ADANA TURKEY
09.02.2021
Adana
Adana hasa rich history, antique cities, archaeological sites, museums, castles,bridges, historical bazaars, mansions, mosques and churches, national parks,nature conservation areas and wildlife development areas, recreation areas,plateaus, waterfalls, rivers and lakes, healing water springs, mountain areasand coasts; in short it has important tourism assets with almost all thecharacteristics of cultural tourism and nature tourism. Adana isrich in culture and art events, food culture, traditional handicrafts,festivals and fairs.
Anavarza Antique City
Anavarza Antique City (Anavarza Antik Kenti) islocated in Dilekkaya Village which is 28 km south of Kozan districtcenter. The Romans gave the administration of this regionto Tarkondimotos, whom they appointed as Vassal king in 1st centuryBCE. After coming under Roman rule in the 17th century BCE,the Antique City grew and developed and became one of the most importantmetropolises of Anatolia. The colonnaded street, the bath, theruins of the church, the theater, the amphitheater, the stadium, the waterwaysand the rock tombs, the necropolis and the ancient road in the west of thecity, the pool mosaic of the sea goddess Thetis, the triumphal archwith 3 entrances and Ortaçağ Castle on the hill rising like an island in thecenter of the plain of the antique city are important works. The castle, whichis located on Anavarza mountain and consists of severalcomplexes, the walls built on the plain at the foot of the mountain andsurrounding it are the acropolis of the city. Physician Dioscurides,who is the author of the oldest medical-pharmacy book in the world, lived inAnavarza. Anavarza Antique City was registered in the UNESCO WorldHeritage Tentative List in 2014.
Adana Museum
The museum was established in 1924. Since it is aregional museum, the artifacts unearthed in archaeological excavations in thevicinity of Adana and the cities of Kahramanmaraş,Tarsus and Mersin are exhibited in the museum. The area where theNational Textile Factory is located is being organized as a new museum. TheArcheology and Mosaic museums were opened in the first stage within the newmuseum complex and in the second stage City and Ethnography, Agriculture andIndustry Museums will be presented.
Aziz Paul Church
Bebekli Church (Bebekli Kilise), locatedon Tepebağ Street and Çakmak, Seyhan District, is anItalian Catholic Church built in 1881 in the name of Saint Paul in abasilica plan. On the roof of the entrance facade of the church, there is anacroterion with a 2.5 m tall bronze statue of the Virgin Mary. It isknown as "Bebekli Kilise" because the public likens this statue to ababy.
Yağ Mosque and Islamic Social Complex
Yağ Mosque (Yağ Camii) and its Social Complex arelocated on Ali Münif Yeğenağa Street in Seyhan District.It is a Crusader Church built in the name of Saint Jacque andaccording to the inscription it was converted into a mosque by RamazanoğluHalil Bey in 1501. The complex consists of a Islamic social complexwith its old church and madrasah adjacent to the mosque in the same courtyard.Since an oil market was established in front of the building, which was onceknown as the Eski Mosque, it was later named Yağ Mosque.
Grand Mosque and Islamic Social Complex
Grand Mosque (Ulu Camii) and its Social Complex arelocated on Kızılay Caddesi in Seyhan District.It was built by Ramazanoğlu Halil Bey in 1513 during the RamazanoğluPrincipality Period. It was enlarged and repaired by Piri MehmetPasha in 1541. Grand Mosque, where Seljuk, Mamlukand Ottoman architectural features can be seen, consists of threeparts: the mausoleum, the main place of worship, the courtyard and the oldrectangular planned building in the west. A domed mausoleum was built to theeast of the mosque in 1508. The madrasah is designed in the classical Ottoman madrasahplan and built in 1540 by Ramazanoğlu Piri Pasha.
Ramazanoğlu Mansion
Ramazanoğlu Mansion (Ramazanoğlu Konağı) is located inthe Grand Mosque (Ulu Camii) and Complex (Külliyesi) on Kızılay Streetin Seyhan District. According to the inscription on the entrance doorthe mansion was built by Ramazanoğlu Halil Bey in 1495. It isstated that there is a tall and large building in the Piri Pasha Foundationand that the building in the garden was built for winter and summer. Itis known that Yavuz Sultan Selim stayed here for three nights on his way toEgypt and Murat the 4th stayed here for three nights on his wayto Baghdad. It is the oldest residential building in Adana.
