Nemrut Dag is the sanctuary of the ancient gods of Commagene. The mystery of the stone heads on Mount Nemrut-Dag in Turkey Mount Nemrut Armenia

After Hasankeyf, we headed towards another interesting attraction - the Nemrut Dağ mountain. On the way, we passed through the city of Diyarbakir, without taking a walk along the ancient fortress wall. We visited the closed university campus and had dinner with a wonderful university teacher. We reached Adiyaman, and were 47 km from the foot of the mountain. Then we took a minibus (dolmushi) to Kyakhta (Kahna). There were 24 km left to the mountain) Before we had time to take our backpacks out of the minibus, a very sociable man approached us and offered us an excursion to Nemrut Dag. We planned to get there on our own, but still, out of curiosity, we followed him. Of course, he began to assure us that we would not be able to get there on our own, at least today. We resisted, especially since the initial price of 40 euros (1,800 rubles) per person was high. But he was ready to bargain and I decided to try) I remembered that many of my auctions in Nepal were very successful) During the bidding process, it became clear that we needed each other and the only question was who would give in first. In the end, we settled on 110 liras (1870 rubles) for two, including camping accommodation. We refused to stay in the room and pitched a tent under a mulberry tree. As a bonus, we received a shower, the ability to charge gadgets and wi-fi. Out of habit, we cooked ourselves.
The excursion option we chose included: delivery to the mountain at dawn, an independent walk along it and a self-guided tour of the surrounding area. The entire excursion was planned for 6 hours.

And what interesting things can you see on Mount Nemrut Dag? Here, at an altitude of 2150 m above sea level, there is an amazing “mausoleum”. In the 1st century BC. the tomb of King Antiochus I was built, surrounded by huge statues eight meters high. The edges of the rocky peak have been turned into terraces: western, eastern and northern. After a strong earthquake, the stone heads of the statues “fell from their shoulders” and now stand next to “their bodies.” Photos of these huge heads, in the rays of the dawn or sunset sun, attracted my attention when preparing for the trip. Unique since 1987 archaeological sites on top of the mountain of the year included in the list World Heritage UNESCO.

May, 23rd
Early rise, at 3.00, quick preparations, and in complete darkness we drove to Mount Nemrug. We drove and realized that getting there on our own would not be easy and would take quite a long time. Sometimes excursions also have useful properties) The car brought us very close to the top; a stone path led up. Of course, we are not alone in our interest in antiquity) Several groups of tourists went up with us.

01. Stone heads before dawn. East terrace

03. Zeus begins to collapse and a frame is made for him

I must say that it was quite cold and windy at the top. Many observers prudently put on down jackets and grabbed blankets.

04. I dressed lightly and was frankly freezing)

05. Other observers)

06. And again stone heads

07. The “bodies” of the statues are visible above

08. Hermes and Hercules

09. Dawn begins, full of drama...)

12. View from the top

13. Transition to the western terrace

15. Antiochus

16. Bar-reliefs of the ancestors of Antiochus

After dawn it became noticeably warmer and looking at the stone sculptures became much more pleasant)

22. Foggy view from the mountain

23. Roman :)

29. Signs to the terraces

We went down to the car waiting for us and drove on. If you wish, here under the mountain you can have a snack in a cafe or buy souvenir stone heads.

30. View from the road.

31. Oleander flowers. The plant is poisonous and is not recommended to eat.

33. Ruins of the Yeni Kale fortress

35. View from the bridge

36. Ruins of the fortress, view from the bridge

37. Cendere Bridge (CENDERE KÖPRÜSÜ)

39. View from the bridge

41. The length of the bridge is 120 m, width 7 m, it consists of 92 stone blocks

42. Opens from the bridge beautiful view to the canyon

43. Eagle statue on the mound

46. Eagle on top of the statue

47. Not very well preserved figure

48. Beautiful views open from the mound

The mound was the last point of our auto-excursion and at about 9 o’clock we returned to the campsite. The excursion turned out to be very interesting and certainly worth the money spent. At the campsite we slept, had lunch, bought souvenir stone heads and moved on. We got to Adiyaman in the back of a truck, in a cheerful company)

Adiyaman was remembered for its heat and delicious juice from mulberries.

