Patara Ancient City Guide

Patara Ancient City is one of the most ancient cities of Lycia and 2020 has been declared the Year of Patara. What is Patara’s past, past and present, its surviving structures and their importance?

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Patara Ancient City was the most important port of the Lycian Region opening to the Mediterranean. Moreover, the city, which was the capital of the Lycian Union , has survived for centuries with its magnificent structures on the shores of the Mediterranean. Patara, which we can call the capital of trade in the Mediterranean, is one of the first cities that come to mind when Lycia is mentioned. It is also the city where Saint Nicholas , famous as Santa Claus , was born.

You have many reasons to visit Patara, which is one step away from Fethiye and Kaş. With the declaration of 2020 as the Year of Patara , the importance of the city and the number of visitors are increasing rapidly. If you go to Patara, first visit and explore the ancient city, then cool off in the waters of the Mediterranean on its 12-kilometer beach. This is a magical place where you can spend a full day. You can find the history of Patara, its past and present, its magnificent surviving structures and more in our article.

Where is Patara? | Location of Patara

Patara Ancient City is located within the borders of Kaş district of Antalya province. It is an easily accessible city between Kaş, the westernmost district of Antalya , and Fethiye , the district of Muğla . It is at the southwestern end of the Xanthos Valley and within the borders of today’s Gelemis Village .

The closest settlement to the city is Xanthos (Xanthos) and is 12 km away. Patara; It is 16 km from Kalkan , 42 km from Kaş , 16 km from Letoon Ancient City , and 70 km from Fethiye . When you come to Kınık Plain , you can see signs pointing to Patara on the road. This is a delightful route that you can easily reach with your own vehicle and has no road problems.

Patara Ruins Entrance Fee and Visiting Hours

Museum Card is valid in Patara Ancient City, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism . The entrance fee is 40 TL. You can enter both the beach and the ancient city with a Müzekart.

Let us point out that you can buy a Multi Card to enter Patara Beach for 10 days. The beach is closed from 20:00 in the evening until 08:00 in the morning.

Patara Ancient City is open every day of the week;

Summer Term: 08:00 – 18:30

Winter Period: It can be visited between 08:30 – 17:30.

General Information About Patara Beach

Patara Beach is one of the most popular beaches in our country. It is also among the longest beaches in Turkey. Patara Beach, which is approximately 12 km long,has a magnificent sandy beach as far as your eye can see. The beach, which is 200 to 300 meters wide at some points,is also famous for its sand dunes . These sand dunes, so wide and large that you will feel like you are in the desert for a moment, have been the location where desert scenes in some movies were shot in the history of Turkish cinema.

We should especially point out that this exquisite beach, which lies on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, between Fethiye and Kaş , is wavy. Additionally, Patara Beach is the spawning area of ​​Caretta carettas. Therefore, it is open to visit and use at certain hours.

Patara Excavation History

It was first published in 1981 by Prof. Dr. Fahri Işık took the initiative to start the excavation. However, the first application was rejected and archaeological excavations finally started in Patara in 1988. Between 1988 and 2008, Prof. Dr. The excavations led by Fahri Işık have been carried out by Prof. since 2009. Dr. It is chaired by Havva İşkan Işık . Our dear teacher Havva İşkan, so to speak, spent a lifetime in Patara and managed to bring the city to where it is today. Excavations have been continuing uninterruptedly since 1988 until today.

The city of Patara, buried under the sand, was brought to light as a result of great efforts. Let us remind you that thousands of trucks carried tons of sand and brought the city to light. The most important thing in these excavations is ; The Lycians, who are persistently tried to reconcile with Greek culture, are Anatolian people, these cities were founded by Anatolian people, and their culture was born from these lands, not from Greece. The same is true for Patara.

