Arykanda Bouleuterion

The bouleuterion of Arykanda was the meeting hall of the city council in this Lycian mountain settlement, built on one of the lower terraces that step down the steep slope on which the ancient city stands. Its rows of seating were cut directly into the natural rock of the hillside, and a long covered stoa linked the building to the city's theatre nearby, allowing council members and citizens to move between the two under cover. First built around the first century BC, the hall was renewed and embellished during the second century AD, when it was decorated with coloured marble panels and a paved orchestra floor; a surviving statue of the emperor Hadrian, flanked by carved masks of deities, was found inside, suggesting the hall hosted performances and public gatherings in addition to council business.