Xanthos Antik Kenti
The capital of the Lycian League, at Kınık village in Kaş. Its monumental tombs, inscribed pillar and the tragic story of a people who burned their own city twice have kept it on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1988.
Xanthos was the largest and most important city of Lycia, and as capital of the Lycian League its political centre. Built on a hill beside the Eşen River (ancient Xanthos), it holds the longest known inscriptions in the Lycian language — above all the 250-line Xanthos Stele in the agora, a key source for deciphering that language.
The most striking structures are the monumental tombs. The Harpy Monument and the pillar sarcophagus beside it stand together in the middle of the agora; the reliefs here are casts, the originals being in the British Museum. The Roman theatre is largely intact and rises right next to the two monuments, making this the most photographed corner of the site.
Xanthos has a tragic history: twice its people burned the city rather than surrender to a siege — first against the Persians, later against Brutus' army during Rome's civil war. The ruins sit just above Kınık village and take about an hour to walk; they fit easily into a day with Patara and Kalkan.
- Best time
- Spring and autumn
- Budget
- Budget
Tips
- Most efficient planned together with Patara and Kalkan.
- The tomb reliefs are casts; the originals are in the British Museum.
- The site has no shade; choose morning or late afternoon.