Tlos Ancient City

Ancient City

Set atop a rocky bluff, an ancient Lycian city famed for its rock-cut tombs and the relief of the legendary hero Bellerophon.

Set atop a steep rocky bluff overlooking the Xanthos Valley, Tlos was one of Lycia’s oldest and most important cities — its name is thought to appear even in Hittite records, making it one of Anatolia’s settlements of many thousands of years. The temple-fronted Lycian rock tombs carved into the sheer face of the acropolis form the city’s most striking sight. On one of these tombs is a relief depicting the legendary hero Bellerophon, mounted on the winged horse Pegasus, battling the monster Chimera; according to legend, Bellerophon lived for a time at Tlos.

Spread over a wide area, the city reveals a theatre, a bath complex (the famous “Seven Gates” with its view windows), an agora, a stadium and the remains of an early church — each bearing traces of different ages: Lycian, Roman, Byzantine and later the Ottoman-era lordship. The fortress atop the slope is also known by the name of “Kanlı Ali Ağa,” who used it in Ottoman times. With its valley views, layers of history and legends, Tlos is a compelling cultural stop that pairs with Saklıkent Gorge.