Турция для своей компании: Путешествие по Месопотамии

Right in the morning we set off 40 kilometers from Mardin, almost to the Syrian border, to the place called Dara Mesopotamia Ruins, the ruins of an important Roman fortress settlement on the border with the Sassanid state (early Persians) where there was a Roman garrison. The arched system of water supply and storage is as impressive as Istanbul's Cisterna, and the ancient ruins at Dara resemble a miniature Cappadocia.
Returning to Mardin we stop at the Deyrulzafaran Assyrian Monastery, one of the most important religious centers of the Assyrian faith, which takes its name from the saffron flower that was used in its construction. From 1160 to 1932 it was the residence of the Assyrian Orthodox Patriarchs, and is now maintained by the local small Assyrian community and diaspora.

On our return to Mardin we stop for lunch, and then we have a tour with a local guide in Old Mardin under the fortress walls and colorful photos in oriental style.

A night in Mardin.

Kilometerage for the day - 80 km.

Leaving Mardin, before we reach Diyarbakir, the capital of Turkish Kurdistan, we will make a stop in another colorful eastern town, Midyat. While Syrians, Yezidis, Kurds and Armenians lived in Old Midyat, Muslims lived 3 kilometers from the old town in the village of Estel, and in 1930 it was decided to develop the urban infrastructure there, in Estel. Thus, Old Midyat has largely preserved its original architectural structure.
Midyat is a very rich place for photographs. We can enjoy taking pictures of houses, mansions and interesting doors as we wander the streets.

By the way, the Syrians living in this region still support the culture of winemaking, so in the area around Midyat there are several wineries and if you want you can visit one of them with a tasting.

Not far from Midyat is the Mor Gabriel Monastery, the oldest surviving Syriac Orthodox monastery in the world. Founded in 397, the monastery was built and expanded with the support of Roman and Byzantine emperors. To this day it remains an important center of Syriac Orthodox Christianity.

On the way to Diyarbakır, passing Hasankeif, we will see with our own eyes how one civilization absorbed another one. Until they built the dam on the Tigris River in March 2020, the history of Hasankeif was about 12,000 years old. That's three times longer than the history of the Egyptian pyramids. The historic bridge of the Roman period, which was a symbol of Hasankeif, is 1300 years old, thousands of caves, some of which were still used by people as houses and stables, are now under the waters of the Tigris River. Even the satellite map still shows that there are still objects that are now at the bottom of the reservoir.

Closer to dinner we arrive in Diyarbakır where we stay at the New Garden Hotel Diyarbakır 4* (or similar). After dinner we walk through the old city in the evening as we wish.
A night in Diyarbakir.

Kilometerage for the day - 290 km.

After breakfast, we meet a local guide and begin our tour with the Old City of Diyarbakir. This ancient trading center, surrounded by massive basalt walls, served as an important stop on the Great Silk Road.
The wall, or rather the "Goat Tower," overlooks the Hevsel Gardens in the floodplain of the Tigris River, which are mentioned in Aramaic chronicles dating as far back as the ninth century B.C. The gardens were considered sacred because of their important role in providing for the city and were compared with the Garden of Eden.

After lunch, we set off on a 3-hour drive to Mount Nemrut to be there by sunset.
On top of one of the highest mountains in northern Mesopotamia (2,150 meters) in 62 BC, King Antiochus of Commagene built a sanctuary tomb surrounded by huge statues 8-9 meters high depicting himself surrounded by various Greek, Armenian and Persian gods. Antiochus developed his own cult of personality, deifying himself and adding the prefix Theos (God in Greek) to his name, thus equating himself with the gods. The sanctuary was to be the center of a new religion that combined Persian and Greek mythology. Time and the descendants of ancient civilizations (iconoclasts) have done their work and now heads are scattered all over the site. In 1988, Mount Nemrut was declared a national park and was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
We enjoy the sunset on Mount Nemrut, and then go to the nearby town of Adiyaman for the night.

