Kekova

Kekova is a small Turkish island on the Lycian coast near the town of Demre in the Antalya region. The now uninhabited island is 5.7 km ² and 7.5 km long; the highest elevation is 180 meters.

On the north side of the island of Kekova are partly sunken ruins of the ancient city Dolikhiste. In the 2nd century AD the city was destroyed by an earthquake during the Byzantine era rebuilt but later abandoned. Another quake - probably in the 10th century - led to the ruins today are mostly under water. In the north- west of the island there was in the ancient city Xera a shipyard (Turkish: Tersane ) with the possibility of launching.

The region also includes the Kekova situated on the nearby mainland locations Üçagiz (ancient Theimiussa ), the ancient city Aperlai and the small coastal Kaleköy, which was built on the ancient Simena. From Üçagiz from the small port town on the mainland opposite Kekova, offering boat trips to the sunken ruins. Since 1990, the Kekova region is with its 260 km ² nature reserve. In the area of the sunken cities of the swimming, diving or snorkeling is prohibited.