History of Patara Ancient City

Patara Ancient City is one of the most important cities of the Lycia Region, located in the southwest of Anatolia, between the Pamphylia and Caria regions. Patara , which has a very important position within the harsh geography of the Lycian Region, was the most important port city of the region founded by the Lycians. The main cities of Lycia were generally established in high altitudes. Although there were not many cities on the Lycian coast, the existing cities showed growth as ports. Thanks to its location, the Ancient City of Patara has shown great developments over the centuries and managed to become the main port of Lycia .

The earliest finds discovered in Patara were unearthed in Tepecik Acropolis . The earliest finds in Patara date back to the Late Chalcolithic – Early Bronze Age . B.C. The name of the city is mentioned as ” Patara ” in Hittite tablets from the 13th century . Hittite King IV. It is mentioned with the name Patar in the Yalburt Inscription (1250-1225 BC), where Tuthaliya’s Lukka expedition is described . The name of the city in Lycian language is ” Patara “.

Patara, which has the same chronology as many Anatolian cities, dates back to B.C. With the destruction of the Lydian Kingdom by the Persians in 546 , Persian rule began in the 540s . According to Miletus historian Hekateios ; The city of Patara was founded by Pataros, the son of Apollo. Again in B.C. In the 5th and 4th centuries, the city was famous for its oracle center belonging to Apollo. (Saying that the city was founded by Pataros is a story told in the name of Greekization. The city is called Patar in the Hittite tablets, and Patara already existed and was local long before the Greeks came here.) Herodotus says about this oracle center: ” In Patara in Lycia, the times when the god came and stayed for; Because in this city, prophecy is not always consulted ….” he said. What is understood from this statement is that Apollo spent half of the year in Patara and the other half in Delos.

After the Persians, Alexander the Great dominated Patara. After the death of Alexander, the name of the city where the Ptolemies ruled was called ” Arsione ” for a while, but it continued to be used as Patara .

Patara, BC II. It was deemed worthy of being the capital of the Lycian Union, which was founded in the 19th century . Patara was one of the 23 cities that formed the Lycian Union and was among the 6 major cities with 3 voting rights . Patara, as a rich city at that time, was minting coins in the Lycian Union type. This magnificent port city, which was one of the most prosperous cities of the Hellenistic Period , continued its prosperity during the Roman Period .

Most of the ruins that greet you in Patara today belong to the Roman and Eastern Roman (Byzantine) periods. During the Roman period, many construction activities developed in the city and structures such as theatre, agora, parliament building, baths, streets with columns, triumphal arch, aqueduct etc. were built in classical Roman architecture. An honorary arch was built at the entrance of the city, which was important to the Roman emperors . During the reign of Emperor Hadrian , a large Horreum (Granarium) was built in the northern part of the lighthouse in the city . Emperor Hadrian wanted a similar granarium to be built in Andriake , the port of the city of Myra .

In Patara, we encounter the ” neokoros ” , which was given the right to build a temple for the emperor cult in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD . Regarding this, an inscription found during the excavations in 1992 reveals 3 administrative features of Patara. According to the inscription; “ Patara is the metropolis, the high priesthood and twice the neokorus of the Lycian nation .”

During the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) period, the city became more intertwined with Christianity and did not lose its port feature. St. Nicholas, who was born in Patara in the 3rd century AD, is one of the most important names of the city. Saint Nicholas, who is identified with Santa Claus today , was born in Patara and died in Myra (Demre). Bishop Eudomos of Patara participated in the First Council of Nicaea, which was held in Iznik (Nikea) in 325 AD, as the only signatory from Lycia . Although the status of being a religious center passed from Patara to the city of Myra in these years , Patara maintained its status as a port city and its superiority in maritime trade.

In the 530s AD, the city experienced an earthquake and then went through difficult times with a plague epidemic . All of these caused population decline and migration. In the 7th century, the city was exposed to Arab raids and became smaller and smaller. However, Patara continued to be a port throughout the Middle Ages. The last known data about Patara port is that Cem Sultan, the son of Mehmet the Conqueror , came to Patara by his father’s order to make an agreement with the Rhodesians.

