TELMESSOS IS A HISTORY
Fethiye is located on the border between Lycia and Caria and in antiquity was known as Telmessos. This very prominent city was dedicated to the god Apollo and was a centre of prophecy. Existing monuments from the Hellenistic and Roman periods bear witness to a city life that was rich and highly cultured. Ancient ruins include rock-tombs, Lycian-type sarcophagi, a Roman Theatre and a mediaeval castle.
The magnificent Amyntas’ Tomb is considered by many to be the symbol of Fethiye. Built high on a slope overlooking the bay, the tomb’s facade is in the style of an Ionic temple. Amyntas was believed to be either a king or a governor of Telmessos during the Hellenistic period.
The Roman Theatre stands opposite the commercial harbour near the centre of town. Typically Roman in style, it was built in the second century on the ruins of a previously built Greek style theatre. The site was excavated by the Fethiye Archaeological Museum in 1993 and a restoration project is under way to renovate the cavea and stage.
The Fethiye Archaeological Museum exhibits numerous archaeological findings from the Lycian, Hellenistic, Roman and Ottoman periods as well as ethnological works of art, typical of the region.
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