One of the oldest cities in the world, The capital of Cilicia...

A very important city where as Caesar, Cleopatra, Mark Antonius and Augustus visited. The pupil of the Roman Empire...

Birthplace of Saint Paul, who contributed the most to Christianity. The Eshabı Kehf; an important center for all religions with the position of Prophet Daniel.

Hellenes, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks, Ottomans... The apple of the eye of all states...

There are so many features that can define Tarsus.

A city full of history. .. Tarsus is so rich and full of places to visit. One day is not enough to visit them properly. For those who want to travel in the time machine and use time efficiently, we list the places to visit in Tarsus according to their locations, in such a way that you will see the most with minimum effort. In a sub-title, we will write the values ​​that are important but a little further away.

The historical points in our list of places to visit in Tarsus are listed according to their locations. You can visit in the order specified in this list.

Tarsus Museum:  Thousands of artifacts found in Tarsus, the cradle of civilizations, are exhibited here. In this museum, which is divided into halls thematically, it is possible to see animations, informative visuals, and models of historical buildings in accordance with the originals. Since this is a place where there is more parking opportunity, we recommend that you start your Tarsus tour here. Also by visiting the museum firstly you can get prior knowledge about the places you will visit in Tarsus and this  will make your Tarsus sightseeing a more memorable experience.

Ancient Roman Road: This street which was found during the excavations carried out to make a city square in 1993, was the main street of the city center during the Roman period. Important figures such as Roman Emperor Caesar, Egyptian Queen Cleopatra, Augustus, Cicero, Mark Antony and Hadrian passed through this road. The ruts and abrasions seen in some parts of the road show that the street has been used extensively in urban transportation. The world's oldest sewer system is also located on the side of the herringbone road.

 

Saint Paul's Well: Saint Paul, also known as the Apostle of Tarsus, one of the most important figures of Christianity, was born in this house. And the well is located in the garden of the house. It is believed that the water of the well is healing. Again, the house where Saint Paul is believed to have lived is exhibited here with a glass protection.

 

Old Tarsus Houses: The hot climate of Tarsus  and privacy rules of old people effects the architecture and style of houses Dozens of different houses where the streets are narrow so that the houses shade each other, and the doors are kept high so that the camels can enter impress the visitors. The difference between the architectural styles of Christian houses and Muslim houses can be seen easily. Wandering through these houses, most of which have been restored and brought to tourism, and some of them serve as cafes, restaurants and boutique hotels, will take you back to the past.

Makam Mosque: Prophet Daniel, who is believed to have started the period of fertility in the Tarsus after coming here and loved by the people, was buried here after his death. The story of  he story of discovery of his lost tomb is as impressive as his life. When you go down from the entrance of the mosque, you reach the Prophet's tomb. The mosque takes its name from this tomb. (Makam means place of important people in Turkish)

 

Kubatpaşa Madrasah: The madrasah, located in the Tarsus Ulu Mosque complex, consists of a large courtyard made of cut stone and 16 rooms facing this courtyard.

 

Tarsus Ulu Mosque: The mosque, which dates back to the Abbasids and where the tomb of Caliph Memun is located, has an impressive structure with its design and wide courtyard. A clock tower was added to the mosque in the 19th century. One of the most visible places of the mosque is the Crown Gate, which reflects the Mamluk style with its black and white marble flooring.

 

Kırkkaşık Bedesten: Once a soup kitchen within the complex of the Tarsus Great Mosque, it was used for commercial purposes in the following centuries. It takes its name from the spoon decorations made when it was used as a soup kitchen. (kırk means forty and kaşık means spoon in Turkish) All of the businesses in the bedesten, which were rented as shops with a holistic approach after the restoration, are run by women. You should definitely stop by here to buy souvenirs unique to Tarsus and Çukurova region and to taste local drinks.

 

Saint Paul Church: It is thought that it was rebuilt on a church built in memory of Saint Paul in the Middle Ages by the Greek Orthodox Arab community in 1862. The depictions of two angels in the building, the Prophet Jesus and the authors of the 4 gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and the eye motif in the triangle, which depicts God seeing everything, are worth seeing.

 

Cleopatra's Gate: The only remnant of the Tarsus walls that has survived to the present day is this gate, also known as the sea gate. The Egyptian Queen Cleopatra, who had a great love with the Roman general Mark Antony, entered Tarsus through this door. When the architectural style of the door is examined, it is understood that it is a Byzantine style structure.

 

Other Attractions

Under this heading, we will indicate the important points in Tarsus, which are slightly further away from the points within walking distance of each other, but can be reached in a short time by car.

 

Tarsus Waterfall: In the 5th century, with the change of the bed of the Berdan Stream in order to prevent floods, the river passing over the king tombs created this waterfall. It impresses those who see it with its enthusiastic appearance, especially in spring.

 

 

Taşkuyu Cave: The cave was  found by chance during the road widening phase and brought to tourism very recently. Halls in the cave were named after the seven sleepers. It will be a pleasant experience to visit the cave where there are many different karst formations.

 

The Cave of Eshabı Kehf: The story of 7 believing youths and their dogs, while escaping from a cruel king took a shelter in a cave and miraculously slept for 309 years is mentioned in the Qur'an in the chapter of Kehf. The cave where these young people, also known as the seven sleepers, are hiding, is considered important in all monotheistic religions.

Nusret Mine Ship: The ship, which played a major role in winning the Çanakkale Naval Victory, was restored by the Municipality of Tarsus and is exhibited in this park. In addition, seeing this park where important figures of the Çanakkale Victory are exhibited will impress you.

Sağlıklı Roman Road: A Roman road that can be considered as the highway of its time and a gate at Roman style is worth seeing.