Kaya Village or Ghost town as it is more recently known is one of the nearest to Fethiye and is noteworthy by its historical significance as well as its beautiful natural surroundings of the sea, forests, plains and hills. Kaya means rock and the name is derived from the rocky land on which it was built under the Turkish regime. Surrounded by forests and leaning against rocky hills, backed by the sea and facing the fertile plains this district has attracted many civilizations throughout history. The first dates back to the fourth century BC. It has gone through the Lucian, Roman, Byzanthian and the Ottoman periods.
The first thing you are likely to see are the ruins of the Greek town. As the Turkish war of independence ended with a victory for the Turks, an emnity grew between them and the Greeks fighting on the Anatolian soil and the Greek communities who for centuries had lived happily side by side and in friendship with them as neighbours. An exchange agreement was signed between the Turkish and Greek administration and the Greek orthodox population of Levissi (as Kaya was originally known) were sent back to Greece while the Turks living in Greece were sent back here. Levissi was vacated in line with the stipulations of the agreement of the Turkish - Greek population exchange on the 30th June 1923. When the Turks arrived they could not settle in the village and moved down to the plains. Thus the appearance of a ghost town. There are still two churches standing and are worth a visit.The main one the Panayia Piryiotissa Basilica still has murals,mosaic floors and marble alter screens.Just outside the church is a small building containing human bones.When the Greeks were leaving they exhumed and took the skulls of their ancestors away with them. Both the upper and lower churches are believed to have been built around the early Byzantine period around 1883.
The significant silhouette of Kaya village is composed of approx 1,000 houses, 2 large churches, 14 chapels, 2 schools, that have survived in a partly demolished state to this day! The houses are built on the slopes and do not overshadow each other which shows attractive samples of the local architecture of that time. Local skilled workmen built all these houses and cisterns to collect rain provided water. There is even a monastery (Afkula Monastery) to the west of the village aprox 3 km.
Kaya has been declared a historical monument and we would advise you not to miss this on your visit to this area! It is a must
Kaya Village or Ghost town as it is more recently known is one of the nearest to Fethiye and is noteworthy by its historical significance as well as its beautiful natural surroundings of the sea, forests, plains and hills. Kaya means rock and the name is derived from the rocky land on which it was built under the Turkish regime. Surrounded by forests and leaning against rocky hills, backed by the sea and facing the fertile plains this district has attracted many civilizations throughout history. The first dates back to the fourth century BC. It has gone through the Lucian, Roman, Byzanthian and the Ottoman periods. 
he first thing you are likely to see are the ruins of the Greek town. As the Turkish war of independence ended with a victory for the Turks, an emnity grew between them and the Greeks fighting on the Anatolian soil and the Greek communities who for centuries had lived happily side by side and in friendship with them as neighbours. An exchange agreement was signed between the Turkish and Greek administration and the Greek orthodox population of Levissi (as Kaya was originally known) were sent back to Greece while the Turks living in Greece were sent back here. Levissi was vacated in line with the stipulations of the agreement of the Turkish - Greek population exchange on the 30th June 1923. When the Turks arrived they could not settle in the village and moved down to the plains. Thus the appearance of a ghost town. There are still two churches standing and are worth a visit.The main one the Panayia Piryiotissa Basilica still has murals,mosaic floors and marble alter screens.Just outside the church is a small building containing human bones.When the Greeks were leaving they exhumed and took the skulls of their ancestors away with them. Both the upper and lower churches are believed to have been built around the early Byzantine period around 1883. 
The significant silhouette of Kaya village is composed of approx 1,000 houses, 2 large churches, 14 chapels, 2 schools, that have survived in a partly demolished state to this day! The houses are built on the slopes and do not overshadow each other which shows attractive samples of the local architecture of that time. 
Local skilled workmen built all these houses and cisterns to collect rain provided water. There is even a monastery (Afkula Monastery) to the west of the village aprox 3 km. 
