Pinara Antique City

The name of the Lycian city at the base of Mount Babadağ is Pinara, which literally means 'Round' in the Lycian language. It is situated about 40 kilometers from Fethiye and close to Xantos, another Lycian city. People from Xantos settled in what is now the city of Pinara. Rock-cut graves were constructed in honor of the man who founded Pinara after the city had become prosperous. Then, they dug graves into the vertical face of the mountain, creating a necropolis (graveyard) that looks like an eagle's nest, stretching from the peak to the city below.

This city has the best ancient vista in the area. Fewer tourists visit than comparable ancient cities since this one appears to be out of reach from afar.

It is the modern-day settlement of Minare in the Muğla Province, Turkey, since its name has been slightly merged with that of Pinara. The harbor appears to have silted up to become the reed-filled wetlands of today, but the city's huge and spectacular ruins suggest it once served as one of Lycia's greatest and chief port cities. Pinara's isolation is one of its most distinguishing features.

Several ancient temples, a rock cemetery (including a so-called 'royal tomb'), an upper and a lower acropolis, a theater, an odeon, an agora, a church, and public baths are all still standing at Pinara.

How to explore Pinara?

• Upon reaching the top of the hill through the dirt path, Pinara will appear as a collection of tombs cut into a circular outcropping of rock. It would be appropriate to compare the site's structure to a honeycomb.
• The Pinara theater is one of the most impressive structures from the city's ancient era that has survived. The 3200-seat theater has 27 rows of seating. A number of the theater's doors and its seats remain intact; the seats face the proscenium and have slanted sides.
• A defensive wall holds up a viewing deck on the sloping Lower Acropolis.
• There is a flat area in front of the Odeon that was once used as an agora. The water source in the lower acropolis continues to play an important role in the city's history and development.
• Cyclopean masonry was used in the construction of the walls and some of the buildings; the entrance gates are enormous, made up of three enormous stones. Check out the way these walls were constructed.
• Numerous tombs include inscriptions written in Lycian characters, while Greek is also commonly found on the same tombs. Beautiful and elaborate sculptures decorate some of these rock tombs.
• Pinara has a heart-shaped pillar and phalluses etched into the rock blocks it was built with, both of which are rare and may indicate that phallic worship was performed there.
• Several sarcophagi, in varying states of disrepair, can be seen scattered about the acropolis.