About Patara
Near Gelemiş, Patara was a political centre of the Lycian League, a Roman provincial capital and a major Mediterranean port. The restored council house, theatre, colonnaded street and reconstructed lighthouse form an extensive ancient landscape behind the dunes.
History
Settlement extends into the Bronze Age, and Lycian inscriptions name the city Pttara. As a major League member entitled to three votes, Patara hosted assembly meetings. It became an administrative and harbour centre of Roman Lycia et Pamphylia. The lighthouse built under Nero supported safe navigation. Traditionally regarded as Saint Nicholas's birthplace, it also held early Christian significance. Sediment carried by the Eşen River filled the harbour and contributed to the city's decline.
Highlights and principal structures
- Lycian League council house
- Theatre
- Patara lighthouse
- Colonnaded street
- Arch of Mettius Modestus
- Granarium
- Harbour baths
Historical period
Classical–Roman–Byzantine