56. Delicious mulberries)

57. Local grandfathers:)

We didn't stay long in Adiyaman and continued on our way towards the sea. How can you travel so much around Turkey and still not swim in the sea)
Stay tuned!

Located in southeast Turkey mountain range Nemrut-Dag (Nemrut, Nemrud, Nemrut Dağ) is a cult symbol of the Hellenistic period. In the 1st century BC. e. here, at an altitude of 2150 meters above sea level, the tomb of Antiochus I Epiphanes was built, surrounded by statues eight meters high. The sanctuary is an eclectic monument of the Commagene kingdom, clearly illustrating the succession of kings in the dynasty.

Reflected in two versions of the legend - ancient Greek and Persian - the genealogies are reminiscent of the dual nature of the culture of the kingdom, in the pantheon of gods of which one can find Zeus, Apollo and Hercules, as well as the figures of a lion and an eagle. In 1987, the archaeological sites at the top of Mount Nemrut Dag were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The best time to visit Nemrut Dag is from late May to early September, when pleasant warm weather sets in in the Taurus Mountains. Visit an iconic landmark late autumn and in early spring it is complicated by low temperatures, and in winter - also by an abundance of snow, which covers even the tallest sculptures. The only way to climb the mountain at this time of year is on skis. In the summer months, if you wish, you can watch the sunrise at Nemrut Dag by staying here overnight. However, even from June to August it is quite cold at night at higher elevations; You should take care of warm clothes in advance.

You can stay near Mount Nemrut-Dag in the village of Karadut, located 7 kilometers to the southeast. Guesthouses are located here guest houses And family hotels, whose owners organize excursion trips to the mountain accompanied by a local guide. You can also spend the night in Kahta and Adıyaman, 47 km southwest of the mountain.

How to get there

The closest city to Mount Nemrut-Dag is Kyakhta, located 24 kilometers to the south-west. Bus service connects Kyakhta with the cities of Adiyaman (travel time is about half an hour) and Malatya (Malatya, 55 km to the northeast, two and a half hours drive). They go from Adiyaman to Kyakhta about once every half hour minibuses"dolmush". The last dolmush from Kyakhta to the village of Karadut leaves at approximately three o'clock in the afternoon.

You can also get to Kyakhta from the city of Urfa (Şanlıurfa, 92 km to the south), from whose intercity bus terminal dolmushi run from early morning until about seven in the evening (travel time is about two and a half hours). In addition, direct bus services to Kyakhta depart from the city of Kayseri, which is located in Cappadocia, 300 km northwest of Nemrut Dag.

From Kyakhta you can get to Nemrut-Dag by dolmus and taxi from dawn to dusk. Drivers often act as guides, leading a short excursion through the picturesque surroundings. The climb up the mountain takes about half an hour; You should take care of comfortable shoes and clothes in advance.

Location

The Nemrut Dağ mountain range is located in the Taurus Mountains, within the Adiyaman silt, in the southeast.

Türkiye is a country with great history and many attractions. In addition to beaches and hotels, Türkiye is famous for historical places. One of the places worth visiting is the city of Adiyaman. Around Turkish city Mount Nemrut Dag is located, literally Nemrut Mountain. The mountain was named after the great-grandson of Noah. The height of the mountain is 2150 meters, the mountain is located in the southeast of the country. There are buses from the city of Adiyaman to Nemrut Dag, so getting to your destination is not difficult.

Mysterious and mystical place. Mount Nemrut is dotted with large stone heads.

The history of the appearance of statues on the mountain

In the second century BC, the king of the Armenian dynasty Antiochus I ordered the construction of a temple on the top of Mount Nemrut. The state of Commagene, whose ruler was the king, was very small. Trying to rise above the others and show his greatness, Antiochus I called himself God. In order to perpetuate his personality, he gave instructions to carve words glorifying the name of Antiochus on the walls of the temple.