Great Clock Tower
Great Clock Tower (Büyük Saat Kulesi) is locatedon Ali Münif Caddesi in Seyhan District. Itsconstruction was started by Ziya Pasha in 1881 and wascompleted in 1882 during the time of Adana Governor Abidin Pasha. Theclock tower, 32 meters high, made of brick and cut stone, is popularly known asthe "Büyük Saat (Great Clock)".
You can visit Kazancılar Bazaar, oneof Anatolia´s oldest traditional covered markets, near Büyük SaatKulesi.
Taş Bridge
Located on the Seyhan River, thebridge connects Seyhan and Yüreğir districts. Taşbridge, which belongs to the Roman Imperial Period, is oneof the most important symbols of Adana. According to itsinscription in the Adana Archeology Museum, the 1700-year-old bridge was builtby an architect named "Auxentios" in the Roman ImperialPeriod. It is the oldest bridge in the world still in use. Afterthe repair in 2006, the bridge was closed to vehicle traffic. The bridge is 319m long and 11.4m wide. Today, 14 of the 21 round arches of the bridge can beseen.
Adana High School
Girls High School is located in the Seyhan districton Debboy Caddesi, on the banks of the Seyhan River, inthe south of Taş Köprü. It was built as an Askeri Rüştiye (MilitarySecondary School) between 1881 and 1883 by Adana Governor Abidin Pasha duringthe reign of Sultan Abdülhamit. In 1885, the high schooldepartment was added and the school was named Adana Mülki İdadi Mektebi (CivilService School). In 1908, the name of the school was changed to Mekteb - i Sultani. In 1923,the school was named Adana High School (Adana Lisesi). Itserved as a boarding school for girls Girls High School from1932 to 1998. The building, which was restored between 2005 and 2006, wasopened as a Culture and Art Center.
Tepebağ Houses
Tepebağ Houses (Tepebağ Evleri) are located on TepebağMahallesi in the Seyhan district. Tepebağ Mound(Tebebağ Höyüğü) is Adana´s oldest settlement. In addition to the antiqueruins, it is possible to see Tepebağ Houses, which are examples ofOttoman civil architecture, in the mound.
The statuette of Hemşire Sitsnefru (Satsneferu) fromthe Egyptian Middle Kingdom Period 12th Dynasty (1900 BC)exhibited in The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York was found in TepebağHöyük.
Sabancı Central Mosque
Sabancı Central Mosque (Sabancı Merkez Camii) islocated on the western bank of the Seyhan River in the Reşatbey localityof Seyhan district. It was built between 1988-1998. SabancıCentral Mosque, one of the largest mosques in Türkiye and the Middle East,has 6 minarets, 4 of which have three balconies and two of which have twobalconies. The dome system of the mosque, built with Classical Ottoman Architecture,is unique. The tiles, stained glass and gold leaf writings that decorate themosque are worth seeing.
Seyhan River and Baraj Lake
Seyhan Dam (Seyhan Barajı) isa landfill type dam built in order to save 850,000 decares of land and Adana fromflooding that can be caused by Seyhan River, 15 km above old Adana.Since 2006, it has been home to the second lap of the Türkiye OffshoreChampionship. Hiking, sportive line fishing, water sports,paragliding, bicycle tours can be organized. You can cool off by walking by thedam lake on hot summer days in Adana, sip your tea in the teagardens or taste delicious Adana dishes in restaurants.
Kapıkaya Canyon
Kapıkaya Canyon (Kapıkaya Kanyonu) is within theborders of Kapıkaya Mahallesi of Karaisalı district.The Canyon is 40 km away from Adana. Çakıt stream,which springs from Niğde-Ulukışla, passes through the middle of thecanyon, which is approximately 200 m in height. 7 kilometers of the 20 km longcanyon has been made available for walking. The canyon is surrounded byoleander, plane trees and pine trees, and the canyon is a must-see for hikers,slope climbers and photography enthusiasts.
Varda Bridge
Varda Bridge (Varda Köprüsü),which is in the direction of Adana-Ankara, and approximately 2 kmnorth from Hacıkırı Village of Karaisalı district,is referred to by the public as Koca Bridge or German Bridge. Itwas built in 1912 to complete the İstanbul-Baghdad-Hejaz Railway linewith a contract signed by Ottoman Ruler Abdulhamid II and GermanEmperor Kaiser Wilhem. The bridge was built with trussed steel and stonemasonry engineering. The bridge is 99 m. high and 200 m. long and connects adeep valley.
