Kilistra Ancient City

Also known as Lystra, Kilistra Ancient City is located southwest of Konya in south-central Turkey. The site includes remains of ancient settlements, rock-carved churches, and public buildings that hint at the city's historical and cultural significance. To reach here head southwest along the Konya-Antalya highway until they near the village of Erenkaya, where signs will direct them towards Kilistra (often confused with Lystra). From this junction, it’s a 13-kilometer drive down country lanes to the modern village of Gökyürt and the ancient ruins of Kilistra.

While Lystra itself is not heavily excavated, you can explore its Sandıkkay Chapel, grand cistern at Ardıçlı Hill, with its three naves, and Sümbül Church. Lystra is historically notable for its association with St. Paul of Tarsus, who visited the city during his missionary journeys as recounted in the Acts of the Apostles. It is also where Timothy, one of Paul’s notable converts and later a prominent Christian leader, hailed from. A key find in the area is a Latin inscription dedicated to Caesar Augustus, which helped confirm the location of ancient Lystra. This inscription underscores the city's importance as a Roman colony established around 25 BC to secure Roman control over Asia Minor.