In the 15th-16th centuries AD, the alluviums carried by the Xanthos River (Eşen Stream) cut off the port’s connection with the sea and Patara lost its port city feature. From now on, Patara’s fate will be to disappear into the pages of history like many other Anatolian cities.

It is necessary to see the surviving and renewed works around the Patara port, which has turned into a swamp filled with sand today. The once ancient city of Lycia awaits its visitors with all its beauty. By declaring ” 2020 the Year of Patara “, it managed to attract the attention of more people.

Places to Visit in Patara – Patara Buildings

When you come to Patara, you can first explore the ancient city. Tepecik Cemetery , the Triumphal Arch and many other structures that will meet you at the entrance of the city will increase your admiration for Patara. After visiting the city, you can sunbathe on the exquisite sand of Patara Beach and enjoy the sea. Now, let’s briefly explore together what are the places to visit in Patara, what are the structures of Patara…

1. Tepecik Cemetery

This is the area you will see on your right when you pass through the toll booth and enter the city. The structural work in this area is the first cemetery (necropolis) excavation in the Lycian Region . As a result of the studies carried out here, B.C. A stone ax dating back to the 2nd millennium B.C. Ceramic pieces dating back to the 10th century were found. This takes the history of Lycia back much further.

The graves in the necropolis date back to B.C. It has continued in different forms since the 5th century. Covered sarcophagi are the most obvious examples of the Lycian tomb type. In the research conducted, cremation burials were also found, although very few . The cemetery has been used for a long time and the surviving graves mostly belong to the Roman period.

2. Triumphal Arch (Arch of Mettius Modestus)

The Arc de Triomphe is the symbolic building that welcomes you at the entrance of the city. The arch, which is one of the first structures that come to mind when Patara is mentioned, is 10 meters high and 19 meters long. The arch built on 4 legs has 3 arch openings. It was built in honor of Mettius Modestus , who served as governor here during the reign of Roman Emperor Trajan in the 100s AD . That’s why it is also known as the Arch of Mettius Modestus .

There are niches on the middle legs of the Arc de Triomphe . It is thought that statues were located in these niches at the time. There is an opening in the middle of the arch . On the cornice of the northern façade there is the inscription ” People of Patara, the capital of the Lycian nation “. Again, in the inscriptions on the north and south façade consoles, the people of Patara, the capital of the Lycian Union and the Lycian Nation ; It honors Mettius Modestus, Governor General of the Lycia and Pamphylia Province, his father Mettius Rufus, his mother Honorata, the governor’s god and the city of Patara’s own benefactors.

This arch was also a part of the Patara water system and was used to meet the water needs of the city. The restored triumphal arch is waiting for you at the entrance of the city.

3. Octagonal Pool

The Octagonal Pool is located south of and very close to the Arch of Mettius Modestus (Triumphal Arch). The pool has an octagonal plan and its inner width is 7.30 meters and its outer width is 10.24 meters. It was built from local limestone blocks. The water tank inside is approximately 5.50 meters.

In the eastern part of the Octagonal Pool, you can see the pipes that bring water to the pool . According to the unearthed findings, this pool is a work of art from the Roman period , built in the 1st century AD and lost its function in the 4th century AD. The pool in front of the Arc de Triomphe, which you cannot pass by without taking a look at, is not the Roman building style we are used to seeing everywhere. The eight-pointed star architecture of the Seljuks is frequently encountered, but this type of architecture from the Roman period is a rare type.

The Mettius Modestus Arch and the Octagonal Pool were the first buildings to welcome those who came to the city by land. Undoubtedly, this visuality was an impressive message given to those who came to the city.

4. Harbor Bath (Date Bath)

After the Octagonal Pool, you can walk a little further and visit the Harbor Bath and the Leto Date Palm next to it . Of course, it is very possible to come across bath structures in a magnificent and important port city like Patara. Harbor Bath is also located just on the east side of Patara Port.