Belemedik Plateau
Pozantı can be reached by a10-kilometer stabilized road passing through Anbaş Village (AanbaşKöyü). There are plateau houses made of wood and stone on the plateauestablished along Çakıt Stream (Çakıt Çayı). Wild goats, wildboars and raptors can be seen on the plateau, which is rich in wildlife. TheBelemedik train station and the surrounding buildings were built during thetime when the Berlin-Baghdad train line was being constructed.
Misis Mound and Bridge
Misis Mound (Misis Höyükü) is located 27 km eastof Adana city center within the boundaries of YakapınarTown of Yüreğir district.
It is said that Mopsos, one of the heroes of Troy,founded Mopsuhestia Antique City. Since Mopsos camehere after the war and completely restored the city, the city started to becalled Miopsusestia, which means the homeland of Mopsos, andthis name changed over time and evolved into Misis.
As a result of the excavations carried out in MisisMound, it has been documented that the history of the settlement date goesback to the 7,000s BCE. The mound was inhabited in the Chalcolithic, Old BronzeAge, Hittite, Iron Age, Hellenistic Period, Roman Period andthe Middle Ages. The city was an important center in the Roman andByzantine Periods. The city was established on the limestone ridgefacing Ceyhan River and on the east and west banks of CeyhanRiver. The bridge was built in the 4th century CE by RomanEmperor Flavius Julius Constantius with nine arches to cross the CeyhanRiver and it was repaired by Byzantine Emperor JustinianI in the 6th century CE. In Misis, thenine-arched stone bridge that connects the city in the east-west direction, thewalls on the acropolis, aqueducts, baths, rock tombs, the stadion in the northof the city, the ruins of the theater in the south and the HavraniyeCaravanserai (Kervansarayı) belonging to the Seljuk Period areimportant works surviving today.
According to a legend about the bridge, LokmanHekim, who found the immortality potion, dropped the paper on which theformula of the potion and lost it while crossing the bridge.
Yılankale
Yılankale is an important castle located 40 km eastof Adana, 13 km from Ceyhan on the bank of CeyhanRiver. It was built on a hill in the Çukurova Plain duringthe Byzantine period (Eastern Roman Empire). The castle is ina position to control important commercial axes on the Aleppo traderoute and the connecting route to the Silk Road. It is one of theCrusader castles built in the 11th century in the Middle Ages.While the name of the castle, which was abandoned in 1357 during the RamazanoğluPrincipality Period, was Kovara, the famous Turkishtraveler Evliya Çelebi, who passed here in 1671, introduced the castle as theŞahmeran Castle (Shahmeran Kalesi). Şahmeran, mentioned in legends,is the lord of snakes, a creature with a human head and the body of a snake.
Kurtkulağı Caravanserai
Kurtkulağı Caravanserai (Kurtkulağı Kervansarayı) is12 km southeast of Ceyhan in Kurtkulağı Village. Itwas built by Hüseyin Pasha on the Aleppo Kervan Road atthe beginning of the 17th century. It was repaired byarchitect Mehmet Ağa in 1659. Kurtkulağı Caravanserai isalso known as Menzil Han.
Aigeai Antique City
Located in the district center of Yumurtalık, Aigeai wasan important port city in the ancient period in Cilicia Pedias (CiliciaPlain), east of the Ceyhan River and west ofthe Iskenderun Bay. The city was named Aigeai in theHellenistic Period, Aegeae in the Roman Period, Ajazzo-Ljazzo in the MiddleAges, and Ayas in later periods. According to the city coins, thehistory of the city dates back to the 2nd century BCE. Ancientperiod writers Pausanias, Tacitus and Strabon mentioned the antique city ofAigeai in their works. Aegeae was independent duringthe Roman empire period and was used as a strategicallyimportant naval base. One of the three biggest Asklepios Temples of theancient world is in this city. Asklepion, the health center of the city, isfamous. It is written that Emperor Caracalla, who visitedthe city in the summer of 215 AD, got rid of his troubles in this Asklepion. Thisis one of the temple hospitals called Asklepion where the first medicaleducation was given in history.
The visible ruins of the city are Ayas HarborCastle (Ayas Liman Kalesi), Deniz Castle (Deniz Kalesi), Süleyman Tower(Kulesi), ruins of the city walls, bath ruins, sütunlu cadde (columnedstreet), rock tombs and sarcophagi, votive stones, round altars, pipes,sculpture parts, millstones, inscriptions and architectural building elements.A group of mosaics were unearthed during the excavations. Eros (cupid), hippocampos(seahorses) and fish are depicted in the mosaics and are currently exhibitedin the Adana Museum.
