According to legend, the sun god Apollo himself founded the city of Telmessos, now Fethiye. According to legend, Apollo fell in love with the youngest daughter of Phoenician King Agenor. To approach his beloved, he took the form of a small, graceful dog. They married and a son was born, whom they named Telmessos. Apollo gave the city he founded the name of his son.

Ancient Telmessos, one of the most important cities in Lycia, was located on the western border of the empire, on the border to the Karier region. Although there are no clear documents about the foundation of the city, it is assumed that the city was founded in the 5th century BC.

The city came under Persian rule in 547 BC and became the seat of a governor of the Persian king. In the winter of 344 / 343 BC Telmessos was besieged by Alexander the Great and surrendered quickly. The Romans subordinated the city to the Kingdom of Pergamum in 189 BC. After its decline, Telmessos was incorporated into the Lycian Confederation. It became one of the six most important cities of the Confederation.

The theatre in the 80s of the last century

The theatre during renovation works 2015

On the rocks above the city, an acropolis plateau, stands the ruin of St. John's Castle, built in the 15th century by knights of the Rhodian Order of St. John with the support of the Genoese. It is sometimes easy to see that the remains of much older buildings have been included.

Apart from numerous, mostly ignored smaller rock tombs and several sarcophagi, only the remains of St. John's Castle and the theatre built in an early Hellenistic style have survived the times. In the old town the traditional Eski Hamam from the 16th century has been preserved. Also preserved is the old mosque Eski Cami, which Cezayirli Hasan had Paşa built in 1791.