Oinoanda — The Land of Wine
A Forgotten Name, A Living Legacy
What is Oinoanda
Wiyanawanda?
Oinoanda is an ancient Lycian city, about 50 km from Elmalı, in southern Türkiye. In Hittite tablets dated to 1500 B.C., this land was called Wiyanawanda — which translates to “the land of wine.” That single phrase is the first written evidence linking this region with viticulture more than 3,000 years ago.
A City Written in Stone
Oinoanda is not only famous for wine. It is also known for the world’s largest ancient philosophical inscription, carved on its city walls in the 2nd century A.D. Alongside this unique cultural record, Lycian tombs like the Kızılbel tomb near Elmalı (6th century B.C.) and Greco-Roman ruins scattered across the plateau prove the deep historical layers of this land. These sites show us how wine, philosophy, and life were inseparable here.
