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Carol 202 | profile | all galleries >> World Travel >> Turkey from 2007 to 2009 >> Adana Area >> Anazarbus tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Anazarbus

Bob and I visited the ancient site of Anavarbus yesterday and spent 3 hours hiking through the ruins. This is a fantastic site only a 1-hour drive from where we live. I've been saving it for a weekend with great weather for hiking, and yesterday we had a sunny day in the 50s. Anazarbus consists of an ancient town on the plain below a monolithic rock that rises out of the earth and crowned by several fortifications. It was used by Romans in 19BC, Byzantines, Arabs in the 8th century, Byzantines again, the Crusaders, Armenians, the Byzantines again, the Turks, and finally it was conquered by Marmluk Egyptians that ended up abandoning it. It was hit by earthquakes and rebuilt several times and we saw numerous instances where the stones were recycled. It has several sets of defenses and must have had drawbridges and wooden ramps that are no longer in existence. Outlines of the town can be seen from the fortresses, but most of it is gone. You can make out what used to be some baths and churches, and many columns that used to line the roads. You can also make out walls around the cities and aquaducts. From the heights of the fortress we could barely make out Kozan and Yilankale castles. We could also see snow-topped mountains in two directions. We only ran into a few folks the entire day, a group of young Turkish women, a group of young Turkish men throwing rocks off the heights, and a group of young folks that work with me. Most of the time we had the place to ourselves. Down on the plains, a couple of Turkish men gladly showed us sites we would have missed such as the large stadium, the small museum, and a beautiful view of the citadel through some city gates.
We walked up to the right of this photo, and explored the ruins from one end to the other--3 hours of exploration.
We walked up to the right of this photo, and explored the ruins from one end to the other--3 hours of exploration.		 We climbed to the fortress through the Necropolis, or graveyard and took the stairs back down.
We climbed to the fortress through the Necropolis, or graveyard and took the stairs back down.		 This is the terrain we hiked up--follow the path with the most dried olives, i.e. goat turds.
This is the terrain we hiked up--follow the path with the most "dried olives", i.e. goat turds.		 Towers of the fortress. They usually had two or three stories inside, but much is now inaccessable.
Towers of the fortress. They usually had two or three stories inside, but much is now inaccessable.
Bob on the trail to the next set of ruins and another line of defense.
Bob on the trail to the next set of ruins and another line of defense.		 As we drew closer the ruins got more and more humongous.
As we drew closer the ruins got more and more humongous.		 You go through a large hall to come out this door onto the fortress grounds. We are still far from the next fortress.
You go through a large hall to come out this door onto the fortress grounds. We are still far from the next fortress.		 You can barely make out an arched door to the left of the hole. There would have been a wooden ramp going across a moat here.
You can barely make out an arched door to the left of the hole. There would have been a wooden ramp going across a moat here.
The Anazarbus fortress
The Anazarbus fortress		 A view of the city below. The ruins were probably a church or bath.
A view of the city below. The ruins were probably a church or bath.		 Bob giving me a heart attack to get a good shot. I need to buy more insurance on him.
Bob giving me a heart attack to get a good shot. I need to buy more insurance on him.		 The stairs we took back down--some had words carved on them.
The stairs we took back down--some had words carved on them.
This mozaic of Cupid, Poseidan, and Mercury, is at a small museum. It is in a 6' deep hole protected by an awning.
This mozaic of Cupid, Poseidan, and Mercury, is at a small museum. It is in a 6' deep hole protected by an awning.		 A sarcaphogus unearthed at Anazarbus, It lays in a yard on the museum grounds.
A sarcaphogus unearthed at Anazarbus, It lays in a yard on the "museum" grounds.		 Sarcophagus detail
Sarcophagus detail		 A lady's face at one end of the sarcophagus
A lady's face at one end of the sarcophagus
A gate to the ancient city.
A gate to the ancient city.

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