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Pinara (Πίναρα) was an ancient Lycian city located in a spectacular setting in modern-day Turkey. It’s largely unexcavated and a great place to explore if you want to avoid the crowds.
History of Pinara
According to Byzantine author Stephanos (6th century), Pinara was founded atop Mount Cragus in the 5th century BC when the nearby city of Xanthos became overpopulated. Its Lycian name was Pilleñni or Pinale, meaning round hill or round, describing the city’s Upper Acropolis.
Around 540 BC, Pinara was conquered by Median general Harpagus on behalf of the Persians and absorbed into the Persian Empire. It surrendered to Alexander the Great in 334 BC and became part of the Kingdom of Pergamon after his death. Pinara was later granted autonomy as a Roman protectorate in 168 BC as one of the six principal cities of the Lycian League. In 43 AD, Lycia became a Roman province under Emperor Claudius.
Pinara was leveled by an earthquake in 141 and rebuilt thanks to funds donated by benefactor Opromaos. Another earthquake devastated the city in 240. Pinara was Christianized quite early and was inhabited until the 9th century. The site was rediscovered in 1839 by British archaeologist Charles Fellows (1799-1860). It remains mostly unexcavated.
Visiting Pinara
Pinara is open daily and admission is free (as of April 2024). It’s about a 45-minute drive from Fethiye and isn’t served by public transportation. You can take a minibus to Minare, the nearest village, and walk uphill for about 30 minutes to the site. At the entrance is a small guardhouse and parking lot.
Pinara is also inaccessible. There’s no information posted anywhere other than a few signs pointing visitors in the right direction and labels for some structures. Many of the paths are overgrown and it’s not easy to get around in some parts. It is, however, absolutely worth your time if you feel like visiting an undiscovered site. If you do decided on a visit to Pinara, I recommend good hiking shoes if you’re planning on visiting anything other than the Theatre.
Necropolis
I started my visit to Pinara at the Necropolis. I followed a path from the parking lot that quickly became shaded by trees. After a few minutes, some of the rock-cut tombs came into view.
The tombs are house-type tombs cut directly into the slope of the Lower Acropolis. Many façades were decorated to resemble the traditional wooden architecture of Lycia. You’ll notice some decorated with carvings while others include various architectural elements.
The South Necropolis is carved into a mountain to the south. I didn’t walk over to it but it seems even more impressive. It’s best seen from the south side of the Lower Acropolis.
Lower Acropolis
The Lower Acropolis was settled when the Upper Acropolis became insufficient. It’s much more accessible than the Upper Acropolis and contains the remains of a few structures that have been signposted. To get there, I followed a path from the Necropolis. Along the way I passed by the Roman Bath and got some great scenery.
After the bath, the Lycian walls came into view. I continued along the path until a point where I could climb up around them. The views kept getting more spectacular.
Temple
Once on the Lower Acropolis, I passed a collection of columns and blocks strewn all over the ground. Just beyond them I saw the remains of a small temple.
Bull-Headed Tomb
Next, I followed a path along the outside of the walls to find the rock-cut tomb with a bull’s head carved above the entrance. It’s one of the most famous tombs at Pinara.
There are tombs on either side of the Bull-Headed Tomb, both with characteristics typical of Lycian tombs. The view from the tombs is also amazing.
Agora
Back on the Lower Acropolis, I entered the Agora, which was the main commercial and social area of Pinara. It features an Odeon on the left side a few steps from the entrance.
Walking through the Agora, I passed by the remains of a handful of Roman period buildings. They aren’t in very good condition.
At the end of the path through the Agora are some sarcophagi and rock-cut tombs. The sarcophagi are of the Lycian type with a rounded lid.
Another Temple?
Walking down from the Lower Acropolis, I noticed a flat area with some fallen columns. A publication I found online mentioned it’s a temple. There’s also a Lycian sarcophagus nearby.
Upper Acropolis
The Upper Acropolis is noticeable as soon as you enter the archaeological site at Pinara. It’s the oldest settlement of the city and contains some Byzantine structures. There’s a path up to the top but I didn’t walk up. Judging by the look of it, I imagine it’s not an easy hike.
The most striking feature of the Upper Acropolis is the seemingly endless number of tombs cut into the cliffside. They’re quite impressive to look at and even more so when you wonder how they were carved.
Theatre of Pinara
The final structure I visited at Pinara is the Theatre. It sits on a flat area east of the Lower Acropolis and is the best preserved feature of Pinara. It was built into a hill in the late 2nd century BC.
The Theatre has 27 rows of seating and could accommodate up to 3,200 people. The orchestra has a diameter of 14.5 meters and is backed by a stage building.
