The earliest information about Labraunda was taken from Herodotus, the famous historian of ancient times. Labraunda was a very important cult center for the Carians who lived in the southwest of Anatolia at that time. It is thought that the origin of the cult of Zeus Labraundos, the "Double Ax God", lies in the large rock just above the water source and temple terrace.

If you survive the drive getting here (more on that at the end of this review), you will find Labranda (Labraunda) to be quite a fascinating historical site. I spent almost three hours here on a perfectly beautiful day in spring 2023, and only two other people showed up, so Labranda is definitely off the beaten tourist path. That means it is very quiet, unspoiled, you won't be constantly eagle-eyed by over-zealous caretakers as happens at places like Eleusis and Delphi, no graffiti, and you can physically experience the site in its entirety, even scrambling inside Zeus' rock cleft atop the cliff. There is also no charge to park or enter the site. The downside, however, is a lack of off-street parking (you have to park along the roadway), primitive toilet, and a bit of safety risk with the steepness and cliff. Definitely not accessible to wheelchairs. Some reviewers have complained about lack of informational signage, but I counted at least ten informational signs, all in excellent condition in both Turkish and English. Famous in antiquity for its oracle of Zeus, his cult here dated from the 6th century BC, but most of what you see today is from the 4th century BC. Zeus' oracle was (almost) unique in antiquity, it is conjectured, for using "bejeweled" fish as its method of divination. The remains include a large Hypostyle Fountain which was calculated to hold more than 2000 cubic feet of water(60 x 25 feet; "Hypostyle" means a building that has a roof supported by a row of columns). Labranda consists of a series of constructed terraces going uphill from the roadway, mostly connected by stairways (one of which is quite grand). The Temple of Zeus lies at the foot of the cliff just to the west of the cleft rock. The cleft in that rock, by the way, is split so wide that you can walk right through it, and at the back and below it (opposite the cliff face) some ancient stairs can be seen cut into the rock. That dramatic cleft rock, coupled with the fresh water spring directly below it, was the original attraction for a sanctuary here. The mythological tale is that Zeus threw a thunderbolt into the rock which split it. The most vertical buildings on site are "androns" or entertainment buildings for men dating from the 4th century BC. Atop the cliff there is a prominent rock with a rectangular hole cut into it, but it is a mystery since there was no signage concerning it. Only after my visit to Labranda did I realize there may be additional ruins further south (see with satellite image at coordinates 37.404176, 27.805689), but I did not visit that spot. Since there were a series of tombs and sepulchers along the ancient Sacred Way, perhaps that is what lies there, but that's a guess. Labranda is definitely worth visiting, but I need to add a strong cautionary note. The 9 mile (14 km) drive to Labranda from Milas can be rather harrowing. There are immense marble quarries operated by Kultan Mining to the north, and consequently the Milas Karpuzlu Yolu roadway gets jammed with huge trucks trying to drive as rapidly as possible. That's a problem because the roadway is terribly inconsistent in both width and surface quality, such that there are times when you need to drive around sharp/blind corners with barely room for one vehicle to pass. I had to deal with at least 60 trucks barreling at me along this twisty drive, and that led to several near misses (of the head-on collision variety). Not for the faint of heart. Presumably, that roadway is built along much of the ancient Sacred Way that connected Labranda with Mylasa (today's Milas) when the oracle was in full swing.

Highly recommended! The road is precarious, with heavy truck traffic due to a nearby quarry. The ruins are impressive, the view over the hills simply stunning. On a February mid-week we had the site to ourselves (with a friendly site guard). The toilet was very clean.

(Translated by Google) You should definitely drink from this water (Original) Bu sudan kesinlikle içmelisiniz

Amazing ancient archeological site. It's a bit difficult to reach as there is virtually no way of getting there with public transportation, but if you have a car, do not miss it. It's usually very quiet so you get the whole place to yourselves.

