A Journey Through Time

Xanthos’ history stretches back to the 8th century BC. Over the centuries, it fell under the rule of several powerful empires, including the Persians, Romans, and Byzantines. As the capital of the Lycian Union, the city played a crucial role in both politics and religion. Despite facing destruction multiple times due to wars and conquests, Xanthos was continuously rebuilt, demonstrating the resilience of its people.

Discovering Xanthos’ Legacy

Xanthos is more than just an archaeological site—it is a symbol of the cultural depth of the Lycian civilization. Its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site underlines its universal significance. From its grand monuments to intricate rock tombs, the city offers a glimpse into the lives of the people who once called it home.

For history enthusiasts and curious travellers alike, a visit to Xanthos is an unforgettable experience. Walking through its ruins, you can almost hear the echoes of the past and witness the enduring spirit of an ancient civilization.

When to Visit

The best time to explore Xanthos is during spring or autumn when the weather is mild and comfortable.

Situated just a short drive from Fethiye, this ancient site offers visitors the chance to step back in time and immerse themselves in the rich legacy of the Lycian civilization.

Source: Gerçek Fethiye

The post Xanthos Ancient City: The Historical Capital of Lycia appeared first on Fethiye Times.

If you missed part one, you can read it here:

https://fethiyetimes.com/unesco-world-heritage-sites-in-turkey-part-one/

Sites on the World Heritage List (Cultural) – continued …

Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği

The stunning Divriği mosque and madrasa (seminary) complex has been declared by UNESCO to be one of the most important centres of cultural heritage in the world.

Its exceptional remoteness – two hours drive from Sivas – makes it one of the least visited sites. Originally a Byzantine stronghold, Divriği was taken by the Seljuks who commissioned the building with its lavishly carved portals. The Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği was added to the World Heritage List in 1985.

Hattusha: the Hittite Capital

Hattuşa was once a great and impressive city, defended by stone walls over 6km in length. Today the ruins consist mostly of re-constructed foundations, walls and a few rock carvings, but there are several more interesting features, including a tunnel and some fine hieroglyphic inscriptions preserved in situ.

The site itself is strangely atmospheric, almost eerie, exciting for its ruggedness and high antiquity rather than for its buildings or reliefs. Hattusha: the Hittite Capital was added to the World Heritage List in 1986.

Historic Areas of Istanbul

The Historic Areas of Istanbul is a group of sites in the capital district of Fatih in the city of Istanbul, Türkiye. 

From ancient ruins to 16th-century masterpieces, here are some of the must-see UNESCO World Heritage-listed sites and landmarks in Istanbul. These areas were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985.

• Sarayburnu
• Topkapi Palace
• Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofia)
• Sultan Ahmed Mosque
• Hagia Irene
• Zeyrek Mosque
• Suleymaniye Mosque
• Little Hagia Sophia

Click on the link below for more information about these sites courtesy of viator.com

Must-See UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Istanbul

Nemrut Dağ

The 7,000-foot-tall mountain, Nemrut Dağı (Mount Nemrut), houses a historical site unlike any other in the country.

Notable for its ancient tomb and temple complex, which includes numerous massive statues of Greek and Persian gods, the stunning site was constructed by King Antiochus I in 62 BC and is today considered to be the most significant monument of the Kingdom of Commagene. Nemrut Dağ was added to the World Heritage List in 1987. 

You can read our previous article about Nemrut Dağ here.

Neolithic Site of Çatalhöyük

Çatalhöyük is Türkiye’s most important neolithic and Bronze Age site and the earliest known city in the world.

The sophisticated tools, jewellery, and sculpture found here, and above all the wall paintings decorating the shrines, all dating from 6800 BC, indicate a remarkably advanced civilisation in Anatolia at this time. These items are now in the Ankara Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, but the site is nevertheless impressive for its size. The Neolithic Site of Çatalhöyü was added to the World Heritage List in 2012.

Pergamon and its Multi-Layered Cultural Landscape

Pergamon is, for the most part, a site of quiet classical splendour. Its ruins – especially the Asklepion and Acropolis – are so extraordinary that they were inscribed on Unesco’s World Heritage List in June 2014, the 999th site in the world (and the 14th in Türkiye) to be so honoured.

The thermal springs of Pergamon made the city one of the principal centres of healing and beauty. One of the major thermal spas of Pergamon is within the Sanctuary of Asclepius (Güzellik Ilıcası). It is believed to have been commissioned by King Euamens of Pergamon, and its healing and beauty properties were enjoyed by Cleopatra.

Selimiye Mosque and its Social Complex

The square Mosque with its single great dome and four slender minarets dominates the skyline of the former Ottoman capital of Edirne. Sinan, the most famous of Ottoman architects in the 16th century, considered the complex, which includes madrasas (Islamic schools), a covered market, a clock house, an outer courtyard and a library, to be his best work.