The best sculptors and architects began construction of the temple. A two kilometer long road was built. But the temple was not destined to be completed. After the death of the ruler, construction was stopped. The people did not favor Antiochus I and refused to fulfill the king’s wishes. On the site of the temple on Mount Nemrut, the subjects erected a tomb in which the king was buried.

The tomb is surrounded by statues eight meters high, and stone heads can be seen on all sides. There are terraces on three sides of the tomb. From the highest terrace there is a view of Hercules, Apollo, Antiochus I. On either side of them rise the stone heads of lions and eagles. It is also impossible to pass by the bas-reliefs depicting the ancestors of the king. After thousands of years, the statues lost their original appearance. The stone heads are separate and lie next to their bodies. Weather, earthquakes partially destroyed buildings.

The width of the tomb is 150 meters, and the height reaches 50 meters. The shape of the tomb is a conical mound. The tomb was built using stones. The stones of the tomb are small in size, poured on the site where the temple was to be built. The tomb is located at the very top of the mountain. They began to explore the mountain in the twentieth century, but to this day the entrance to the tomb has not been found. The attraction today is included in the UNESCO list and is a national park. Many tourists visit the mysterious mountain.

Mount Nemrut. How to get there

First you need to get to the city of Adiyaman using the following transport:

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Airplane (from Istanbul to Adiyaman or Malatya);

Bus (from any city in Turkey to your destination);

In Adiyaman you need to take a minibus that will take you to Kyakhta. Minibuses run every half hour. You can stop in Adiyaman, as well as in Kyakhta.

Finding a suitable hotel or guesthouse is not difficult. Kyakhta is located 24 kilometers from Mount Nemrut. On site it is possible to purchase an excursion, which will include the road to the mountain. Arrival at the mountain is planned for dawn. Getting to Nemrut Dag on your own will not be easy.

When planning to visit Turkey, be sure to include a visit to Mount Nemrut in your program. No tourist will remain indifferent after watching the sunrise surrounded by historical sights.