Flintstone houses ⛰️🏚️🤠 I don't know what was more astonishing... The once 4 lane mega highway that quickly funnels down into single lane bottleneck road paved in soap with massive 18-wheelers flying up the side of this twisty mountain pass or these ancient tombs from over 4,800 years ago just off the side of said suicide road 🤔 I'm not exaggerating when I say no less than three times we truly thought there would have been a massive accident with serious fatalities when multiple semi trucks met each other coming around these crazy sharp slippery corners driving like bats out of hell 🚛💨🦇🔥🔥🔥🔥 We got here pretty late in the day and actually got to have an amazing sunset to enjoy while exploring these ruins. The guard who lives here 24/7 was very friendly but was not overly happy about giving us a very quick nickel tour before he was tossing us out on our ear since we were there after hours 😂🤣😂 I completely understand. No one wants to work after hours doing overtime while their dinner is getting cold 🤗🤷‍♂️💪 I was really impressed with these tombs carved out of massive boulders. Things like this simply astonish me because I have trouble comprehending just how much time energy and effort would have been needed to make something like this back in the day 🤯 There were some really great temples and an amphitheater here as well. Overlooking the valley with the sunset made this place extra special for sure 👌👌👌 I even got to have some mountain pup love! This doggy was super cool and very protective of this site. He had crazy gentle eyes though... Almost as if he knew all the secrets of the universe like a big furry Buddha... I miss this pup already 😭🐶🌄🐾

(Translated by Google) It is 14 km away from Milas and on the road to Karpuzlu. The ruins are beautiful. It has water. Watch out for the long trucks coming from Aman marble quarries, the road is too narrow and risky. An ancient city worth seeing. Among the green pines. (Original) Milastan 14 km uzaklıkta ve Karpuzlu yolu üzerindedir. Kalıntılar güzel. Suyu vardır. Aman mermer ocaklarından gelen uzun tırlara dikkat edin.Yol çok dar ve riskli. Görmeye değer bir antik kent. Yeşil çamlar arasında.

One of my favourites Absolutely no one here except for a caretaker and his dog, fantastic views! Free entry

This site is somewhat off of the beaten track. Off road (just!) Parking very limited! Maybe 4 cars max? Free to enter. Lots to see and some information boards too (English and Turkish). Expect to have to scramble. We walked it wearing trainers but recommend walking boots. Will be very wet underfoot if it has rained. Lots of information boards (English and Turkish).

Nice quiet place. Definitely off the tourist beaten path. Amazing complex for being so far out in the middle of nowhere. Great place if you like original archeology but not so good if you didn’t research it in advance (not much signage). “Guarded” by super cute Anatolian Sheepdog. Be sure to spend quality time with her!

Entry is free. It's a nice place to visit. The journey takes a long time and the road is bad.

Labranda Ancient City is in a perfect location

(Translated by Google) It is a place from 300 BC to the present day. It has sections still standing. Excavations continue. The view of Milas from the hill is magnificent. It must be seen by those who are interested in history. The way is smooth. (Original) M.Ö 300 lü yıllardan günümüze kadar gelen bir yer. Hala ayakta duran bölümleri var. Kazı çalışmaları devam ediyor. Tepeden Milas görüntüsü muhteşem. Tarihe merak duyanlarca görülmesi gerekir. Yolu düzgün.

The ruins are great to see. The road to reach the ancient city is a bit difficult with a lot of potholes and trucks, therefore I strongly recommend to be careful. But you can be sure that the view and atmosphere totally worth that difficulty. Enjoy the breathtaking view 🤩🤩

