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ancient sites
Antique Sites Near Kas
Lycian Historical Sites
The ancient kingdom of Lycia, on Turkey's Mediterranean shore, holds a wealth of wondrous archaeological sites: Telmessos (Fethiye), Olimpos, Phaselis, Myra, Antiphellos (Kas), Teimiussa, Patara, Xanthos and dozens more all within a day trip range of Kaş.
Bounded by Fethiye to the west, Antalya to the east and Korkuteli to the north, the "bulge" of the Lycian peninsula is also one of Turkey's most strikingly beautiful regions, with snow-capped mountains, serpentine shorelines hiding secluded beaches, and nearly a hundred ancient cities, towns and other archaeological sites.
Visiting the sites of ancient Lycia is a super idea to add a some variety to your vacation. Not only will you see excellent ancient sites, but also the stunning countryside and the local way of life of inland Turkey. For the more important Lycian cities of the Xanthos valley such as Xanthos, Letoon, Patara and Tlos, the nearby coastal town of Kaş is great place from which to explore. You can either join a tour with your holiday company or a local tour agency, or hire a car and poke about at your leisure. You can find maps for sale in various shops. Trips to Tlos and Xanthos often combine a trip to nearby
Bounded by Fethiye to the west, Antalya to the east and Korkuteli to the north, the "bulge" of the Lycian peninsula is also one of Turkey's most strikingly beautiful regions, with snow-capped mountains, serpentine shorelines hiding secluded beaches, and nearly a hundred ancient cities, towns and other archaeological sites.
Visiting the sites of ancient Lycia is a super idea to add a some variety to your vacation. Not only will you see excellent ancient sites, but also the stunning countryside and the local way of life of inland Turkey. For the more important Lycian cities of the Xanthos valley such as Xanthos, Letoon, Patara and Tlos, the nearby coastal town of Kaş is great place from which to explore. You can either join a tour with your holiday company or a local tour agency, or hire a car and poke about at your leisure. You can find maps for sale in various shops. Trips to Tlos and Xanthos often combine a trip to nearby
Saklikent Gorge. Most of the major sites can be visited by those of average to below-average fitness. Some sites, such as Pinara and Phellos, do require decent fitness to visit the remains. For those with some walking difficulties, Letoon is an ideal choice as the whole area is very flat and compact. Xanthos is also an easy place to visit as it is relatively flat (except for the the acropoli) and also compact. Kekova-Simena is also an easy place to visit since you can spend the whole time on the boat quite enjoyably if you don't wish to swim, since the ruins can be easily seen from the boat. Other sites, like Arycanda, are still enjoyable for the beauty of the place, even if your health prevents you from making it to the top terrace levels. Be sure to bring along a bottle of water and wear some comfortable walking shoes. If you are going on a tour that combines a trip to Saklikent Gorge, bring some shoes that can be submerged as there is some water to walk through (it feels good in the heat of the summer as does the shady interior of the gorge!). You can rent rubber shoes there, but they are not very comfortable.
When visiting Lycian sites by car, keep your eye out for the brown road signs (for sites of interest/of a historic nature) as opposed to the normal blue road signs. If not located right next to the site, they will also tell you how many kilometres there will be before you reach the site. Sites are usually well-posted and the signs are pretty hard to miss.
Many of the larger sites have amenities such as bathrooms, cafés and souvenir shops.
When visiting Lycian sites by car, keep your eye out for the brown road signs (for sites of interest/of a historic nature) as opposed to the normal blue road signs. If not located right next to the site, they will also tell you how many kilometres there will be before you reach the site. Sites are usually well-posted and the signs are pretty hard to miss.
Many of the larger sites have amenities such as bathrooms, cafés and souvenir shops.
Visitor's Comment
Love and War in Ancient Lycia - Antony and Cleopatra's Romantic Turkish Getaway
Submitted by Annie Waddington-Feather on Tue, 04/13/2010
Submitted by Annie Waddington-Feather on Tue, 04/13/2010
“Maybe it’s because Antony and Cleopatra did much of their romancing there, or perhaps it’s the azure sea, sandy beaches, traditional villages and lazy pace of life which make the Lycian coast in south west Turkey the ideal place for a romantic holiday.
