Dört Ayak Mausoleum is an important value in Mersin, which is a very important city in faith tourism.
It is known by this name among the people because it rises on four big legs (“dört” means “four” “ayak” means “foot” in Turkish). One of its most striking features is that it was made by interlacing cut stones without using mortar. Although the exact date of construction is unknown,. It is estimated that it was built in the 2nd century A.C:
Captain Francis Beaufor, obtained permission from the Ottoman Empire to map the Anatolian coasts and conduct research came here in 1811. He indicated this structure as the Cenotaph (empty tomb) on the Aydıncık map. Therefore it is thought that the important person was buried elsewhere and this building was built to honor his memory.
The Story of the Dört Ayak Mausoleum
Due to the empty interior of the Dört Ayak Mausoleum, various stories are told about its construction. Here is a story told by the people:
Two young people fell in love with the beautiful daughter of the king. The king asked one of the two young people to bring water to the city and the other to build a four-legged structure. The young man, who finished his own mission earlier, would marry the king's daughter.
Both young people started to work with full effort with the power of their love. While one of them started digging a channel between the hills of the mountains, the other was stacking the stones on top of each other. The young man who built the four-legged structure was just about to put the last stone on the top of the building, when he heard the murmur of the water brought by his opponent. When he realized that he had lost, he threw himself from the top of the monument. According to some rumors, the girl married the young man who brought the water, and according to others, she threw herself into the sea just after because she was in love with the young man who committed suicide.
Where is the Dört Ayak Mausoleum? Directions Information. How to Get to the Mausoleum?
Dört Ayak Mausoleum is in a very central location in Aydıncık District of Mersin. Its distance to Mersin is 161 km.
To go from Mersin to the Dört Ayak Mausoleum by private car, you must proceed west on the Mersin-Antalya Highway and reach Aydıncık Town Center. Here you will see the Four Foot Mausoleum sign. You can walk to the mausoleum, which is 50 meters from the main road.
In order to go to the Dört Ayak Mausoleum from Mersin by public transportation, you can reach Aydıncık district by the Mersin-Antalya intercity buses, as well as by Aydıncık buses departing from Mersin bus station.
Places to visit around Dört Ayak Mausoleum
Kelenderis Ancient City: 1.8 km
Aynalıgöl (gilindere cave): 7.2 km
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