(Translated by Google) The ancient city of Labranda is in Kocayayla, 14 km north of Bodrum Milas. It is the place of the cross of Caria, and it was established as a sacred area above the mountains. The “Double Ax God” cult is believed to originate from the cult of Zeus Labraundos, based on the big rock just above the water source and the temple terrace. The water, known as Labranda water, comes from a source in the ruins. Entrance is free. Excavations are still ongoing. (Original) Labranda antik kenti, Bodrum Milas’ ın 14 km kuzeyindeki Kocayayla’ dadır. Karialıların haç yeri olup, dağların üstünde kutsal bir alan olarak kurulmuştur. “Çift Baltalı Tanrı” Zeus Labraundos kültünün kökeninin, su kaynağı ve tapınak terasının hemen üzerindeki büyük kayaya dayandığı düşünülmektedir. Labranda suyu olarak bilinen su, ören yerindeki bir kaynaktan gelmektedir. Giriş ücretsizdir. Kazılar halen devam etmektedir.

(Translated by Google) It should be made more beautiful but a little neglected (Original) Güzel ama biraz bakımsız daha uygun hale getirilmeli

It is a must for those travellers who wants to understand more about ancient history

Easy to find. Parking at 37.41795, 27.82002 Compact site, easy to navigate with free entry (Dec.2023). A pleasant couple of hours viewing another marvel of the Hekatomnids, with striking views towards the Milas plains. Although the site is surrounded by many (obscure & not easy to find) tombs, one of the better clusters, (TO7) is at 37.41687, 27.81616 with ample roadside parking. Also scanty remains of the sacred way are the other side of the road.

The mining roads interesting, we followed a truck up, the site is interesting, we took a picnic and had lunch up the top, the views are stunning, well worth the drive

(Translated by Google) The ruins are historical ruins, there is excellent security, the roads are narrow, bad mining trucks drive very fast, it is dangerous (Original) Ören yeri tarihî kalıntılar mükemmel güvenlik var ,yolu dar kötü maden kamyonları çok süratli gidiyor tehlikeli dir

(Translated by Google) Ancient city (Original) Antik kent

(Translated by Google) A great place to travel, have fun, have a picnic (Original) Gezmek eğlenmek piknik yapmak için harika biryer

(Translated by Google) It's a wonderful place. (Original) Muhteşem bir yer.

(Translated by Google) Going back (Original) Geçmişe gidiyorsunux

(Translated by Google) The view of the beautiful place is really nice, both for sightseeing and for sitting and resting .. (Original) Gerçekten iyi bakılmış hem gezi için hemde oturup dinlenmek için güzel yer manzarası oldukça güzel..

(Translated by Google) Although one of the historical places has been excavated for 45 years, there are still many things to do.If you go here, definitely take this container with you, the best water you can drink I think the name of the interested friend here is vast, if not too crowded, he even brews tea for you. (Original) Tarihi yerlerden biri 45 senedir kazı yapılmasına rağmen hala yapılması gereken çok şey var buraya giderseniz mutlaka yanınızda şu kabı götürün içebileceğiniz en güzel su bence burdaki ilgilenen arkadasın ismi engin çok kalabalık değilse size çay bile demliyor iyi biri burdan çok teşekkürler

(Translated by Google) It is wonderful with its fresh air and scenery. They have a dog called Karabaş. Love him too. Trucks operating between the mine and port are dangerous. (Original) Tertemi havası ve manzarası ile harika. Karabaş diye bi köpüşleri var onu da sevin. Maden liman arası çalışan kamyonlartehlikeli.

(Translated by Google) The road is very narrow, and the mining trucks go very fast. (Original) Yolu çok dar,birde maden kamyonları çok süratli gidiyorlar.

Nice place to be.

(Translated by Google) Of the most beautiful places I have ever seen ... (Original) Gördüğüm en güzel yerlerden...

Very historical and incredible view

Great place. There were only archelologists when we visited, so practically had the place for ourselves. The road is not the easiest, with narrow passages and constant stream of trucks. The truck drivers know the road well though and accommodate tourist cars

A compact but interesting archeological site. The to to it up winding mountain roads has some amazing scenery. The site itself has multiple levels and it's quite a climb to the top but it's worth it for the views.

