Discover Rhodiapolis Southern Turkey

Tea Chest Tidbits, Travel 2 Minutes

Tea Chest Tidbits – short posts with lots of delightful photos of our time in Turkey.

Just a short 30 minute drive from our home base in Finike to hills above the agricultural town of Kumluca, you will find the breathtaking site of Rhodiapolis. We gathered up a few friends from the marina and made our way up to explore Rhodiapolis. The name Rhodiapolis means Rhodian City which given that it is said to have been founded by colonists from Rhodes, makes sense. The history of Rhodiapolis is quite limited, it was a small settlement but it did have the right to mint coins, some of which have been discovered during excavation work.

Rhodiapolis was home to two quite prominent figures. The first being a wealthy philanthropist by the name of Opramoas. This gentleman was said to have donated a lot of money to 28 of the Lycian cities to assist with repairs after the devastating earthquakes between 140 and 143 AD. There is a monument to him close to the walls of the theatre with a large inscription commemorating his benefactions. The other famous resident of Rhodiapolis was Heraclitus, a well known oratory and medicine man.

Welcome to Rhodiapolis
Looking through the ruins towards Kumluca
Magnificent ruins

The city was discovered in 1842 by a British geologist, Thomas Spratt. Detailed and recorded discoveries weren’t recorded until 1894 when a team led by E. Krickl went in and spent many months excavating. There was a devastating forest fire in 2005 which caused some damage but the site has once again become part of an excavation campaign led by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

The view from the top of the amphitheatre
The steps up through the amphitheatre

The remains of the amphitheatre, sarcophogai, aqueduct, temples and and churches are all visible. We thoroughly enjoyed our time here and would highly recommend a visit.

The intricate and perfectly preserved carvings were breathtaking
Wall Plaque
An old tomb at Rhodiapolis
This wall was magnificent, we were told the inserts were most likely for idols
Perfectly balanced!
The depth of the walls is quite spectacular
Beautifully twisted tree over an old tomb

Catch us next time when we share with you a lovely trip to a village in the mountains of Southern Turkey.
Happy Tea Drinking and Fair Winds ♥

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Published by The Tea Chest Blog

The Tea Chest Blog is a space for me to share my love for all things TEA. I have always loved the ceremonial aspect of making a pot of tea, sitting in a quiet space and savouring every sip as I relax and breathe. The history, traditions and beauty of tea make it such a wonderfully calming and sharing experience that I wish for everyone.

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9 thoughts on “Discover Rhodiapolis Southern Turkey”

    1. Thanks Clive, I don’t profess to be a travel blogger but love to share our trips and adventures with everyone. Thank you for popping in to the Tea Chest Blog

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  4. I absolutely love this post! it is so descriptive and honestly I just love historical places to visit and the beauty of it all. Love the photos! Thank you for sharing what a beautiful place Turkey is!

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