Nemrut Bay is a Turkish port located in the northeastern part Aegean Sea. Russian river-sea class vessels often call at this port. They bring scrap metal here and remove steel reinforcement. Steel mills are located near the port. But there are no residential buildings near the port or near these factories. Workers are brought to the port by good buses Mercedes brand. Loaders in clean light uniforms get off the buses. When unloading scrap metal, the dust “stands like a pillar” and there is a roar. The factories are smoking. That's why there is no housing nearby. The loaders' shift is over, they change into clean clothes and take a clean bus home.
The motor ship "Sormovsky" is in the port, unloading scrap metal. The crew, off duty, sits in their cabins, there is nowhere to go, swimming in the port is prohibited, the shores near the port are dirty, and you can run into a piece of iron. You can’t call a taxi, you don’t have money, and you don’t know where to go. The captain decided to take a walk around the port. I reached the end of the piers, then there was a hill covered with bushes. I walked along the path. The path winds among the hills. Behind the first hill, an olive grove or garden opened up. It can be seen that the trees grow in a certain order, in rows. I picked an olive and tasted it - it was bitter. I climbed to the top of the next mountain and saw a town some distance away. I decided to go up to it and have a look. It’s interesting, I’ve been to this port several times, but this is the first time I’ve seen residential buildings here. From the port to the town there are three or four kilometers, but behind the hills this town is not visible. The town is very clean, or rather not a town, but in our opinion a village. There are various animals on the paths and nearby on the grass: cows, sheep, goats, and, of course, chickens, geese, ducks. Garbage is nowhere to be seen; near some houses there are closed garbage containers and trash cans.
Men sit in a cafe on the square, drink tea, talk, and play backgammon. There are no bottles of liquor or beer in sight. I went to the store to look
what they sell and what the prices are. Maybe order fresh fruits and vegetables for the ship. I tried to communicate with the seller in English, but he began to answer in broken Russian. It turned out that many Yugoslavs from Macedonia live in this village. How they got here - I didn’t bother to ask. Basically, it is not because of a good life that people leave their homes. Prices for food were higher than those of the ship chandlers supplying the ship. I inquired about the prices of alcohol. The price was several times higher than at the Istanbul roadstead. The seller explained it this way:
- Alcohol is not in demand here, no one buys it, that’s why the price is so high. We don’t bring beer either, no one takes it.
Like this local peculiarity. I left the store and went on a walk. Literally a few meters from the store they sell vegetables, like a small mini market. I inquired about the prices, they turned out to be quite reasonable. In addition, it is clear that they sell vegetables that they grew themselves. And since they grew it for themselves, then maybe they contain less nitrates than large producers. I ordered vegetables and fruits for the crew, they promised to deliver them in a few hours. The captain still has time, he walked along the path to the sea. At the end of the village there is an equipped sea beach. Benches, changing cabins, a toilet. A young man levels the sand with a rake and collects garbage. There are few swimmers. Women in long light trousers, light shirts and scarves on their heads are swimming nearby, and then in normal swimsuits. Men in swim shorts. The captain regretted that he did not take swimming trunks with him. It’s hot, I’d also be happy to take a swim. But it's time to return to the ship. They promised to bring food. I went back the same way. In the hollow between the slides, several turtles were caught next to the path. I took one with me. Let him live in the cabin, it’s all some kind of entertainment. Brought it to the ship. He gave her a corner in the cabin, made a box, and brought her some pebbles and herbs. I wanted to put a bowl of water, but changed my mind. How will she get into it? And if you put her in this basin, she won’t get out of it. In any group there are always people who know everything, at least it seems so to them, and such an expert suggested that this is a land turtle and it only needs water for drinking. saucer with drinking water put.
We finished the cargo work and received the fruits and vegetables ordered in the village. The sellers did not let us down, they kept their word and did not charge any money for delivery.
The cargo - steel reinforcement - was destined for the port of Azov. At night we approached
Dardanelles Strait. Passage of all difficult sections is carried out only under the command of the captain. The captain gets up from the sofa in his cabin to go to the bridge, and in the dark he steps on a turtle. I almost fell and twisted my ankle. And after that, every time I had to go somewhere, I had to carefully look at my feet. This brought some inconvenience to the captain's life.
Often you have to walk around the cabin in the dark without light, and here this turtle is under
feet. Where should I put it? I decided to wait for the next call to Nemrut Bay
and return the turtle to its native place.
The cargo was unloaded in Azov and went for loading in Rostov-on-Don. We arrived at the Rostov port on Sunday, and in anticipation of loading, we anchored the ship in the roadstead.
After lunch, the boat came alongside and a fire inspector arrived to inspect it. Climbed on board. Three women and several children remained on the deck of the boat:
“My wife, children and girlfriends decided to go for a ride with me,” explains the inspector.
“Then let them come on board and have a look at the ship,” the captain invites.
- No, don't. The children will still fall somewhere. They are interested in going on a boat ride.
The inspector checked the vessel, documentation, and fire-fighting equipment.
As always, I made a few minor comments. Without them it is impossible, the work is not visible. The time has come for the inspector to leave, but he hesitates for some reason, in no hurry.
drinking. The captain knows what’s going on, the inspector can’t just leave, it’s not for nothing that he went to work on his day off. But there is nothing to give him. There are no souvenirs, we only visited Nemrut Bay, and there was nothing to take there, we didn’t even buy alcohol. And then the inspector comes across a box with a turtle. Interested:
- What is this, where does it come from?
The captain explained where he got it and offered it:
- Oh, if you want, take it for yourself, you’ll make the kids happy. - And gives the turtle along with the box to the inspector.
- Well, I don’t know, I’ll have to ask my wife and kids.
- So, ask.
The inspector takes the turtle, goes out on deck and shows it to his wife and children. The children are immediately delighted. They even squealed with joy. So the issue with the gift was resolved to the satisfaction of both parties.
The boat moved away from the side and the senior engineer, who was directly involved in the inspection, remarked with a grin:
- Alekseevich, why did you start paying off inspectors with greyhound puppies?