Amazing place to be. Ancient city of Labranda. Don’t miss it. Winderful archeological site+ amazing nature. Make you feel a time travel.

Milas District Governorate Milas Labranda Ancient City LABRANDA SITE Labranda, the sanctuary of Zeus Labrandos, is 14 km from Milas. It is located in the northeast. The oldest finds belong to about 600 BC. In the 6th and 5th centuries, the sanctuary consisted of a small artificial leveling that was later used as a temple terrace. In 497, a war was fought in the sanctuary and the Carian army was defeated by the Persian army together with their allies Miletus. BC.4th century. It is the most important period of the temple. During the time of the satraps Mausolos (377-352) and Idrieus (351-344), this place takes on a new appearance. At the annual sacrifice feast in Labranda in 355, Mausolos survived an assassination at the last moment. It is because of this happy salvation that extensive construction activities were initiated here, including a series of artificial terraces, a small Doric building, a monumental staircase, two large banquet halls (androns), porch structure (oikoi), stoa, and the Temple of Zeus with columns. With the death of Idrieus in 344, these construction activities came to an end. The use of the sanctuary as a cult place ended with the great fire disaster that took place in the 4th century AD. The sanctuary in Labranda starts from Mylasa and is 8 m. It was reached by the holy road that was wide. The pavement traces on this road have been preserved until today. The area is accessed by one of the two entrance buildings. The building, called the Doric building, is located just east of the south propylon building with its irregular formation close to a rectangle. It is a Doric structure, facing north, with a four-column front courtyard, and a marble façade. This small building was included in the bath complex during the Roman Period. The Propylon area is bounded on the north by a wall showing impressive masonry, opening to long rooms with four wide passages above it. These long rooms are storage or treasury rooms. They form part of a large building complex. This is the first building started by the Hekatomnus Dynasty. It is a temple-like building with a rectangular cella and a large rectangular recess at the back. It is the best preserved building of the settlement. It is the same as the Andron of Mausolos in plan. Inside the cella, traces of low plastered benches with ottomans used during the holy feast can be found. In the niche on the back wall, the statues of the king family Idrieus and his wife Ada and Zeus were hidden. OikThis building was probably used both as the archive of the sanctuary, as well as for the working place of the priests and the holy banquet. There is a steep slope to the north of the sanctuary. It is 15 m above the temple on its southern slope. There is a long tomb. The burial chamber and its entrance are protruding vaults. The roof is made of granite in the Doric order. 200 m from the sanctuary. There is a stadium to the west, the back of which is reinforced with a retaining wall.

Put of the way site but we'll worth a visit

high and yes it rained it was lovely

Labranda, is a holy area of Zeus Labraundos, is in ancient Karia (South-western Anatolia), 14 km to the north-east of Mylasa city to which it is affiliated. The most ancient findings belong to the year 600 BC.The area that was used as holy area in the 6th and the 5th centuries and then as temple terrace consisted of a single, small, artificial terrace. A war took place in the holy area in 497 BC and Karia army has been defeated by the Persian army with its alliances. The 4th century BC is the most important period for the temple. At the times of the satraps named Mausolos (377 - 352 BC) and Idrieus (351 - 344 BC), this place gained a new appearance. In 355, during the sacrifice festival in Labranda, Mausolos escaped from an assassination attempt on his life at the last moment. Buildings such as a series of artificial terraces, one or two entrance buildings, a small Dor building (probably a fountain building), monumental stairs, two large feast halls (androns), a shed building (called oikoi), Stoa and Zeus Temple surrounded with columns must have been constructed after this event. With the death of Idrieus in 344, such works have been stopped. Because of the big fire disaster that took place in the 4th century BC, the holy area has lost its feature of being a cult place. It is supposed that some competitions were organized in the holy area here during the feast of 5 days.

You need to be very fit to get up into the ruins

(Translated by Google) It is open to the public and has free admission. (Original) Halka açık ve ücretsiz giriş imkanı var.