Süleyman Tower
It is understood from the inscription on the towerthat Süleyman Tower (Süleyman Kulesi) was built in 1536 during the periodof Ottoman Emperor Kanuni Sultan Süleyman. The name of the tower atthat time was "Yarakha-i Kala-i Ayas" meaning "Armed AyasCastle", which indicates that it was used for military purposes.There are historical rock tombs on the cliffs below the restored tower.
Yumurtalık Nature Protection Area and RAMSAR Area
The main features of Yumurtalık lagoonsare salt marshes, freshwater marshes, mud flats, reeds, sand dunes and a giantwetland system consisting of a pine forest. Major wetlands are YumurtalıkLagoon (Yumurtalık Lagünü), Yelkoma Lake (Yelkoma Gölü), Ömer Lake, Yapı Lakeand Darboğaz Lake. The area is an important bird area with itsFrancolin, snowy plover and little tern population. The area gainsstatus by being a Nature Protection Area, Ramsar Area, Important Bird Area andImportant Plant Area. Bird watching and plant watching activities can becarried out in Yumurtalık lagoons.
Magarsus Antique City
Magarsus Antique City (Magarsus Antik Kenti) islocated in Dört Direkli locality 4 km west of Karataş districtwhich is 49 km away from Adana. It was founded in the 7th centuryBCE. The name of the city is always mentioned as Mallos in theinscriptions and coins and other official documents from the Hellenistic,Roman and Byzantine periods. According to Strabon, thecity was established by Mopsos from Cilicia and Amphilokhosfrom Greece who came to the region after the Trojan War.
Magarsus, the religious center of Mallos and one ofthe important cities of antique Cilicia, is famous for its temples, especiallyfor the Temple of Athena, where Alexander the Great prayed.
In Magarsus, which has a grid-planned city designsurrounded by walls, the structures whose ruins have survived from the AntiqueAge are city walls, a medieval castle, Athena Magarsia Temple, theater,stadium, cistern, Byzantine and Ottoman baths. The city was an importantsettlement during the Ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine Periods. TheAntique Theater, which has been unearthed in recent years, is a major relicworth seeing.
Akyatan Wildlife Development Area and RAMSAR Area
Akyatan Lagoon (Akyatan Lagünü), locatedwithin the boundaries of Karataş district, was declared aWildlife Protection and Production Area in 1987 by the GeneralDirectorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks, and wastransformed into a Wildlife Development Area in 2005 with the decision of theCouncil of Ministers. It is the largest lagoon in Adana. Ithas a suitable living environment especially for water birds. This area is inthe scope of the Ramsar contract, which is the conservation of internationallyimportant wetlands. Bird species such as Francolin, Purplegallinule, StoneCurlew, Marbled teal, Snowy plover, Vanellus spinosus, Little Tern, Flamingo,Suna, Fiyu, White-headed duck, Coot are housed here.
Kozan Castle
Located in the center of Kozan district,the castle is in a position overlooking the plain on a steep hill made oflimestone. Kozan Castle (Kozan Kalesi), one of the oldest castlesin the region, has 44 towers and bastions built in two groups. It hasbecome an important center for the Christian world due to the baptismal oilextraction ceremonies held here every 3 years.
Menengiç Coffee made in KozanCastle has a unique taste.
Küp Waterfalls
Küp Waterfalls (Küp Şelalesi), consistingof 10 waterfalls, which are 37 km away from Aladağ district,attract nature lovers with its forests covered in different colors in everyseason, the flow of ice-cold water and an enchanting atmosphere where thesounds of birds merge.
Feke Castle
Located on a steep hill 6 km northeast of Feke district,the castle was built by the Byzantines in the 12th century.The castle, which has a rectangular plan, has eight bastions and a watchtower.There are building remains inside the castle. The entrance gate of the castlefaces south.
Obruk Waterfall
Obruk Waterfall (Obruk Şelalesi),which is a branch of the Seyhan River in Saimbeyli districtand flows into Göksu, flows from the rocks shaded by pine and planetrees and even the limited amount of water flowing from the waterfall,appealing to the eyes of those who come to the facilities, is enough to makethe visitors happy.
Şar Komana Antique City
Şar Komana Antique City is within the boundariesof Şar Village that is 20 km from Adana´s Tufanbeylidistrict. It is a settlement from the Hittite, Roman, Byzantine andOttoman periods. It was an important religious center during the Kizzuwatnaand Hittite Periods. The Roman monuments have survived in the region.The theater, Heroon (Broken Church), the Corinthian Temple (Ala Kapı) areamong the important historical remains.