Xanthos
The Lycian capital preserves distinctive pillar tombs, rock-cut monuments, a theatre, agora, acropolis, and bilingual inscriptions.
Photo: Josep M. Gracia · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Country
- Türkiye
- Region
- Antalya Province
- Civilisation
- Lycian
- Period
- 8th century BCE–Byzantine period
- UNESCO
- World Heritage ↗
Through time
The story
Xanthos or Xanthus, also referred to by scholars as Arna, its Lycian name, was an ancient city near the present-day village of Kınık, in Antalya Province, Turkey. The ruins are located on a hill on the left bank of the River Xanthos. The number and quality of the surviving tombs at Xanthos are a notable feature of the site, which, together with nearby Letoon, was declared to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988.
The city of Xanthos was a centre of culture and commerce for the Lycians, and later for the Persians, Greeks and Romans who in turn conquered the region. Xanthos influenced its neighbours architecturally; the Nereid Monument directly inspired the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus in the region of Caria.
Adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
What you will see
- Harpy Monument
- Nereid Monument site
- Lycian acropolis
Before you go
- Check opening hours and ticket rules shortly before your visit — they change seasonally.
- Plan for the heat. Most ancient sites have little shade; go early or late.
- Respect the barriers. Fragile surfaces are protected for the next visitors.
Discoveries from Xanthos
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