Where is Xanthos Ancient City, How to Go, History, Entrance Fee and More

There are some ancient cities that affect me a lot, their stories, ruins, scenery, something catches me. Xanthos Ancient City One of them is an ancient city that fascinates me with its necropolis, in other words its cemetery. Unesco World Cultural Heritage List from Turkey Xanthos is also important because it is one of the places in the city. The ancient city, which is little known today, is one of the important cities of the Lycian Civilization. time defying Where is Xanthos Ancient City, how to get there, entrance fee, history and more are waiting for you in this article!

If you set out to visit Xanthos Ancient City and you like to visit ancient cities; the capital of the Lycian League Patara Ancient CityI recommend you to add Letoon Ancient City, neighboring Xanthos, and Pınara Ancient City, which is located on the peaks, to your itinerary.

Where is Xanthos Ancient City?

Xanthos was built on two hills on the edge of the Eşen Stream, which gave life to the most important Lycian cities. It is located within the borders of Kınık district of Antalya's Kaş district, even within walking distance to the center of Kınık. The ancient city on Google Maps click for location.

You can see the distances to the surrounding places of Xanthos Ancient City below:

• The distance between Xanthos and Patara Ancient City is 13 km.
• The distance between Xanthos and Patara Beach is 13 km,
• The distance between Xanthos and Letoon Ancient City is 6 km,
• The distance between Xanthos and Saklı Kent National Park is 20 km,
• The distance between Xanthos and Pınara Ancient City is 26 km,
• The distance between Xanthos and Kalkan is 21 km,
• The distance between Xanthos and Kas center is 46 km,
• The distance between Xanthos and Antalya center is 212 km,
• The distance between Xanthos and Fethiye center is 62 km,
• The distance between Xanthos and Dalaman Airport is 105 km,
• The distance between Xanthos and Antalya Airport is 223 km.

How to Get to the Ancient City of Xanthos?

Transportation by Private Vehicle: Of course, the easiest way to go to Xanthos is to go by private vehicle. If you have not come to the region with your own vehicle, you can reach the ancient city by renting a car from centers such as Kaş or Patara.

Click to rent a car that fits your budget

Transportation by Public Transport: Of course, it is possible to reach the ancient city by using public transportation. You can get off at Kınık on the route of the buses/minibuses serving between Kaş and Fethiye and walk to the ancient city.

Transportation by Air: The nearest airport to go to Xanthos Ancient City is Dalaman Airport, but we cannot say that it is very close, 105 kilometers. You can still reach the ancient city by using the shuttles from Dalaman Airport to Kaş.

Since Xanthos has been included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list, the main roads in terms of Kaş, Burdur and Fethiye are well signposted. If you are coming to the ancient city from the direction of Kalkan; When you enter the Kınık quarter, you will see the Atatürk statue on the main street, the road splits into two there, you need to follow the road on the right and continue to the left when you reach the foot of the hill, you will start to see the ruins of the ancient city. When you go up the hill a little, there is the visitor center on the right, you can leave your car in the parking lot there. Although the signage on the main roads is good, the number of signboards is very few in Kınık and you have to make a serious effort to see the sign at the Atatürk Statue, it is very likely that you will miss it.

Xanthos Ancient City History & Story

The city, known as Xanthos, Xanthos or Xanthos, was founded on two hills by the Eşen Stream (Xanthos River). One of the two hills is the Lycian acropolis, surrounded by walls with ruins that welcome you when you enter the ancient city; the other is the Roman acropolis, located higher in the north. The name of the city, which was the administrative center of the Lycian League, in the inscriptions written in the Lycian language ARNNA passes as. Xanthos, one of the largest cities of the Lycian League, is one of the 3 cities with 6 voting rights in the Lycian Parliament.

When we look at the information revealed in the excavations, it has been determined that the life in the city dates back to the 8th century BC.

The story that made Xanthos famous is experienced during the Persian siege. BC Despite their heroic resistance in the siege of 545-546, the Xanthos people, who realized that they could not win the war, set fire to their women and children, along with their valuables, and the remaining men ended their lives by fighting. Thus, they left a devastated city to the Persian Commander Harpagos and conveyed the message that they preferred death rather than being a slave to the next generations.

