Bezirgan Village and Historical Bezirgan Granaries, Kas

There are some places you've seen a photo of, read an article about somewhere, and it's written in the back of your mind. Bezirgan Village, located in Antalya's Kaş district, only 12 kilometers from Kalkan, was such a place for me. It happened to me in different places at different times. When I couldn't travel abroad in 2020 and 2021 thanks to the pandemic, I had the opportunity to find hidden gems in the country that I had not seen before. Located on the Lycian Way route, one of the stops of my Kas trip. Bezirgan Village and historical Bezirgan granaries It is among the lesser known and waiting to be discovered places in Turkey. Let's discover this hidden gem together!

If you are one of those who say, I am going to Kaş to the sea, what are we doing in the plateau, this article is not for you, let me say it from the beginning. Let me look at Kaş, Kalkan, Patara from above, enjoy the view, then go to the highland and see the historical granaries.

Things to do in Kas Be sure to check out my post.

Where is Bezirgan Village and How to Go?

Where is Bezirgan Village? if you say; It is 40 kilometers from the center of Kas and about 15 kilometers from Kalkan. After Kalkan, a winding road that rises rapidly above sea level takes you to Bezirgan Plateau, 500 meters high. The photo above is from a viewing point on the road from Kalkan to Bezirgan. From here, you can watch a magnificent Mediterranean view from a very wide angle. After this point, you continue into the mountains and encounter the Bezirgan Plain. When you return to the village from the plain, you will encounter the village cafe. As you continue, you will reach the Historical Bezirgan Warehouses, among the magnificent stone houses and the great plane trees, which you cannot say a village house. If you get confused, ask the village coffee house. The entire road is asphalt and in good condition. on Google Maps Click for location.

If you ask how to get to Bezirgan Village;

• The most practical way to go to Bezirgan Village is to go with your own vehicle. If you do not have a car, you can rent a car from Kas or Kalkan.
• Another method is to be on the day trip routes of tour companies. Bezirgan, you can search for them and join a day trip.
• The most beautiful and difficult one is; Bezirgan, one of the most beautiful walking routes in the world. Likya way located on its route. So you can walk to Bezirgan Village. A bit ambitious but a good alternative.

Bezirgan Village

Bezirgan Village is a village whose popularity suddenly increased when it was listed among the "2010 Hidden Places in Turkey" by the British The Times Newspaper in 6. In addition to Bezirgan village, the news also includes Faralya village in Fethiye Ölüdeniz, Selimiye and Söğüt, Akyaka, Knight Island in Fethiye, Ortakent in Bodrum. to the whole news there's .

Bezirgan literally means "market place". This place has a fertile plain, probably a lake bed thousands of years ago because the plain is flat. It is estimated that the village is one of the oldest settlements in the region, but unfortunately there is no clear evidence. Its known history dates back 250 years and this is a Turkmen village founded on the ridges of Kışla Mountain by members of the Karakeçili tribe from the Urfa/Birecik region. Formerly known as Pirha, 20 minutes away from the village is the Ancient City of Pirha.

In addition to being on the historical Lycian Way, the caravan route between Elmalı and Kalkan in the Ottoman Period passed through Bezirgan. At that time, grain production and trade was active. Historical granaries were also built to protect these grains.

It deserves the attention of tourists with its clean mountain air, plain view and fertile plain. It is also an escape point for the people of Kalkan who are overwhelmed by the heat.

Historical Bezirgan Granaries

It is impossible to talk about Bezirgan and not to mention the historical granaries. These warehouses were my main reason for going to Bezirgan. It is said that the history of the warehouses, which are also known as historical grain (grain stored for use when necessary) warehouses, dates back to 350 years. In order not to be affected by the floods, the warehouses were placed a little higher than the plain where the village is located, to protect the grains away from moisture for a long time.

The warehouses, inspired by the Lycian architectural structure, are 4 meters high and have four compartments for storing warehouses. Different compartments have been made to separate different types of grain, such as chickpeas, wheat, barley… The warehouses, built using cedar wood and without nails, are typical examples of Lycian architecture. It is estimated that there are between 125 and 200 warehouses, 300 of which have survived to the present day. The number of warehouses has decreased to 125, as some of them have been neglected and some have been moved to touristic places as decorations.

In 2012, the warehouses were taken under protection as a cultural property. Thus, both their demolition and removal were prevented. Especially since the roof parts of the warehouses are damaged, they are covered with hair. Even the hair look gave an authentic feel. It is possible to come across these granaries in other villages in the region, but the peculiarity of Bezirgan Village is that it is the only settlement with such a large number of barns together.

If you come across Uncle Yusuf, who has a house right next to the granaries, do not pass without saying hello.

Where to Stay in Bezirgan Village? Is there camping?

Some of those beautiful stone houses in Bezirgan Village serve as hostels. It is nice to have a hostel alternative especially for those walking the Lycian Way. I did not stay in any of them, but in case you want to get information, I list the hotels and hostels I found in Bezirgan Village below. You can get availability and price information by calling.

• Villa Sultan Mosaicci Art Hotel – 0242 844 31 58
• Owlsland Hotel – 0242 837 52 14
• Ambar Lodge – 0532 202 22 69

Is there camping in Bezirgan Village, is there a place to camp? if you say; Before coming to the historical Bezirgan Warehouses, you will see a large plane tree and its cedar tree under the tree. This plane tree area is a very suitable area for camping. In its immediate vicinity (it is behind the sheep in the photo), there is a public toilet and a fountain outside the toilet. The toilets were extremely clean when we went. This is a public area, not a facility, so you can stay here with your caravan.

If you say we want to camp in a proper facility, there is a facility called Kalkan Camping right at the entrance of the village. For information on prices and availability, you can call: 0530 972 97 34

Photos of Bezirgan Village and Historical Granaries

Below are the photos of Bezirgan Village and Historical Bezirgan Granaries used in this article.

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Bezirgan Village Historical Granaries Video

You can watch my vlog about the historical granaries of Bezirgan Village below. Don't forget to like the video and subscribe to my channel!

You can stop by while you're here: Islamlar Village

If you ask where to continue after Bezirgan, Islamlar Village can be an alternative. But don't have high expectations. Islamlar Village is famous for its rock tombs and mills. Before coming to Islamlar Village, which is 15 kilometers from Bezirgan Village, you will see the rock tombs carved into a hill on the way. There used to be water mills in the village, but there is no active mill at the moment. You can only see the water flowing from the side of the road in the village square and the water wheels of an old mill.

Islamlar Village has been revived with villa tourism. When we got off in the village square and started to look around, someone came to us and said, "Are you looking for a villa?" she asked. There is a very beautiful Patara-Kalkan view from the village, the villa renters have not missed this view. I am sure it is enjoyable to have a holiday in a magnificent view from a high place such as a plateau.

The double roasted tahini of Islamlar Village is famous, if you find it, don't forget to buy it from it.

When you come to Kaş, be sure to include Bezirgan Village and Historical Granary on the list of places you must see. Don't go unnoticed.

Stay on the Road!