About Soura
Near Demre, Soura was primarily an oracle sanctuary of Apollo Surius with a small Lycian settlement, rather than a large city. Rock-cut tombs, temple remains and a spring belong to a religious landscape associated with fish divination in ancient accounts.
History
Soura's history extends to Classical Lycia. Within Myra's sphere of influence, it was especially known for Apollo's sanctuary. Ancient writers describe predictions based on the behaviour of fish in the spring. Worship continued in Hellenistic and Roman times; tombs and inscriptions attest to a local community. Christian buildings appeared nearby in late antiquity.
Highlights and principal structures
- Sanctuary of Apollo Surius
- Oracular spring
- Rock-cut tombs
- Lycian sarcophagi
- Temple and inscription remains
Historical period
Classical–Roman