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Patara Archeological Site, Kas

3rd Millennium B.C.- A.D. 1200

The Historical Heritage Protection Foundation of Turkey has collaborated with The Landmarks Foundation in conserving the Patara archeological site.  Wide protective sandy beaches and a deep Mediterranean bay helped make Patara the wealthy capital of the Lycian-Pamphilian province.  Those same attributes have attracted developers who today are eager to explore this portion of the southern Turkish coast.  Patara itself has so far resisted tourist development but hotels have been built on its periphery.    Most of Patara remains unexcavated though many monuments are visible, including a bouleuterion (public assembly building), Roman baths, granarium theatre, stone itinerarium listing distances and directions to other cities and Corinthian temple.  Ironically, it is the unearthing of these monuments that has fostered their decay - from windblown sand and groundwater infiltration as well as the impact of tourists and earthquakes.  The stability of the temple is especially tenuous; the architrave of the cella (inner room) is broken and its collapse could take with it the entire facade.

Film clip of Patara

Photographs

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