About Kanlıdivane
Kanlıdivane is a sacred and rural centre of the Olba region arranged around a large sinkhole. A tower, temple, basilicas and reliefs of the Armaronxas family bring Hellenistic and Byzantine layers together around a distinctive natural formation.
History
Known as Kanytelleis in antiquity, the settlement lay within the influence of Olba's priestly rulers in Hellenistic times. The tower and funerary monuments reflect the power of local elites. A small town connected to agriculture and coastal roads developed under Rome. Four large basilicas indicate its importance as a regional Christian centre in late antiquity. The site continued to be used at varying scales through the Middle Ages.
Highlights and principal structures
- Kanlıdivane sinkhole
- Hellenistic tower
- Armaronxas reliefs
- Basilica of Papylos
- Other early Christian basilicas
- Funerary monuments
Historical period
Hellenistic–Roman