Sacred_Way

Labraunda

According to Strabo (ca. 63 BC – AD 21), a paved road of almost sixty stadia (ca. 10.6-11.6 km), called the Sacred Way, led from Labraunda to Mylasa. Aelian reported the length of the road as 70 stadia (ca. 12.4-13.5 km), which appears a little more correct. Much of this road has been destroyed but some parts are still preserved. One stretch up to 8 meters wide and about 200 meters long can best be seen going back towards Milas.

A section of the Sacred Way near Labraunda.

It is situated to the left of the main road, only a few hundred metres from the entrance to the site. It is paved with large blocks of gneiss. This road, which in Strabo’s time was used for sacred processions, was in all probability originally constructed to make it possible to bring the large marble blocks for the buildings of Labraunda from the quarries west of Mylasa up to the site.