Xanthos, after the Persians, Alexander the Great, Egypt, Syria, such as the sovereignty of different nations, BC. In 42 BC, it passed under the control of the Romans. Until the Arab raids in the 7th century, it remained under the rule of the Eastern Romans as the episcopacy center. After the Arab raids, the city lost its importance.

In 1938, British Charles Fellows discovered Xanthos on a trip to the region and sent the important monuments of the city to the British Museum in London. The most well-known among the pieces taken; Nereid Monument, Harpy Monument, and Lion Tomb.

Xanthos Ancient City, which sheds light on the history of humanity with the structures built by every civilization that settled on the shores of Eşen Stream, was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 6 together with the Letoon Ancient City, which is 1988 kilometers away.

Places to Visit in Xanthos Ancient City

The point where you enter the ancient city; The Theater on the left, the Main Street on the right, you need to park your car here and buy a ticket from the ticket office or show your Museum Card before you start to tour the city. The ticket office at the entrance doesn't have any maps or brochures (it wasn't on my two visits, I hope there is now). There is an information board where you park your vehicle, from there you can get information about the history of the city and what's inside.

The list of places to visit in the ancient city of Xanthos is on the map below.

If we briefly describe the settlement; On the left at the entrance ancient theater exists. Although the theater built in the Hellenistic Period is a small theater with a capacity of 2000 people, it has managed to reach our day very well. If you continue behind the theater Acropolis of LyciaWhat are you reaching here Lycian Palace ruins Features.

There are 3 mausoleums to the west of the theater. The most known of these mausoleums is Harpy or Harpy Monument known as the monument. The burial chamber of the monument, which was built in the form of a pillar, which we are not accustomed to seeing in Lycian cities, is located on the hill. The originals of the relief decorations surrounding the burial chamber are exhibited in the British Museum. Another monument visible on the right on the way to the theater. Written SewingBefore it was demolished, it was 11 meters high and if you continue walking west from the section where the inscriptions are on the Monuments, you can see the Eşen Stream from above.

When you continue to the east from the section where the ticket offices are located, first main street of the cityyou will see. The fact that the road is still intact affects me a lot. End of the road Triumphal arch There is a part that should be, but don't expect to see a plug here, only the stones underneath are left. If you turn right, you can see the remains of the agora and a church (basilica) You will see the residue. At the end of the agora Nereids Monument There was one, but since it is in the British Museum, there is no monument to see at the moment.

Continue on the path that continues upwards from the side wall of the Basilica. They marked the road with white painted stones so that it would be easy to find the way on the path, it was very good. The path will take you around the hill, over the walls, you continue to follow the path. On the way you will see many saddle-shaped tombs carved into the rock, because that's where we're going. necropolis namely the cemetery.

The structure that impressed me the most in the ancient city is the erected monument, the photo of which you can see above. This mausoleum, which has 3 floors of burial chambers including the ones below, is one of the most impressive Lycian Tombs I have ever seen.

After seeing these tombs, the path will take you to the point where you started, that is, where the ticket offices are located. If you want to walk a little more, or if you want to continue with your vehicle, there is another basilica ruins above. However, the basalica remains are quite scattered, do not go and say that this is it.

Xanthos Ancient City, Things to do in Kas It should definitely be on your list. I have listed the places that I think you must see in the city above, it will take you about two hours to visit this list. I suggest you plan your trip accordingly.

There is also a museum cafe and washrooms right next to the ticket office. When your tour is over, you can take a break for tea, coffee or cold drinks.

Xanthos Ancient City 2021 Entrance Fee and Visiting Hours

The Ancient City is open to visitors every day between 1:1-08:00 in the summer period (April 19 - October 00), and between 1:1-08:30 in the winter period (October 17 - April 30). Xanthos Ancient City entrance fee is 2021 TL for 17,5, free if you have a Museum Card. You can visit as

Xanthos Ancient City Video

You can watch my trip to Xanthos in the video below. Don't forget to like the video and subscribe to my channel!

Xanthos Ancient City Photos

You can see the photos I used in my Xanthos Ancient City article in the gallery below.

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