Aslantaş and Yılantaş Rock Tombs

Aslantaş and Yılantaş are two monumental Phrygian rock-cut tombs in the Göynüş Valley in the İhsaniye district north of Afyonkarahisar, among the most important Phrygian funerary monuments surviving in Turkey. Aslantaş — meaning Lion Stone — is named for the pair of heraldic lion reliefs flanking the upper corners of its 11-metre carved facade. The facade follows the classic Phrygian tomb type with a gabled roofline cut in relief above the carved doorway, and the overall execution is considered exceptionally fine, with the lion figures retaining considerable detail. A short walk across the valley floor brings visitors to Yılantaş — Serpent Stone — whose facade was once larger than that of Aslantaş but was shattered by a major ancient earthquake. The surviving fragments allow close examination of the construction technique and give a sense of the original monument's scale. The surrounding Göynüş Valley is a scenic stretch of dry scrubland and exposed tufa formations typical of the Phrygian plateau landscape. Both tombs are freely accessible, with no ticket office or management facility at the site. The raking light of early morning and late afternoon illuminates the lion reliefs most dramatically. A combined visit to both monuments takes around one hour, and they are most efficiently reached as part of a wider Phrygian Valley itinerary by car.