The bath, which is a work of art from the Roman period , was built in the 2nd century AD. The bath was actively used until the 5th century, and then it was used as a workshop until the 7th century. 34m. x 29m. The bath was built in the east-west direction. The “ Single axis array type ” , which is commonly seen in the Lycian Region, is also seen in this bath. Caldarium (Warmth), Tepidarium (Warmness) and Frigidarium (Coldness) are lined up side by side. There is a Palaestra measuring 31 x 31 meters built just to the east of the building and adjacent to the frigidarium .

There is a Piscina (cold water pool) on the south side of the bath. Hypocaust, the heating system frequently used by the Romans, was also used here. Supports have been made to keep the bath standing. Even if you can’t go inside, you can see it from the outside and photograph it.

5. Leto Date Garden

God Apollo is one of the most frequently encountered gods in mythology. Undoubtedly, Apollo’s oracle feature has made him the most worshiped and respected god. For this reason, prophecy centers and temples built in the name of Apollo were built in many cities. Moreover, it should be noted that the origin of the belief in Apollo is Anatolia.

The Leto Date Palm you will see here is known as the place where Leto gave birth to Apollo. If you want, let’s take a look at the story of Leto giving birth to her children Apollo and Artemis…

According to mythology : Leto is the beautiful daughter of Khaeos and Phebe. She is actually  the child of two  titans  , but she is worshiped like a goddess  . After a while, Zeus , the leader and most powerful of the gods  , falls in love with Leto. Zeus, who is also famous for his libertines, after a while has sex with Leto and Leto becomes pregnant. This is where the real problem arises. Hera  , the jealous wife of Zeus,  becomes very angry at this situation and wants to prevent Leto from giving birth. To prevent Leto from giving birth:  “You cannot give birth where the sun rises.”  and  assigns Python  to follow up .

Leto wanders the Earth, looking for a place for himself. He can escape from Hera thanks to Zeus turning him  into a quail  . Finally,  Poseidon  took pity on him, and since he was also the god of earthquakes, he caused an island to emerge:  Delos Island . It is a rocky, barren island that no human has ever set foot on before. With the help of Poseidon, the island was covered by waves and Leto gave birth here. According to some sources,  Artemis  is born first and then  helps give birth to her brother Apollo  .

After the birth of these gods, the island was called Delos  , meaning bright,  and one of the most important temples of Apollo is located here. It is also  a center of oracle.

After giving birth, Leto  comes to  the Lycian  lands with her children, but Hera  does not leave them behind. When he came to the place where the holy water was located in today’s  Letoon  city  in the Lycian region  , wanted to drink water and wash his children,  the Lycian villagers  did not allow him because they were afraid of Hera. They kick Leto out of there. Leto, angry that the local people treated him like this,  turns them all into frogs. After a while, the city  began to be known as Letoon.

The ones who brought Leto and her children here and guided them  are the wolves . For this reason, it is said that this region  was named Lykos  , which means wolf . It is thought that this name is the origin of the word Lycia…

Prof. Dr. As Fahri Işık stated; In this myth, the place where Leto gave birth to Apollo was Patara , not Delos . Apollo was born in this place called Leto Date Palm. You ask why ?

Because when Leto’s labor pains come, the goddess who gives birth tells Leto to kneel on the ground and ties her hands behind her back to a palm tree. In Greek myth, that date palm is called the place where Apollo was born, under the name Leto Date Palm, and it is also mentioned that there is a lake. That lake is called ” Wheel Lake “. All these things are exactly present in Patara. As Fahri Işık stated, “There is no grass or palm tree on Delos Island. That’s why the main thing in this story told to Greekize is Patara, the birthplace of Apollo.”

6. Basilica

The Basilica , which was built in the 6th century AD , is the only basilica of the city of Patara . The Basilica, which you will see close to the road, is one of the earliest and largest buildings of the Christian period in Lycia. The total length of the building is 61 meters and its width is 32 meters. It extends consecutively as naos, narthex and atrium sections. The Bishop’s Palace is located to the southwest of the basilica .