(Translated by Google) It is a place to travel, especially by motor. (Original) Gezilesi yer.özellikle motorla gidilip...

(Translated by Google) Historically a beautiful place. The Ministry of Culture needs some attention. It could be more beautiful. (Original) Tarihi olarak güzel bir yer. Kültür Bakanlığı'nın biraz ilgilenmesi lazım. Daha güzel olabilir.

(Translated by Google) It is definitely a must see place. "Please pay attention to the earthmoving trucks on the departure path. They are going up and down at full speed." (Original) Kesinlikle görülmesi gereken bir yer. "Gidiş yolunda hafriyat kamyonlarına lütfen dikkat edin. Son sürat hızla yukarıdan aşağı iniyorlar."

(Translated by Google) An ancient cult settlement that must be seen ... read its story before you go ... keep a cool place cardigan coats (Original) Mutlaka görülmesi gereken antik kült bir yerleşim...gitmeden hikayesini okuyun...serin bir yer hırka mont bulundurun

(Translated by Google) Very nice place to be seen. (Original) Çok güzel görülmesi gereken bir yer.

(Translated by Google) A place to see before you die (Original) Ölmeden önce görülmesi gereken bir yer

(Translated by Google) Continues to enchant even after thousands of years (Original) Binlerce yıl sonra bile büyülemeye devam ediyor

(Translated by Google) Among the places to see (Original) Görülmesi gereken yerler arasında

(Translated by Google) Traveling without stepping on cow dung requires skill (Original) Inek dışkısına basmadan gezmek kabiliyet ister

(Translated by Google) Religious capital of Caria, place of power (Original) Религиозная столица Карии, место силы

(Translated by Google) The spring water, which is considered sacred for 2000 years, is still flowing and it is potable. (Original) 2000 yıllık kutsal sayılan kaynak suyu halen akıyor ve içilebilir mutlaka gidilmeli

(Translated by Google) regretfully, there is no effort to bring civilization to light. (Original) üzülerek medeniyeti gün yüzüne çıkarma çabası yok.

(Translated by Google) Another magnificent Ancient City. Be sure to visit .. Do not forget your museum card. (Original) Yine muhteşem bir Antik Kent. Mutlaka gezin.. Müze kartınızı unutmayın.

(Translated by Google) The transportation is bad at the top and the arrangement is not made, is it worth going to depend on your opinion. (Original) Çok zirvede ulaşımı bozuk düzenleme yapılmamış gitmeye değermi sizin fikrinize baglı

Be careful to trucks. So many of them on the road...

(Translated by Google) The summer resort of Persian satraps who ruled the Caria region and an important area of ​​worship (Original) Karya bölgesini yöneten pers satraplarının sayfiye yeri ve önemli bir ıbadet alani

(Translated by Google) Don't waste time in vain. Nothing to see. But if you want to have a different experience on the old road to milas, I recommend it. The city is already closed. (Original) Hiç boşuna vakit harcamayın. Görülecek bir şey yok. Fakat milas a giden eski yol üzerinde farklı bir deneyim olsun derseniz tavsiye ederim. Şehir zaten kapalı.

(Translated by Google) It's a place that smells of history but neglected (Original) Tarih kokan bir yer ama bakımsız

(Translated by Google) Since the excavations are still going on, it may not satisfy someone who wants to see something standing on their way. But its location is quite impressive with its surroundings ... (Original) Henüz kazılar devam ettiği için gidildiğinde ayakta bir şeyler görmek isteyen birini tatmin etmeyebilir. Ama konumu, çevresi ile oldukça etkiliyici...

(Translated by Google) Nice place for historical and natural sightseeing and walking (Original) Tarihi ve doğal gezi ve yürüyüş için güzel mekan

(Translated by Google) A great place (Original) Harika bir yer

(Translated by Google) A ready-to-clean historical ancient city (Original) Temizliği yapılmış hazır bir tarihi antik kent