But the history of the Lycian Way is peppered as much with war as it is with romance, and its tumultuous history helps make Lycia a fascinating area of Turkey to visit.
The mountainous, rugged territory behind the idyllic coastal scenery isolated Lycia from the rest of Anatolia, making the ancient Lycians fiercely independent and giving them a distinctive place in ancient Anatolian history. This independence caused the inhabitants of the chief city, Xanthos to make a funeral pyre of their own city and burn themselves alive rather than be conquered; first by the Persians circa 540 BC and the second time during the Roman civil war circa 42 BC when the inhabitants of Xanthos refused to assist Brutus.
Thought to be an indigenous pre-Hittite race, the Lycians had their own distinctive language and script and Herodotus wrote ‘they reckon their lineage not by their father’s but by their mother’s side’.
The Lukkas of Lycia
A house tomb at Xanthos, where the inhabitants committed mass suicide rather than assist Brutus. Ancient Egyptian records referred to the race as Lukka and indicate the Lycians were allies of the Hittites. When the Hittite Empire collapsed, they emerged as an independent Neo-Hittite kingdom.
But the history of the Lycian Way is peppered as much with war as it is with romance, and its tumultuous history helps make Lycia a fascinating area of Turkey to visit.
The mountainous, rugged territory behind the idyllic coastal scenery isolated Lycia from the rest of Anatolia, making the ancient Lycians fiercely independent and giving them a distinctive place in ancient Anatolian history. This independence caused the inhabitants of the chief city, Xanthos to make a funeral pyre of their own city and burn themselves alive rather than be conquered; first by the Persians circa 540 BC and the second time during the Roman civil war circa 42 BC when the inhabitants of Xanthos refused to assist Brutus.
Thought to be an indigenous pre-Hittite race, the Lycians had their own distinctive language and script and Herodotus wrote ‘they reckon their lineage not by their father’s but by their mother’s side’.
The Lukkas of Lycia
A house tomb at Xanthos, where the inhabitants committed mass suicide rather than assist Brutus. Ancient Egyptian records referred to the race as Lukka and indicate the Lycians were allies of the Hittites. When the Hittite Empire collapsed, they emerged as an independent Neo-Hittite kingdom.
The Lycians were mentioned in the Iliad as allies of the Trojans, but in the 6th century BC, Lycia succumbed to the Persian Empire. After a little spat with Athens in 429BC, it was mostly left to rule itself during this time.
As an area Lycia organised itself to form the Lycian Federation. This was a democratic grouping, which consisted of 23 voting units and was charged with electing national officials and municipal authorities. These democratic principles are said to have influenced the United States constitution.
Lycia remained officially under Persian rule until it was conquered by Alexander the Great in 334-333BC. After his death, the Ptolemies ruled Lycia and Greek gradually replaced the Lycian language and Greek constitutions were adopted. Antiochus III defeated the Ptolemies in 197BC and he gave the kingdom to the Rhodians. This was bitterly disputed by the Lycians who succeeded in 167BC in having the relegation revoked.
As an area Lycia organised itself to form the Lycian Federation. This was a democratic grouping, which consisted of 23 voting units and was charged with electing national officials and municipal authorities. These democratic principles are said to have influenced the United States constitution.
Lycia remained officially under Persian rule until it was conquered by Alexander the Great in 334-333BC. After his death, the Ptolemies ruled Lycia and Greek gradually replaced the Lycian language and Greek constitutions were adopted. Antiochus III defeated the Ptolemies in 197BC and he gave the kingdom to the Rhodians. This was bitterly disputed by the Lycians who succeeded in 167BC in having the relegation revoked.
The Lycians enjoyed a couple of centuries of semi-independence and the Lycian Federation came back into prominence.
In the Roman civil wars, after refusing to assist Brutus and gaining favour with Rome, Anthony reconfirmed Lycia’s autonomy and in 43AD the region was joined to Pamphylia. During this time, Lycia’s population reached around 200,000.
The Chimeras of Olympos are still an incredible sight. Legend has it that the Lycian Federation prepared the island of Cedre (Sedir Adasi, also known as Cleopatra’s isle, situated off Marmaris) for the arrival of Cleopatra. To make Cleopatra feel at home, galleys full of sand was transported from Egypt to be strewn on the shore of Cedra. Analysis has since shown the sand isn’t from local strata.