7. Patara Theater

It will not surprise you to encounter a theater in this magnificent city of Lycia. The ancient theater, which is under restoration, is estimated to date back to around 6000 BC. It was built between the 2nd century and the 1st century. It was built on the northern slope of Kurşunlutepe to be sheltered from the wind due to its location . It has a capacity of approximately 6000 people. The cavea (audience area) is divided into two by a diazoma . The limestone seats lined up on the edge of the diazoma must have been reserved for the prominent people of the city. There are 39 rows of seating in total, 20 in the lower section of the theater and 14 in the upper section.

There is a temple at the top of the seating rows . This temple, dedicated to a god or emperor cult, is an important architectural application in the Patara Theatre. Unfortunately, very little remains of this temple.

The Stage Building has two floors and is 41.50 meters long. Entrance to the orchestra (round area) between the Stage Building and the cavea is provided from both sides and through a door opened on the outside of the stage building.

The theater originates from the Hellenistic period and was repaired during the reign of Roman Emperor Tiberus. The construction of the stage building was started by Q. Villius Titianus, who died in 126 AD, and his daughter Vilia Procula completed it in 147. In the early Eastern Roman period, a wall was built between the rows of seats and the orchestra and gladiator and wild animal fights were staged.

8. Lycian Union Parliament Building

The Parliament Building , located right in front of the theater , is undoubtedly one of the most valuable buildings in Patara. We can say that this building is the place where the Ancient City of Patara, the capital and administrative center of the Lycian Union, taught democracy to the world. The famous French thinker Montesquieu , in his work “The Spirit of Laws” published in 1748, showed Lycia as an example of a perfect republic model. Moreover, again Prof. Dr. As Fahri Işık stated, the American Constitution was also influenced by the Lycian Constitution. In other words, the Parliament of the Lycians inspired the American Constitution.

Prof. Dr. Fahri Işık expressed the possibility of a parliament in Patara, which was the capital of the Lycian Union. In 1995, the first studies on this subject were carried out and the location of the parliament building was determined. The parliament building, which was completely covered with sand and trees when it was found, was cleaned and unearthed. Thus, the eyes of the whole world were turned to Patara.

Patara Parliament Building has gone through different construction phases. Its first construction date corresponds to the late Hellenistic period (2nd to 1st century BC), when it was used as a meeting place of the Lycian League. Built on an area of ​​approximately 1300 square meters, the height of the building is 17 meters. It has a semicircular cavea and the cavea has 21 steps. There is a special semicircular lodge in the middle of the cavea . Most likely, this lodge belongs to senior executives. The capacity of the building, which resembles a small theatre, is approximately 1400 people.

This magnificent parliament building of the capital Patara was renovated by the Turkish Grand National Assembly between 2008 and 2012 . You should definitely take a look at the honorific inscriptions in front of the Parliament Building.

9. Abora-IV – Ancient Ship Replica

It is the ship on your left when you leave the Parliament Building and head towards Main Street. German Archaeologist Dr. The name of the ship designed by Dominique Görlitz is Abora – IV . Abora-IV , prepared with ancient shipping techniques , is permanently exhibited in Patara. The ship was built in Varna, Bulgaria and was launched and arrived in Patara, sailing from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean with the slogan ” Sailing for peace and international understanding “. The ship was first launched in Kaş and then transported to Patara by road.

German Archaeologist Görlitz’s purpose in building this ship was ; It is to prove that in ancient times, sailors could pass through the straits and reach the Black Sea with such ships made of reeds. Görlitz, who designed this 14-meter ship with special reeds he brought from Bolivia , gifted it to Patara, Turkey.

It is very meaningful to have such an ancient ship recreation in Patara, the ancient port city of Lycia.

10. Main Street (Liman Street)

It is one of the best preserved streets in the Lycian Region. Main Street , which forms the backbone of the city , is oriented north-south and is approximately 12.60 meters wide. There were columns and porticoes supported by columns on both sides of the street . Granite columns were used in the east portico and marble columns in the west portico. You will not miss the ruins of the shops along the street. There were shops serving different functions on the Main Street .

