Patara Archaeological Site

Patara is an ancient site in the Kas district of Antalya. It was a port city where the grains were stored and transported from Anatolia to Rome, and it was the only place to open to the sea in the Xanthos Valley, hence it was the capital of the Lycian Union. Besides, Saint Nicholas, better known as "Santa Claus," was born in Patara, and St. Paul took a boat from here to Rome. It became a Roman province in 43 AD and gained a reputation as an Apollon prophecy center. Later, in the Byzantine era, Patara Bishop Eudemos was the only authorized signatory of Lycia during the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. Today, the Triumphal Arch, the lighthouse, which was built by the Roman Emperor Nero, Granarium, and other ruins can be seen. The beach is outstanding in Patara, and the Santa Clause Museum is too close for visiting.