34 MAGAZINE | THE BEACH
COMMERCIAL
CENTRE
After the earthquake of 1957 most
of the buildings were re-constructed.
Only Paspatur and the fishermen’s
district behind show buildings of an
earlier era.
OLD
TOWN
hat about the the Necropolis and Acropolis.
Lycian remains The latter is today crowned by
you may say? an 11th C. castle most recently
used by the Ottoman army. The
They date from extensive Necropolis dating
a time when architects and back 2500 years broods over
stonemasons constructed to the town below. The Necropolis
resist nature’s powers. Building tombs would have looked
blocks were large and stapled bright even gaudy painted in
to each other with a mixture reds, blues and greens. Colour
of lead and iron, while older meant majesty and power…
archaic blocks were polygonal, power to frighten away any
negating any movement at all. enemy approaching the port
by sea.
Today despite the amount of
re-used classical and archaic To catch a glimpse of the
building materials, we still carved stonework of Lycia,
find signs of the Lycian port her artifacts and more recent
of Telmessos. A graeco-roman ethnographical pieces, visit
theatre looks out to sea, a lone the Fethiye Museum (opening
sarcophagus standing beside hours 9 to 5 pm…closed on
it. From this theatre a sacred Mondays). It is signposted in
way continued up the hill to the centre of the town.
W
F
ethiye is today a busy town of some
100,000 inhabitants. There is one
main post-office, several banks,
jewelers and clothes shops galore,
multiple pharmacies and an array of
electrical and electronic stores. Right in the centre of
town lies a large rectangular market where fresh fish,
meat, vegetables and spices are to be found. Two
blocks from the market lies Paspatur with a small
mosque dating to 1791, a Hamam dating to 1891,
and old port buildings…now housing souvenir
shops, restaurants and bars. A spring bubbles up in
the centre…’once drink from the Paspatur waters
and you will always return’… as an old saying goes.
The ducks really enjoy it, but if you want to return,
don’t drink!
Fethiye: What to look for in Paspatur.
Beautiful carpets and kilims…many antique ones
with naturally dyed wools. Each one tells a story, and
after visiting a few shops you will be able to tell the
story yourself….but do not get too carried away!
Fine hand-painted ceramics, glassware and other
objets d’art. The better ones are expensive... But
there is always a cheaper version!
Leatherware…fine antelope, thicker calf skins and all
at reasonable prices….try bargaining!
Genuine designer boots and shoes