The interior decoration using Iznik tiles from the peak period of their production testifies to an art form that remains unsurpassed in this material. The complex is considered to be the most harmonious expression ever achieved of the Ottoman külliye, a group of buildings constructed around a mosque and managed as a single institution. Selimiye Mosque and its Social Complex were added to the World Heritage List in 2011. 

Wooden Hypostyle Mosques of Medieval Anatolia

This serial property is comprised of five hypostyle mosques built in Anatolia between the late 13th and mid-14th centuries, each located in a different province of present-day Türkiye. The unusual structural system of the mosques combines an exterior building envelope built of masonry with multiple rows of wooden interior columns (“hypostyle”) that support a flat wooden ceiling and the roof. These mosques are known for the skilful woodcarving and handiwork used in their structures, architectural fittings, and furnishings.

Wooden Hypostyle Mosques of Medieval Anatolia were added to the World heritage List in 2023.

Xanthos-Letoon

Xanthos, with its fine Roman theatre and Lycian pillar tombs, is a magnificent site, as befits the remains of Lycia’s greatest city.  Any tour of Xanthos should begin with the theatre and its extraordinary pair of pillar tombs, 8m high.

On the acropolis stand the remains of a Lycian royal palace, overlooking the river valley. On the other side of the car park is an extensive Byzantine basilica with mosaic flooring and further uphill is the necropolis, with a cluster of huge tombs dominated by another pillar tomb. At the top of the hill are the remains of a Byzantine monastery and a large Roman temple. Xanthos-Letoon was added to the World Heritage List in 1988.

Sites on the World Heritage List (Mixed)

Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia

Cappadocia is famous for its weird and wonderful natural rock formations and unique historical heritage. One of the best places to see these strange formations is the town of Göreme, which is located among a large number of tuff cones, termed fairy chimneys.

The fairy chimneys have been formed as the result of wind and water erosion of two different volcanic layers: a thick layer of tuff (consolidated volcanic ash) covered by a thin layer of basalt that is more resistant to erosion. Due to the ease of carving into the tuff, many of the fairy chimneys at Cappadocia have been hollowed out over the centuries to create houses, churches and storage facilities. Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia were added to the World Heritage List in 1985.

Hierapolis-Pamukkale

Deriving from springs in a cliff almost 200 m high overlooking the plain, calcite-laden waters have created at Pamukkale (Cotton Palace) an unreal landscape, made up of mineral forests, petrified waterfalls and a series of terraced basins.

At the end of the 2nd century B.C. the dynasty of the Attalids, the kings of Pergamon, established the thermal spa of Hierapolis. The ruins of the baths, temples and other Greek monuments can be seen at the site. Hierapolis-Pamukkale was added to the World Heritage List in 1988.

You can read our previous article on Pamukkale and Hierapolis here.

There are 79 more sites in Türkiye on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, properties that are considered to be cultural and/or natural heritage of outstanding universal value and therefore suitable for inscription on the World Heritage List.

UNESCO World Heritage – Turkey

Sources: UNESCO/LonelyPlanet/Explorer Turkey/Viator

Featured image by Nichola Chapman

This article was first published on 16 December 2021 and updated on 14 November 2023.

The post UNESCO World Heritage sites in Türkiye – part two appeared first on Fethiye Times.

Registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the Ani archaeological site, also known as the “city of a thousand and one churches”, attracts tourists all year round. The ancient city, which houses Islamic architectural works of the 11th and 12th centuries, was added to the World Heritage List on July 15, 2016.

Ani is located in the northeast of Türkiye, close to Arpaçay district in Kars province, on a secluded triangular plateau overlooking a ravine that forms the natural border with Armenia.

This medieval city, once one of the cultural and commercial centres on the Silk Roads, is characterized by architecture that combines a variety of domestic, religious and military structures, creating a panorama of a medieval urbanism built up over the centuries by successive Christian and Muslim dynasties.

Inhabited since the Bronze Age, Ani flourished in the 10th and 11th centuries AD, when it became the capital of the medieval Armenian kingdom of the Bagratids, and profited from control over one branch of the Silk Roads.

Later, under Byzantine, Seljuk, and Georgian sovereignty, it maintained its status as an important crossroads for merchant caravans, controlling trade routes between Byzantium, Persia, Syria and Central Asia.

In fact, Ani has hosted some 23 civilizations since its establishment and is also considered the first entrance gate to Anatolia from the Caucasus.

The Mongol invasion, along with a devastating earthquake in 1319 and a change in trade routes, marked the beginning of the city’s decline. It was all but abandoned by the 18th century.

In photos: the unique beauty of Ani

Most visitors travel on the Doğu Express to see the ancient site which is described as mesmerisingly beautiful.

Other articles you may find interesting:

The empire the world forgot

Sources: UNESCO/Daily Sabah/DK Eyewitness

Featured photograph courtesy of PeopleOfAr

The post The unique and evocative beauty of Ani appeared first on Fethiye Times.