Lycian Tombs of Myra

The Lycian Tombs of Myra are a group of ancient rock-cut burial chambers carved into the cliffs near Demre, in Antalya Province, Turkey.

Dating back to the 4th century BCE, Lycian Tombs of Myra represent a kind of ancient rock-cut tomb carved literally into the cliffs in the Lycian region of Turkey. Some of the most striking and impressive remains of the old Lycian civilization can be found in these tombs.

The Lycians believed in an afterlife where the dead would require their earthly belongings.

It is among the people who had the most ritualistic burial, placing the dead in tombs cut into cliffs, because it was believed that the dead would be closer to heaven.

Located above the ruins of Myra’s Roman theater, the tombs reflect Lycian beliefs about the afterlife and their unique architectural style shaped by stone and mountain.