Titus Tüneli

Vespasianus Titus Tunnel

Useful Information

Location:	Near Çevlik. 7 km northwest of central Samandağ, 35 km southwest of Antakya. (36.120556, 35.921944)
Open:
Fee:
Classification:	Water Supply
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:
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History

2014	on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.

Description

The Samandağ'da Titus Tüneli (Vespasianus Titus Tunnel) is a Roman aqueduct, built to provide fresh water for the city of Seleucia Pieria, the port of Antioch, which is today Antakya. It is located close to the village of Çevlik at the foot of the Nur Mountains. The tunnel is only a part of a water diversion system consisting of a dam, a short approach channel, the first tunnel section, a short intermediary channel, the second tunnel section and a long discharge channel. Only the central part is actually a tunnel, but the approach channels are deep and gorge-like.

The tunnel was named after the Roman emperor Titus (reigned 79–81). But actually it was ordered by his father, the Roman emperor Vespasian (reigned 69–79) to divert the floodwaters from the mountain threatening the harbor. The construction took years and was completed under Antoninus Pius (reigned 138–161). An inscription carved in rock at the entrance of the first tunnel section shows the names of Vespasianus and Titus, probably the reason why it was later named Vespasianus Titus Tunnel. Another inscription at the discharge tunnel bears the name of Antoninus.