Sanctuary and mega mausoleum at Mount Nemrut dag- one of the most famous attractions of Turkey and the main sanctuary of the ancient. Photos of huge heads and offers to go on a tour to Nemrut Dag can be found in almost any travel agency in Turkey. But nevertheless, not everyone has been to Nemrut: not only a foreigner who came to Turkey (even who visited it more than once), but also a Turk permanently residing in Turkey. Firstly, it is located in the East of Turkey, quite far away. Secondly, visiting Nemrut is limited by the seasons (more on this in the forum thread). In general, Nemrut Dag is not only a mountain, but a whole National Park. And here you can see not only the pantheon of gods (those very heads), but also some other fragments that have come down to us from centuries ago, the kingdom of Commagene that was once located here.

Yes, one more thing. This Nemrut dag should not be confused with the Nemrut volcano of the same name, which is also located on the territory of modern Turkey near Lake Van. These are different mountains.

Nemrut Dag on the map of Turkey (clickable map)

Get to Nemrut Dag on your own

To get to Nemrut Dag on your own, you need to get to the city of Kahta. By plane or by railway can't get there. If direct bus no, then focus on Malatya, or better yet, Adıyaman. Dolmushi run from Adiyaman to Kyakhta approximately every 30 minutes.

There are airports in Adiyaman and Malatya. You can see which cities Malatya and Adiyaman are connected to by air on the forum about Turkey by looking at the websites of Turkish air carriers presented there. You can view and purchase plane tickets through the form in the upper right corner.

You can reach Malatya by rail. For details, see the forum about Turkey on the Turkish railway website. You can also get to Malatya and Adiyaman by (see list of bus companies)

Also, hotels in Kyakhta, Adiyaman, Malatya can be viewed through the hotel search form

Tours and excursions to Nemrut Dag

When visiting Nemrut Dag on your own without a car, it will be difficult to avoid a tour to Nemrut. Even if you are staying in Karadut, you will have to walk to Nemrut along a serpentine road of almost 12 kilometers, rising to an altitude of more than 2000 m. This is real for masochists. There are rides to Nemrut, although not frequent. But, of course, it depends on the time of day and the desire of people traveling to Nemrut in their cars to take you with them. So hitchhiking is possible, but not guaranteed.

Tours and individual trips to Nemrut Dag are organized by any guesthouses and hotels located in this region.

Tours and excursions to Nemrut Dag take place either at sunset or sunrise. Even if you get to Kyakhta late in the evening, you have the opportunity to leave to watch the sunrise the next night. Accordingly, if you arrive during the day, you have the opportunity to leave immediately for the next sunset. Also, if you come alone, it is possible to join a group to reduce the price of the tour. The main thing is that people are available.

Prices for tours and excursions to Nemrut Dag from Kyakhta are as follows (as of May 2010):

Tour covering only Nemrut (sunrise/sunset) – 70 liras per group

Excursion including Nemrut and surroundings: (Arsameya, Yeni Kale, Jendere Bridge, Karakus Tumulus):
if you are alone – 150 liras
in a group (from 4 people) – 75 liras

To meet the dawn, departure is at 3.00 a.m., return to Kyakhta is around 9.30 (if you took the Nemrut tour with the surrounding area). To meet the sunset - departure around 15.00. If you take a tour to Nemrut without visiting the surrounding area, then departure will be later and arrival will be earlier.

