Ancient Sites and Historical Wonders

This collection spans the archaeological landscape of Caria and Lycia, featuring UNESCO World Heritage sites like Xanthos and the sanctuary of Letoon. Highlights include the remains of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus—one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World—and the coastal ruins of Knidos. Explore massive Hellenistic theaters, Lycian rock-cut tombs, and the 15th-century Bodrum Castle, built using stones from ancient monuments. The list also covers the sacred precincts of Labraunda and the well-preserved urban planning of Priene's Athena Temple and Agora.

HALUK COMERTEL / CC BY 3.0

Xanthos

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…

JoJan / CC BY-SA 3.0

Bodrum Castle

Bodrum Castle is a historical fortification located in southwest Turkey in the port city of Bodrum, built from 1402 onwards, by the…

UnknownUnknown artist / Public domain

Mausoleum of Halicarnassus

The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus or Tomb of Mausolus was a tomb built between 353 and 350 BC in Halicarnassus for Mausolus, an Anatolian from…

Xanthos-Letoon

A UNESCO World Heritage site serving as the religious center of the Lycian League. It contains the ruins of three temples dedicated to Leto, Apollo, and Artemis, alongside a well-preserved Hellenistic theater and inscriptions essential to deciphering the Lycian language.

Mausoleum and Sacred area of Hecatomnus

Located in Milas, this UNESCO Tentative List site features the 4th-century BC tomb of Hecatomnus. The complex includes a monumental podium, a sacred enclosure, and a marble sarcophagus with detailed high-relief carvings depicting the Carian satrap.

Toksave / CC BY-SA 3.0

Tlos

Tlos was an ancient Lycian city near the modern town of Seydikemer in the Mugla Province of southern Turkey, some 4 kilometres northwest of…

Vikimach / CC-BY-SA-3.0

Milas

Milas is an ancient city and the seat of the district of the same name in Muğla Province in southwestern Turkey.

Tango22 / CC BY 3.0

Knidos

Knidos or Cnidus was a Greek city in ancient Caria and part of the Dorian Hexapolis, in south-western Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey.

Osmanyaylali / CC BY 3.0

Pinara

Pinara was a large city of ancient Lycia at the foot of Mount Cragus, and not far from the western bank of the River Xanthos, homonymous…

KaTeznik / CC BY-SA 2.0 fr

Myndos Gate

The gate is the enduring silent witness of very fierce battles from Alexander the Great's besieging of ancient Halikarnassus.

Letoon theatre

A significant Hellenistic-era theater built into the hillside of the Letoon sanctuary. It features a well-preserved cavea and was historically used for performances during religious festivals honoring the goddess Leto and her children.

Lycian Tombs

Monumental funerary architecture carved directly into the limestone cliffs. These rock-cut tombs often mimic the facades of Lycian wooden houses or Ionic temples, serving as the final resting places for the regional elite during the 4th century BC.

Dosseman / CC BY-SA 4.0

Medieval City of Beçin

Beçin was a historical fort in Turkey.

Sidyma

Sidyma, was a town of ancient Lycia, at what is now the small village of Dudurga Asari in Muğla Province, Turkey.

Classical Numismatic Group (CNG),… / CC BY-SA 3.0

Labranda

Labraunda is an ancient archaeological site five kilometers west of Ortaköy, Muğla Province, Turkey, in the mountains near the coast of…

Athena Temple

A masterpiece of Ionic architecture designed by Pytheos in the 4th century BC. Located in ancient Priene, the temple features five standing columns and served as the primary sanctuary of the city, overlooking the Meander Valley.

Agora

The central marketplace and civic hub of ancient Priene. This large rectangular space was originally enclosed by stoas (covered walkways) and served as the site for political gatherings, trade, and public announcements.

Hydisos

An ancient Carian settlement situated on a hilltop near modern-day Karacahisar. The site contains remnants of defensive fortifications, a necropolis, and traces of a temple dedicated to Zeus Areios.