Akalissos Ancient City
Akalissos, north of Kumluca, formed a union of cities with its neighbours Idebessos and Kormos and stood at its head. The city minted its own coins and was a bishopric in the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) period.
Voice of Lycia
The Story of the Land of Light
Voice of Lycia
The Story of the Land of Light
Category Lycian Ancient Cities
Tlos Ancient City
Located on the western slopes of the Akdağlar Mountains in the Seydikemer district of Muğla, Tlos Ancient City (Tlawa) is one of the oldest, largest, and most continuously inhabited metropolises of the Lycian civilization. Presenting a unique historical stratification extending from the land of "Dalawa" in Hittite texts to the Ottoman-era "Kanlı Ali Ağa Castle," the city stands as a magnificent monument of history commanding the valley, featuring its famous tomb where the myth of the winged horse Pegasus and Bellerophon is carved into stone, a colossal theater, a stadium, and a rugged acropolis.
Telmessos Ancient City
Located right in the center of the Fethiye district of Muğla, Telmessos Ancient City (Telebehi) is an ancient harbor city where modern urban life and ancient heritage are integrated in the most striking manner. Hosting the most famous dream interpreters and seers of antiquity, this legendary "oracle center" stands as a living monument of history, featuring the monumental Amyntas Rock Tomb commanding the Fethiye Gulf, an ancient theater right behind the harbor, and thousands-of-years-old Lycian sarcophagi that suddenly appear in backstreets and apartment gardens.
Simena Ancient City
Located between the Kaş and Demre districts of Antalya, at the heart of the Kekova Specially Protected Environmental Area, Simena Ancient City (Kaleköy) is a fairytale settlement where nature and history are seamlessly integrated within the clearest waters of the Mediterranean. Although situated on the mainland, this isolated paradise can be reached almost exclusively by sea; it stands as one of the most spellbinding stops of the Land of Light, featuring its globally renowned Lycian sarcophagus rising alone out of turquoise waters, the mysterious ruins of the Sunken City submerged by ancient earthquakes along the shores of Kekova Island, and the 300-capacity theater—the smallest in Lycia—hidden at the summit of its medieval castle.
Pinara Ancient City
Located in the Seydikemer district of Muğla, Pinara Ancient City (Pinale) is one of the 6 grand metropolises holding 3 voting rights in the Lycian League and stands as one of the most original and mystical mountain settlements of the civilization. Established by immigrants from Xanthos on a round rock mass at the foot of Mount Cragus, the city is one of the most impressive sanctuaries of the Land of Light, featuring thousands of "pigeon-hole" rock tombs resembling a beehive on its upper acropolis, a unique Royal Tomb adorned with an ancient city relief, and a Hellenistic theater and odeon overlooking a lush valley.
Patara Ancient City
Located in the Kaş district of Antalya, Patara Ancient City (Pttara in the Lycian language) was the capital of the Lycian League. It is known for the assembly hall (bouleuterion) where the League met, the Patara Lighthouse, built under Nero and one of the oldest known lighthouses in the world, the Patara Road Monument recording Lycia's road network, and as the traditional birthplace of St Nicholas. The city's 18-kilometre beach is one of the most important nesting sites for loggerhead sea turtles.
Myra Ancient City
Located in the Demre district of Antalya, Myra Ancient City is a registered metropolis holding 3 voting rights in the Lycian League and stands as one of the most magnificent art centers of the civilization. Referred to as "The Pompeii of Anatolia" due to being buried under alluvial silt brought by the Myros River, the city is a globally renowned cultural heritage featuring rock-cut tombs carved like lace into steep cliffs, the famous "Painted Tomb" reliefs, a massive 11,000-capacity Roman theater, and the episcopal center of St. Nicholas (Santa Claus).
Letoon Ancient City
Located in Fethiye Kumluova, Letoon Ancient City is a UNESCO World Heritage-inscribed "Pan-Lycian" sanctuary forming the shared religious conscience and center of faith of the Land of Light, Lycia. Featuring three grand temples built side by side for Goddess Leto and her twin children Apollo and Artemis, the famous Trilingual Inscription that enabled the decipherment of the Lycian language, its mystical water source (Nymphaeum), and partially submerged ruins, it stands as the spiritual capital of the civilization.
Xanthos Ancient City
Xanthos (Arnna), the city of those who marched to death for freedom. Read the tragic history, the plundered treasures, and the heroic stories featured in Homer's epics of this UNESCO World Heritage Lycian capital on the Voice of Lycia.
Antiphellos Ancient City
Antiphellos, the ancient face of Kaş, is a fascinating port city of the Land of Light, featuring a unique sea-facing ancient theater, the Lion Tomb in the marketplace, and mysterious rock-cut tombs.