History of Nemrut and the Kingdom of Commagene

Once upon a time, or rather in the 2nd century BC. Mount Nemrut was located on the territory of the dwarf state of Commagene. But the state, although small, was proud. This was especially true for rulers. King Mithridates I, nicknamed Kalinikos (winner beautifully), organized his local Olympic Games here and took direct part in them. But King Antiochus I surpassed all kings. He had Greek and Persian roots. Having absorbed Western and Eastern worldviews, Antiochus created his own religion. And, at the same time, he counted himself among God. Mount Nemrut became the religious center. Here King Antiochus built a ritual complex. But Antiochus failed to spread his religion widely, as well as to complete the complex. After his death, construction stopped. After the disappearance of Commagene, Nemrut was forgotten. The crusaders discovered it. But strangely enough, this was forgotten too. Nemrut was rediscovered in 1881 by German engineer and geologist Karl Sester. Karl did not find what he was looking for, but he rediscovered Mira Nemrut Dag. However, Nemrut began to be studied seriously only in the middle of the 20th century.

Sights of Nemrut

The ritual complex on Mount Nemrut is as follows.

map of the sanctuary at Nemrut Dag

At the top of Mount Nemrut there are 3 terraces carved out - eastern, western and northern. They contain numerous statues of gods (up to 10 meters in height). Previously, these were solid sculptures.

But after the earthquake in these parts, heads fell. Now they stand near their bodies. The terraces surround a man-made hill 50 meters high and 152 meters in diameter. It is believed that somewhere in the depths of the hill, Antiochus himself is buried. But, unfortunately, for now these are just guesses and assumptions.

But before you see the treasured heads, you will have to overcome about 2 kilometers of walking along stone steps. They lead to Eastern terrace sanctuary on Nemrut Dag.

Eastern terrace of Nemrut dag

According to the reconstruction, the eastern terrace of the sanctuary on Nemrut looked like this

Today the picture of Nemrut dag is a little different

What is uncharacteristic is that the Gods are in a sitting position, not standing. According to Antiochus, this is the home of the Gods, and this is where their heavenly thrones are located. The figures are made of limestone, and the bodies of the gods are made of massive blocks. The figures were once polished. Now time has eaten them away in the most literal sense of the word. Gods from left to right

Tyche - goddess of fate

The gods are guarded by a lion and an eagle. Opposite the statues there is a platform on which the sacrificial fire was lit. Now this platform is used as comfortable spot for photographing. And also for watching the sunrise. After going around the hill we find ourselves on the Western Terrace

Western terrace of Nemrut dag

The Western terrace of Nemrut Dag is not as large as the Eastern one. And the gods here are closer to people, and do not look down on them. On Western terrace There are still the same characters: Antiochus, Tyche, etc.

On the sides of the figures are bas-reliefs of Antiochus's ancestors, both on the Persian and Greek sides.

Persian ancestral pedestal from left to right:
1. Darius I, 522-486 BC.
2. Xerxes I 486-464 BC.
3. Artaxerxes I 464-425 BC.
4 . Darius II Ochos 425-404 BC.
5. Artaxerxes II Mnemon 404-359 BC.
6. Orontes I (Aroandes) 401 BC
7. Princess Rhodogune, wife of Orontes
8. name unknown?
9. name unknown?
10. Samos 250 BC
11. name unknown, 230 BC
12. name unknown 223-187 BC.
13. Ptolemaios 163-130 BC.
14. Samos II 130-109 BC.
15. Mithridates Kallinikos 109 -? BC

Greek Ancestors Pedestal:
1. Alexander the Great 356-323 BC.
2. Seleucus I Nikator 304-279 BC.
3. Antiochus I Soter 279-262 BC.
4. Antiochus II Theos 261-246 BC.
5. Seleucus II Kallinikos 246-225 BC.
6. Seleucus III Soter 225-223 BC.
7. Antiochus III the Great 223-187 BC.
8. Seleucus IV Philopator 187-176 BC.
9. Antiochus IV Epiphanes 176-164 BC.
10. Demitrios I Soter 162-150 BC.
11. Demitrios II Nikator 145-125 BC.
12. Princess Cleopatra Thea, married Demitrios II
13. Antiochus VIII Grypos 125-96 BC
14. Princess Tryphaina, wife of Antiochus VIII
15. Princess Laodice Thea Philadelphus, wife of Mithridates
16. Princess Isias Philostorgos, wife of Antiochus I Theos
17. Antiochus Theos 86-36 BC

In addition to the above, an image of a lion was found on the Western Terrace of Nemrut. This is supposed to be a horoscope (read more about this in.