Decline started to set in when the province was divided by Diocletian in the 4th century AD which deteriorated further with Arab raids in the 7th and 8th centuries.
The Chimera and Other Myths
The area enters into many Greek myths. Lycia is linked to Crete as it was ruled by King Minos’s brother, Sarpedon, a Cretan exile.
The natural burning flames near Olympos, known as the eternal fires of Chimera, are also thought to be the root of the Chimera legend. This fire-breathing monster, with the head of a lion, body of a goat and tail of a snake terrorised the area and was eventually killed by Bellerophon. As an aside, the silhouette of the Chimera is the logo for the state-run Petrol Ofisi Turkish filling stations.
Rock Cut Tombs
Much of the Lycian architecture has been overlaid with buildings from the Hellenistic and Roman periods. The most recognisable structures from Lycia are the rock-cut tombs in the side of cliffs throughout the area, such as the ones at Dalyan. Other 'free standing' Lycian tombs are said to depict an upturned boat.
There is also the ‘Harpy Tomb’ which was found at Xanthos. Dating from circa 5th century BC, the marble-reliefed tomb was set on a thick pillar standing over 7m high.
As the original is now in the British Museum, a replica has been placed at the site. It should also be noted, the Trilingual Stele found at Letoon, the spiritual centre of Lycia, had instructions in Greek, Lycian and Aramaic and was crucial in deciphering the Lycian language.
Lycia is a stunning area of Turkey and is steeped in an amazing, but bloody history. The Lycian Way is a popular
In the Roman civil wars, after refusing to assist Brutus and gaining favour with Rome, Anthony reconfirmed Lycia’s autonomy and in 43AD the region was joined to Pamphylia. During this time, Lycia’s population reached around 200,000.
The Chimeras of Olympos are still an incredible sight. Legend has it that the Lycian Federation prepared the island of Cedre (Sedir Adasi, also known as Cleopatra’s isle, situated off Marmaris) for the arrival of Cleopatra. To make Cleopatra feel at home, galleys full of sand was transported from Egypt to be strewn on the shore of Cedra. Analysis has since shown the sand isn’t from local strata.
Decline started to set in when the province was divided by Diocletian in the 4th century AD which deteriorated further with Arab raids in the 7th and 8th centuries.
The Chimera and Other Myths
The area enters into many Greek myths. Lycia is linked to Crete as it was ruled by King Minos’s brother, Sarpedon, a Cretan exile.
The natural burning flames near Olympos, known as the eternal fires of Chimera, are also thought to be the root of the Chimera legend. This fire-breathing monster, with the head of a lion, body of a goat and tail of a snake terrorised the area and was eventually killed by Bellerophon. As an aside, the silhouette of the Chimera is the logo for the state-run Petrol Ofisi Turkish filling stations.
Rock Cut Tombs
Much of the Lycian architecture has been overlaid with buildings from the Hellenistic and Roman periods. The most recognisable structures from Lycia are the rock-cut tombs in the side of cliffs throughout the area, such as the ones at Dalyan. Other 'free standing' Lycian tombs are said to depict an upturned boat.
There is also the ‘Harpy Tomb’ which was found at Xanthos. Dating from circa 5th century BC, the marble-reliefed tomb was set on a thick pillar standing over 7m high.
As the original is now in the British Museum, a replica has been placed at the site. It should also be noted, the Trilingual Stele found at Letoon, the spiritual centre of Lycia, had instructions in Greek, Lycian and Aramaic and was crucial in deciphering the Lycian language.
Lycia is a stunning area of Turkey and is steeped in an amazing, but bloody history. The Lycian Way is a popular
destination for walkers who will receive a traditional warm Turkish welcome from locals as they travel the ancient route.
My advice is to stay away from the resorts, and wherever possible find a secluded olive grove to contemplate the past of this rugged, but beautiful area.”
My advice is to stay away from the resorts, and wherever possible find a secluded olive grove to contemplate the past of this rugged, but beautiful area.”
© Life in Kas, Turkey www.lifeinkas.com
Annie Waddington-Feather
Source: Heritage Key
Myra
Home of St. Nicholas
Xanthos
Lycian Capital
Phellos
High City
Antiphellos
Ancient Kaş
Tlos
Mountain City
