Kaş

Kaş is beautifully situated in a curving bay underneath the 500 meters high cliffs of the Yatan Adam (Sleeping Man) mountain from which there is a startling view on the bay and the Greek island of Kastellorizo (Meis in Turkish) opposite. Kaş is one of the fastest expanding towns in the field of tourism on the Turquoise Coast and has become a stylish holiday resort with some of the best shops and restaurants of the Mediterranean Region.

Historical Background

Kaş was founded as a port town, named Habesos or Habesa, by the Lycians and was a member of the Lycian League. The Greeks renamed it to Antiphellos and it developed into an important harbour during the Hellenistic period. It was made part of the Roman Empire and became the most important city in the region, famous for the export of timber and sponges. During the Byzantine period, the town suffered from Arab incursions. Later, it was later annexed by the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum.  After the decline of the Seljuks, the Ottomans took control.

Until 1923 Kaş was populated mostly by Greek fishermen and was still known under the name of Andifli. Then, after the Greco-Turkish War, in accordance to the Treaty of Lausanne, the majority of the population, which was of Greek origin, had to leave the town for Greece.

Kaş was a sleepy fishing village until the early 1980s. In the early 1990s tourism started booming in Kaş, with visitors mainly from the UK and Germany. This growth of tourism brought an explosion in apartment building (often without license), which is seriously threatening the landscape and the environment. Particularly affected is the Çukurbağ Peninsula, west of the town, which now has luxury hotels built on it.

Sights and Photos of Kaş

Only a few scattered remains of ancient Antiphellos are left. The most interesting Lycian monument is definitely the Lion Tomb amidst the carpet shops on Uzun Çarşı Caddesi. It is a Lycian sarcophagus with two burial chambers. Another important archaeological remain, just outside of town, is the almost intact Hellenistic theatre with 26 rows of seats that could hold up to 4,000 people. The tribunes and outer walls are still visible today, while no trace of the scene remains.