Northern terrace of Nemrut dag

The northern terrace of Nemrut Dag was intended for gathering people during ceremonies. From here the procession moved towards the Eastern Terrace. Almost nothing has survived on it.

Now there is nothing around Nemrut Dag except mountains. And before, it was part of the kingdom. Some of this kingdom can still be seen today. But this won’t be possible on foot, because... objects are located at a sufficiently large distance from each other

Other attractions in the Nemrut dag area

Map of the surroundings of Nemrut dag

In the Nemrut Dag area, a number of sights from different times have been preserved.

map of the surroundings of Nemrut Dag (Arsameya, Karakus, Yeni Kale, bridge (clickable)

map source Lonely Planet

Arsameia

Arsamea is a summer residence built under the ancestral king of Commagene Arsemez I. Arsamea was founded in the 3rd century. BC. The city was not just a summer residence, but served as an administrative center. Today, all that remains of its former greatness is the following:

Stella to Apollo - Mithra with writings

A well-preserved bas-relief depicting King Mithridates shaking hands with a naked Hercules.

Nearby there is a 158-meter tunnel that leads to a small room in which religious rituals were performed. To go through the tunnel you will need a flashlight. Above the entrance there is a well-preserved inscription in Greek, which tells about the founding of Arsamea.

Another tunnel has also been preserved, but smaller.

In the same area is the grave of Mithridates Kalinikos, the organizer and participant of the local Olympic Games, and the ruins of his palace.

Yeni kale

The fact that there was a fortress on this site is stated in the inscriptions of Arsamea. But the fortress, or rather its ruins, which we see today, does not belong to the era of Commagene. The fortress was rebuilt by the Seljuks. And the Mamluks, who came here in the 13th century, gave the fortress the appearance, the remains of which we can admire today... alas, only from the outside. In any case, at the time of my visit (May 2010), Yeni Kale was closed to visitors, because... the fortress is in a deplorable state (even, it seems, one of the tourists died there). According to stories, on the territory of the fortress there are various military and domestic structures. And there is even a pond. And there is also underground passage, leading from the fortress outside across the river.

The bridge from Seljuk times is also well preserved. It still performs its direct function today.

Cendere Bridge

The Jendere Bridge was built between 200 and 198 BC. e under Septimius Severus. Its length is 120 m, width - 7. The bridge consists of 92 stone blocks. Each block weighs about 10 tons.

On the Jendere Bridge there is an inscription stating that the bridge was built in honor of Septimus Severus, his wife and sons. In the original version, there were 4 Corinthian columns at the entrances to the bridge - 2 on each side. They symbolized Severus's family: his family, his wife and two sons - Goethe and Marcus Aurelius. Now there are 3 columns. One column of the Jendere Bridge did not just collapse (stolen, taken as material for construction). Everything is much sadder. During the struggle for power, Goethe was killed by his brother. And in order to erase any memory of him, the column was also destroyed.

The Jendere Bridge is located at the narrowest point of the river. From here you can enjoy a beautiful view of the canyon along which you can walk.

Karakuş Tümülüs

Karakush tyumulus is a man-made burial mound, similar to the mound on Nemrut. Karakush Tyumulus family cemetery where the women of the royal family are buried. The mound was founded under Mithridates Kalikikos in honor of his mother Isias in the 1st century BC. Initially the mound was 35 meters high. It was surrounded by columns. How many columns there were originally - such information has not reached us. Today, 3 columns remain. One of them is with a statue of an eagle, and gave the name to the mound.

On the Tumulyus mound there is also a column with a bas-relief of a handshake and a sculpture of a lion.

There are tombs inside the mound. but they were plundered long before us - back in Roman times. It is also known that the Tumulyus mound was the site of religious ceremonies.