Place New Testament
Patara
Patara was a coastal city in Lycia (modern-day Turkey) where Paul changed ships during his journey to Jerusalem. Mentioned once in Scripture, at Acts 21:1.
Why it matters. A city in Lycia visited by Paul
- Primary passages
- Location
- 36.275, 29.319 (approximate, within about 2 km)
Coordinates from STEPBible TIPNR (palopenmaps.org link). Approximate; not independently verified.
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Patara
Patara was a significant port city in the province of Lycia, located on the southwestern coast of modern-day Turkey. It is mentioned in the New Testament in Act.21.1, which records that Paul, during his third missionary journey, changed ships at Patara while traveling from Rhodes to Tyre on his way to Jerusalem. Patara was known for its temple and oracle of Apollo, as well as its harbor and maritime trade. The city was also famous for its lighthouse, which was one of the most renowned in the ancient world. Although the biblical reference to Patara is brief, it provides insight into the trade routes and transportation methods used by early Christians in the Mediterranean region.
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
Connections
No reviewed connections yet.
Appears in Scripture
Named in 1 verse across 1 book. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.
Acts (1 verse)