The 100-meter part of the street is in the middle. Unfortunately, other parts of it were submerged due to collapses caused by earthquakes . We understand that the street is closed to vehicle traffic as there are no tire marks. There is also a sewer system under the street. According to the information obtained, this street was used until the 7th century AD. The inscriptions on the street will not go unnoticed.

11. Small Bath

It is the smallest bath among the other baths in Patara . When you walk along Main Street, you come across it on a small hill. It has a different plan than other hammas. It is oriented north-south and the entrance to the building is provided through the door on the eastern wall of the Frigidarium. It is estimated that the bath, whose construction date is not exactly clear, was built during the Early Roman Imperial period.

12. Central Bath

The bath, located to the east of Main Street, was called the Central Bath due to its central location. It measures approximately 12.5 x 25 meters. It was built in the east-west direction. It consists of three sections arranged side by side. In other words, the Lycian baths are of the ” row plan ” type. Since full excavation has not been carried out, its construction date is not clear.

13. Nero Baths

The Baths of Nero are located east of the Agora Gate, where the Main Street ends. It is the largest of the 4 baths in Patara . It measures 38 m x 27 m. It consists of three main spaces lined up side by side in the east-west direction ; coldness, warmth and warmth.

Although it was known as the Vespasian Baths for years, according to the inscription found here, this mistake has been corrected. It was built by Emperor Nero , and since Nero’s name was erased and Vespasian’s name was engraved, it was misnamed for years. This bath, located in the agora, was built in the 60s AD and is one of the earliest Roman baths. Renovation work continues in the bath, whose walls are almost well preserved up to the roof.

14. Patara Lighthouse

The Lighthouse has been one of the most exciting discoveries in Patara. Because Patara Lighthouse, which Piri Reis also marked on his map, was buried under the sand for many years. This lighthouse, which was most likely destroyed in the 15th century, was removed from under the huge sand dune and returned to the city between 2004-2005.

This lighthouse is known as the oldest lighthouse in the ancient world . According to the inscription on the lighthouse; Roman Emperor Nero had the lighthouse built in 64-65 AD. Although claims are made about the world’s largest lighthouse, this is wrong. Because the highest known lighthouse in the world is the Isenderiye Lighthouse , which is considered one of the 7 wonders of the world . It is certain that Patara Lighthouse is one of the tallest lighthouses in this region. Moreover, it is the only lighthouse that has survived from ancient times to the present day.

It consists of a two-step podium and a cylindrical tower rising in the middle. There is a staircase inside the tower that leads to the top. The uppermost part consists of a domed space with arched windows. The lighthouse, which was once on the seashore, was left almost 500 meters from the shore due to the filling of the harbor.

15. Maslak

It is the type of structure that ensures the distribution of water within the city. This maslak was built in the 2nd century AD. This maslak is the largest of the 3 maslaks identified so far in Patara . It has dimensions of 8.60 x 7.50 meters. The source that met Patara’s water needs was located within the borders of today’s İslamlar Village . The water brought to the city from here was distributed with the help of water fountains.

Maslaks were used to distribute water in cities with rugged and high topography. It simply consists of a water tank equipped with inlet, outlet and discharge pipes. They were built in order to prevent the static pressure created at these points of the line from damaging the system if there were large height differences between the main tank where the water coming to the city was collected and the buildings where the water would reach.

*** Yes ; Patara Ancient City is not just about all these things. One of the structures we call Granarium (Granary), which is rare in the Mediterranean, was located in Patara. Although it was not as strong as the Andriake Granarium today , a granarium was designed in a large port city like Patara by the order of Emperor Hadrian.

Another interesting structure is Anatolia’s First Wireless Telegraph Station . It is the station that has the only connection with Tripoli, the last Ottoman territory in North Africa . This station is II. It was founded in 1906 during the reign of Abdulhamid. It was bombed by the Italians during the Tripoli War. The station building, which is currently undergoing renovations, is expected to turn into a museum.