Kaunos - an ancient town in the Bay of Dalyan River, about thirty kilometers from Marmaris. Creation of the ancient city attributed to the 10th century BC. The legend says that the city of Caunos was built on the border of Likya Karja. In the city and is currently under archaeological excavations under the guidance of eminent archaeologist and Professor Cengiz Ishik. Kaunos keeps centuries of history - during its existence the city was besieged and the troops of Alexander the Great, and the warriors of ancient Rome.

As a result of investigations on the site of the ancient city have been found items related to the ancient, medieval, Byzantine and Roman periods. The city is a major port during the ancient times, now he kept away from the coast due to the formation of the delta of Dalyan. Strabo, one of the leading geographers and historians of antiquity, said: "Kaunos is located on the beach and near Kalbis flows." He also noted that the city had the shipyard and port, the entrance to which was closed.

Considering the geographic location of Kaunos it can be concluded that it is opposite on the southern coast of Rhodes Kare. On the north side of the city is surrounded by mountains Menderes and the western part, facing the sea - the Lycian rock tombs. It is separated from the rest of the valleys of Kari, his face looking to the side of the Liki, located on the southern and eastern parts.

The ancient city is located at an altitude of 152 meters above sea level, and the Acropolis in the south-west of the city. A small tower on the peninsula, which has a height of about fifty meters built in the form of language, spread out between two hills to the sea. During the ancient and the beginning of the classical era city walls, built on the back of Kaunos, the Little Tower and the Acropolis, as well as inner-walls, formed for the city a kind of protective shield. Since up to now not yet throughout the excavations were made, it is not completely clear the exact layout of the ancient city. We only know that it has been extended terraces in the period Gekatomnidlera. Previous terraces have been restored, and in subsequent periods, the construction of new and larger.

The town's name is mentioned in the third millennium BC . e .  Kaunos suffered presence on its territory a large number of people: the Ionians, Carians, Persians, Lycians, Romans, Byzantines and Greeks .  Beylik Menteshe distributed here in 1291 his power, and in 1392, these lands were annexed to the Ottoman Sultan Bayazid State .  One of the characters become Kaunos rock graves dating from the fourth century BC .  e .  These clearly rising above the grave of Dalyan also used in Roman times .  In Lycian type tombs are often established lounger, consisting of three stones on the lounger laid the dead man, and the facade gable decorations for the graves and two Ionian columns .  However, not all the tombs can be approached, for the brave there is a rope ladder .  It has long been decayed remains of people buried here .  Eternal memory of bygone civilizations guarded by two lion heads, which on the surface Carian tombs facing each other .

Kaunos was an important trade and port city. Over time, the bay due to silt deposits has lost its meaning and shallow. According to Herodotus, the people of Kaunos called themselves natives Girita. The city was founded by the son of Miletos Kaunos, exiled from home because of the restricted communication with his sister.

Jetty is a ten minute walk from town. Arriving here on the yachts leave their ships near the island Delikli and fit on the boats through the channel to the pier. The city port was located in the lake at the foot of the Acropolis Syulyuklyu. The sea at that time was at the level of the acropolis. When all of Anatolia was under the influence of Persia, at the time of the Persian invasion, Kaunos came under the management of Mausolus. After Alexander the Great defeated the Persians controlled city became Princess Ada, then Antigonus, and after Ptolemeus. The town was part of the queue in Rhodes and the Kingdom of Bergamo.

Fragments located on the north side of the walls are the medieval buildings. The longest wall starts from the northern side of the port and extends to the cliffs near the village of Dalyan. The northern part of the wall was built during the reign of Mausolus. Structures in the north-west side, were built during the Hellenistic period, and those that are located directly near the port, belong to an even earlier ages.

At the foot of the Acropolis is the theater. Its ground floor has a series of thirty-three seats. One located to the west of the theater buildings, a basilica-like church. The rest belonged to the church and the ruins of a bath. Behind the building, which has a contour in the form of an open circle and decorated with sleek columns, you can see the podium, standing on three stages. Historians believe that this is also the ruins of a temple. What served as the basis for the foundation of all - is unknown.

During excavations in the area of ​​the old port in the northern part it was found Gallery honors. In the surrounding area there is a set of pedestals, but the articles themselves have been found. Source, found not far from the Gallery, now restored.