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KEKOVA & SİMENA
If you are looking for the crystal clear sea, shades of
blue in the sky and in the water, endless small bays for
swimming, castles, the ancient ruins on land and in the
sea, sarcophagus’ all around the land and the sea, the
fisherman villages and countless other beauties that can
not be listed here; The answer is KEKOVA; a feast for
the eye to behold The name of the island of Kekova is
now used as the general name of all the sites in the
same bay. It is easily seen that the whole area had been
heavily populated in the antiquity from the ruins and
other artifacts lying about. Now, it is one of the most
attractive picturesque yacht / boat tour locations. Boat
tours start from Çayagzi (Andriace; the ancient harbor
of Myra), Üçagiz (Teimiussa) or Kas (Antiphellos). Where
ever they start, you sail along the Kekova Island and
zigzag across the blue waters between the land and the
island, around the small peninsulas and in and out of
beautiful bays. Throughout the area often there are
structures half under the water as a result of the earth
quakes. This has caused it to be called the Sunken City.
Indeed one comes across houses, temples, staircases,
half under the water as you cruise along the coast of
the island and of the mainland land. The fisherman
village of Kale (Simena in the antiquity) with its
citadel, of which some of the walls are from the
Hellenistic period, at the top, like a crown, It reminds
one of the times that you could not do without a castle
to protect you and also how lively this now remote
village was in the past. It also gives a view of the
region in all directions, the sea, and mountains, the
island and so on, that no method of recording; a photo,
picture or drawing can give enough credit to, compared
to what you can see with your own eyes. It also includes
the most unique theater ever, as small as it is, but the
seats are totally carved out of the rock. The village
itself is living at present but side by side with
history, new and old – a Lycian Sarcophagus in the
garden, or the house resting on the Hellenistic walls.
Üçagiz (Teimiussa) is further to west and other than the
citadel, almost everything is also true for this village
too. That may be because it was a village in history as
well. It has none of the public buildings or any
prominent house either. But it has a vast necropolis
from the Lycian, Hellenistic and Roman periods. One can
only try to reflect only some of the beauty of this area.
You must see it for yourselves.
MYRA
Myra was one of the six prominent cities of Lycia, the
tekke peninsula today. Lycia and the Lycians are not
well known by many people. They were the oldest local
settlers in the area that we know of. They were tough
fighters and one of the very first people we know of, to
form a league of city states, the Lycian League, to
defend themselves against the invaders. It has been an
important city during the Roman period and a very
important city during the early Christian and Byzantium
period. The ship carrying the captive St. Paul went via
Myra to Rome and St. Nicholas was a bishop here in the
4th C AD. The inhabitants moved out about 7th century
due to earthquakes and the silting of the harbor by the
river Myrus. There is a good collection of rock tombs
which represent characteristics of the Lycian culture at
Myra along with the Roman Theater and the Church of St.
Nicholas. The numerous rock tombs give us very important
clues of what the Lycian houses and monuments looked
like. For example even though they are carved out of
rock they reflect wooden beams, doors, windows and many
other aspects of Lycian buildings. The Lycian
sarcophagus’ and other tombs are also very unique and
characteristic of the region and of the people. The
Roman Theater is in fairly good condition. The center of
the cavea rests on the rock. The stage building is in
good condition. The architectural elements from the
theater including the stone masks that lie all around
inside and outside the theater. The rock tombs, the
theater, the local present day life and the castle on
the mountain all together offer a good picture of the
old and the new side by side.
The church of St.
Nicholas
The church of St. Nicholas, now in the center of what is
now called Kale, was probably built in the 3rd or 4th
century. Now it reflects many alterations and it has
been restored. Nevertheless, it is toured by many
visitors from all nations and religions from all over
the world that has come to see the church of St.
Nicholas. St. Nicholas was born in Patara c 300 AD. He
was from a wealthy family was said to have traveled to
Palestine and Egypt. He was regarded as the patron saint
of Greece, Russia, children, prisoners and travelers. By
the late middle ages, 400 churches were dedicated to him
in England alone. Santa Claus, of the children, was
indeed running to the aid of those who were in need
through out his life. His statue, with the bag of
presents for the children and in company of the children,
in the garden of the museum/church, now greets all.
There are too many myths to relate about him but it is
known that he was very influential in the early and
medieval church. Myra with the church of St. Nicholas,
the Roman ruins, by being near Kekova and other sites is
an attractive place to visit. Indeed you can see
visitors of all nationalities throughout the day.
