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ANCIENT CITIES
Antiphellos (Kas)

Not much remains from this city since it was established on top of the old city of Antiphellos in Central Lycia. From an inscription written in two languages, we can see that the city under Kas was Antiphellos. But the old name of Kas is Habesos. In the ninth century B.C., Antiphellos was a very small settlement unit and it was the port of Phellos, which is a bit north of Kas. As the Hellenistic age began, Phellos lost its importance while Antiphellos developed and came to the fore. This situation also continued in the Roman era and Antiphellos developed further by cedar tree trade and sponge fishing. At that time, the city was no longer a port of Phellos but rather a rich and self-sufficient city.

There are regular city wall remains on the city’s acropolis, which looks on the side of Meis island. But nothing has survived to our day from the northern and western sides of this wall. The remains of the wall on the seaside are also visible. The city has a theater that survived with very little damage, looking down the sea on the right side of the road going to Çukurbag.

The most famous monument in Kas is a sarcophagus formed from a single block on Uzun Çarsi Avenue. The monument appears as you walk among rug shops. The sarcophagus bears an eight-line inscription on it in the Lycian language, but the writing has largely been obscured by time making it impossible to guess who the tomb belonged to. People ended up calling it the Sarcophagus of the King.

Kas, the closest spot to Meis island, is a heaven for visitors who are fond of historical sites. The Cukurova Peninsula stretches into the sea and there are modern hotels built on this peninsula. The peninsula is also an ideal three-kilometer-long walking track which offers beautiful views along its path.

Inside Kas, there are splendid beaches with clean water like Büyük Çakil, Küçük Çakil and Akçagerme. You can also go to Çayagzi Beach by boat. There are six caves around Kas. Mavi Magara (The Blue Cave), the Asirli island sea cave and the Güvercinlik Cave famous for its pigeons are 18 kilometers from Kas, and they are the most famous ones. Kaputas Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

Besides its historical sites, Kas offers tourists many options including nature sports like trekking, mountaineering and rafting. The Yesilgöl and Ucansu waterfalls would be a good choice for those who want to enjoy nature on their own.

Gömbe, on the bottom of Mt. Akdag, is 70 kilometers away from Kas. Mt. Akdag has the second-highest summit after the Kizlar summit in the Western Taurus mountain range. A number of small lakes that are found here are beautiful.

There is the ancient city of Komba in Gömbe and the ancient city of Nisa in Meryemlik near Sütlegen, 13 kilometers away from Komba. Here there are tombs, an agora and remains of a theater. Near the town there is the Kandyba ancient city. One of the good things about Kas is that you can walk to most of the ruins. For example you can have a nice leisurely walk to Pehllos, which is 12 kilometers from Kas. The Phellos ruins are right above the villages of Çukurbag and Pinarbasi.

Travelling to Kas and not visiting Kekova is simply inconceivable. You can go to Kekova from Kas by yacht or you can drive to Üçagiz and then hire a boat from there. The sight of the sunken city is impressive. Kas is surrounded by many ancient cities including Istlada, Apollania, Isinda and Kyaenai as well as many ruins whose names are not known. There is another ancient city in the Bayindir village, 7 kilometers from Kas. The Bayindir Port is ideal for yachts. On the mountain side over this port, there is a group of sarcophagi with Lycian inscriptions carved on them. This must be a very small ancient city, and its name is believed to be Sebeda.

On the high area on the western side of Kas, there is an area with a few ruins. There are some remains with polygonal walls spreading over three hills at an altitude of 760 meters over Seyret Valley. On the way to Sidek village, there is another area of ruins, and among the ruins there is a rock tomb in gothic style with Lycian inscriptions and polygonal walls. On a hill on the north of Hacioglan village, on the north bank of the river, there is a fortress and three Lycian tombs. Near Çardakli village, there is an ancient city whose name is unknown and half an hour south of Baglica, there is a fortress on top of a hill. There is a small settlement called Tysee on top of a low hill near the village of Tuse. Near this area, in a place called Aladam, there is a tomb with stairs, an unusual structure for Lycia. The surrounding of Kas offers visitors historical and natural wonders.

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