What to know before you go
Many ancient cities in Antalya belong to the Lycian civilization and are located between the cities of Kaş and Fethiye.
A very important one to visit is Letoon, the federal sanctuary of ancient Lycia. It’s located in the village of Kumluova which lies 4 km southwest of Xanthos.
In this article, we will go over the important things to know before visiting the ancient city of Letoon in the Antalya region.
The ruins and artifacts at Letoon show that the city was once one of the most important religious centers of Lycia. Letoon was the unified sanctuary of the Lycian Union near the ancient city of Xanthos.
In this sanctuary, there are the temples of Leto, Apollo, and Artemis, as well as the ruins of a monastery, a fountain, and a Roman theater. It houses the largest temple dedicated to Leto, mother of Artemis and Apollo, built in the peripteros style.
The Legend of Leto
According to legend, Leto, after giving birth to Apollo and Artemis at Delos was fleeing from the wrath of Hera and sought refugee on the coast. She came back to wash her children in a spring in the Valley of Xanthos. The Goddess Leto takes revenge on the locals for interfering and not letting her drink from a pond, and turns them all into frogs. Thus, a sanctuary grew up around this spring.
Here, the Temple of Leto was built in the name of the Goddess Leto where this event took place. The other two temples are dedicated to Artemis and Apollo. Today, only the foundations of these three temples remain.
There is a fountain to the southwest of the temples and a basilica to the east.
To the north of the city, there is a Stoa and a Hellenistic theater with its back partly leaning on the natural slope. The central part is cut into the rock. Only the wings were built. Two arched entrances, equipped with beautiful doors, correspond to the passage of the road which, curiously, crossed the theater. The north door is decorated with masks. The capacity of the theater is estimated to be 5,000 seats.
If you have time, follow the tree-lined road to the beach. Letoon beach is a part of the 18 km long Patara beach.
The ancient city of Letoon is located on the Muğla-Antalya border.
Directions for private vehicles: You can reach Letoon with the Kaş-Fethiye highway from Antalya. After turning onto the road near Kinik at the 65th km of the road, you continue for 4 km and reach the ancient city of Letoon.
You can combine your trip with a visit to the ancient city of Xanthos by following the Xanthos signs a little further down the same road.
Bus: You can also use the KUMLUOVA-FETHİYE bus to get Kumluova and then take a taxi cab to reach the ancient site.
As an Antalya Tourism Guide for your Antalya Dental Travels, we examined the most interesting places in Antalya and collected the most beautiful sights. While on a dental holiday in Antalya, you can safely find an answer the following question: What to see in Antalya? We welcome your comments and feedback.
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