OLYMPOS
It is located on the slope of Mount Musa and within
“Olympos-Beydaglari National Park” where the creek of
the same name joins the sea. The name of the city is
derived from “Aluamapa/Oluamapa/Olyamapa” in the Luwian/Etruscan
language. In the Luwian language, “Olu”, which is a
variation of “Alu”, means light/sun and in the Luwian
and Hittite languages the word “Ama” means “mother”. We
know that the word “Pa” means water/creek/lake. It is
understood from this that the name of the city was
“sacred water spring of the supreme mother of light/mother
of sky”. Indeed, the spring of the Olympos creek is
today called “Gökpinar” with the same association.
Furthermore, in the Luwian language the word “olyntos”
meant wild fig. The road monument Stadiasmus, in Patara,
depicts the city of Olympos on the slope of the Mount
Musa. Today’s seaside remains are found at a place named
Korykos. In fact, the name Olympos has been given to all
high mountains and acropolises throughout antiquity. The
people of the city of Olympos on the mountain, which was
within the Lycian Federation and was ruined in 75 B.C.,
descended to the shore and, after the final defeat of
pirates by the Roman Isauricus in 78 B.C., joined the
Roman lands. Maritime commerce thrived during the Roman
epoch. It became the episcopal centre during the
Byzantine era. The city lost its character during the
Ottoman era and, owing to the floods, the people
abandoned the area. South of the port, a part of the
cavea and the entrance of the theatre for 8 thousand
people still stand today. The theatre was used as an
outdoor Orthodox basilica during the Byzantine era.
Remains of the Roman Bath and the Byzantine Church with
wide arched windows on the south bank of the river can
be seen,. In the main necropolis to the south of the
river are more than 200 inscribed tombs. As a result of
recent excavations 2 sarcophagi, named Port Monumental
Tombs, have been unearthed. Today the area is a
favourite tourist spot, with its beach of outstanding
beauty and small guest houses, restaurants, yörük style
bungalows and gazebo tree houses, in character with the
natural surroundings.
BELLEROPHONTES & CHIMERA
According to the Myth this is where Bellerophon kills
Chimaera with his flying horse, but cannot extinguish
the fire coming out of its mouth. Thus, this is the
place where the Olympic torch is fired. People organized
festivities and celebrations which also lay the
foundations of the Olympic games in commemoration of
this event. In reality it is an inflammable gas, which
consists of a 46% hydrogen and 34% methane compound,
issuing from the cracks formed as a result of the
tectonic earthquakes. The noteworthy ancient ruin in the
area is the Byzantine Orthodox Basilica Complex, which
contains the residential quarters of priests, and
churches. The ceremonial and reception area in the south
being made of large, single piece block stones confirms
the existence of the Temple of the God of Fire here.
Bellerophontes BELLEROPHON, or BELLEROPHONTES, in Greek
legend, son of Glaucus or Poseidon, grandson of Sisyphus
and local hero of Corinth. Having slain by accident the
Corinthian hero Bellerus (or, according to others, his
own brother) he fled to Tiryns, where his kinsman
Proetus, king of Argos, received him hospitably anc~
purged him of his guilt. But Anteia (or Sthcneboea),
wife of Proetus, became enamoured of Bellerophon, and,
when he refusbd her advances, charged him with an
attempt upon her virtue. Proetus thereupon sent him to
Iobates, his wifes father, king of Lycia, with a letter
or sealed tablet, in which were instructions, apparently
given by means of signs, to take the life of the bearer.
Arriving in Lycia, he was received as a guest and
entertained for nine days. On the tenth, being asked the
object of his visit, he handed the letter to the king,
whose first plan for complying with it was to send him
to slay the Chimaera, a monster which was devastating
the country. Bellerophon,moun.ted on Pegasus(q.v.) ,kept
up in the air out of the way of the Chithaera, but yet
near enough to kill it with his spear, or, as he is at
other times represented,with his sword or with a bow. He
was next ordered out against the Solymi, a hostile tribe,
and afterwards against the Amazons, from both of which
expeditions he not only returned victorious, but also on
his way back slew an ambush of chosen warriors whom
lobates had placed to intercept him. His divine origin
was now proved; the king gave him his daughter in
marriage; and the Lycians presented him with a large and
fertile estate on which he lived (Apollodorus, j. 3;
Homer, Iliad, Vi. 155). Bellerophon is said to have
returned to Tiryns and avenged himself on Anteia: he
persuaded her to fly with him on his winged horse, and
then flung her into the sea near the island of Melos (Schol.
Aristoph., Fax, 140). His ambitious attempt to ascend to
the heavens on Pegasus brought upon him the wrath of the
gods. His son was smitten by Ares in battle; his
daughter Laodameia was slain by Artemis; he himself,
flung from his horse, lamed or blinded, became a
wanderer over the face of the earth until his death
SARPEDON Grand son of Bellerophon, son of Zeus and
Laodameia, a Lycian prince and hero of the Trojan war.
He fought on the side of the Trojans, and after greatly
distinguishing himself by his bravery, was slain by
Patroclus.
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