, as a stop on the Silk Road. Standing here today, nothing indicates that you’re setting foot on one of the most important historical trade routes between East and West. And yet, you are. Literally, as it turns out, as part of the original Silk Road is still visible here today.

THE REMAINING TRACES OF THE SILK ROAD

Seldom have we come upon such intriguing remnants of a phenomenon as compelling as the Silk Road. This narrow two-meter passage was used by merchants and their camels about 800 years ago in Sarıhacılar. It passes directly through the settlement, which served as a rest stop instead of a caravanserai. Walking the ancient Silk Road stretch between Akseki and Sarıhacılar is highly recommended if you have even the slightest interest in history and hiking. The Taurus Mountains provide a breathtaking backdrop for this short, easy walk of around three kilometres that is well-marked with markers.

Due to the Silk Road’s abandonment in favour of quicker modes of transit, Sarıhacılar’s primary purpose was lost. Sarıhacılar was abandoned because the younger generations began to choose city life to a secluded village, where people had long lived in peace and harmony with the natural world.

Walking Timelines On The Old Silk Road

After 2010, things changed in Sarıhacılar, when a businessman from Istanbul became passionate about bringing the village back to life. A decade later, several houses are expertly restored, and some are now a hotel annex restaurant and an Ethnographic Museum, holding the private collection of the businessman. The museum is open to visitors who are willing to pay the 40TL per person entrance fee. (prices in 2020)

THE CENTURY-OLD VILLAGE MOSQUE

There are other attractions in Sarıhacılar besides the fascinating Silk Road length and the lovely button cottages. This modest community is home to a magnificent mosque that dates back 600 years. It turned out that since the mosque had only recently closed for restoration, Sarıhacılar had perhaps been on our list of places to see for a bit too long. Well, all right, this is a great excuse to come back! Though we wouldn’t want to hide its amazing interior from you, we reasoned that taking a virtual tour would be more bearable. Remember to take in the breathtaking ceiling! (You may even examine the details by zooming in and out.)

FINAL THOUGHTS ON VISITING SARIHACILAR

Sarıhacılar is a lovely site to visit even if you are unable to visit the mosque. We think that this village is worth seeing, but we also worry that too many visitors might destroy its special charm. Away from the tourist throng, this location is a hidden treasure—that is, until one of the few excursion buses that visit there shows up. To some extent, the fact that you have to work hard to get here is a blessing. Sarıhacılar is clearly marked on the D695 road and is conveniently accessible by automobile. The settlement cannot be reached by public transportation.

To truly experience the charm, we heartily advise making an own trip to the village. It can be conveniently combined with İbradı and Ormana for a day trip from Side, or Alanya, for that matter.