Accommodation in Adıyaman Tugra Hotel (or similar). A night in Adıyaman.

Kilometerage for the day - 245 km.

We check out of the hotel and continue along the roads of Mesopotamia. Our way is to Harran, an ancient city in Upper Mesopotamia dating back to the Early Bronze Age in the 3rd millennium BC. Harran was founded as a trading outpost because it was located on the trade route between the Mediterranean Sea and the plains of the Tigris River. It was here that the prophet Abraham stopped for a few years on his way to Canaan. In Harran it is interesting to visit the "village of beehives". Their construction ensures the coolness inside and the construction does not need to use wood for the roof, it simply does not exist. Today, of course, no one lives this way anymore, and what we will see is a tourist exhibit.

An hour's drive from Harran is the site of what is believed to be the world's earliest temple (it was still here 6,000 years before Stonehenge), this is Gobekli Tepe. The discovery of this 10,000-year-old monument in the 1990s sent shockwaves through the archaeological world and beyond. The fact that hunter-gatherer peoples could have organized the construction of such an elaborate site as early as the 10th or 11th millennium BC not only reverses the understanding of hunter-gatherer culture, it also poses a serious challenge to traditional views of the development of human civilization.

In the evening we enter the city of Urfa, or as it is also called, Shanliurfa ("shanlı" in Turkish means "magnificent"). We check into the Hanehan Butik Otel Urfa (or similar), but that's not all for today.
How can you be in Urfa without attending an event, a custom that originated here before spreading throughout Turkey. We are talking about "Sıra Gecesi," which is the artistic translation of "evening gatherings" or "night party," as one likes to call it. It is a tradition that comes from the old days and has persisted to this day. "Evening gatherings" were customarily held only between men. Taking children here at an early age, they were taught to sit with the congregation, listen to their elders, and learn manners. On these evenings, local musicians and singers sing folk songs and recite poetry. Tourism is doing its job and now Sıra Gedgesi is already a "hangout" for everyone.

A night in Urfa.

Kilometerage for the day - 255 km.

Today we will have to start the tour early in order to have time to visit all the places we have planned. After breakfast, we are going on a morning tour of Urfa.

The main sites are located around Balıklıgöl (literally, Fish Lake). It is mentioned in Jewish and Islamic treatises as the place where King Nimrod threw the prophet Abraham into the fire, so the lake is also called the Pool of Abraham. According to Jewish and Islamic legend, Abraham was born in Urfa and angered the Mesopotamian king Nimrod by opposing idolatry and falling in love with the king's daughter Zelikha. Nimrod sentenced Abraham to death and built a fire to burn him. But when Abraham was thrown into the fire, the flames turned into water and the logs into fish.

From Urfa to Halfeti it is 1.5 hours away. This small town with ancient historical roots has also felt the effects of the grandiose GAP (Güneydoğu Anadolu Projesi - translated as the Southeastern Anatolian Project) project, in which a network of dams raised the water level of the Euphrates. Part of Halfeti has gone under water and now the minaret of the mosque, sticking out of the water, is one of the most photographed objects in this region.

Lunch at a floating restaurant on the banks of the Euphrates and then take a boat trip to Rumkale (literally means "Roman fortress"). The remains of the fortress are located on a hill with high rocks on the banks of the Euphrates River. The glass observation deck offers a picturesque panorama of the fortress.

After a boat trip on the Euphrates, a short drive to Gaziantep, Turkey's sixth most populous city and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.

Accommodation at Hampton By Hilton Gaziantep (or similar). If you wish, after dinner you can take a walk in the old part of the city.
A night in Gaziantep.

Kilometerage for the day - 230 km.

We will spend the whole day walking and sightseeing in Gaziantep. The first must-see is the Zeugma Mozaik Müzesi, one of the largest mosaic museums in the world, with its 1700 m2 of mosaics, the most famous of which is the Gypsy Girl.
The settlement of Zeugma, where the museum is now located, has a history dating back to the 3rd century B.C. when it was founded by Seleucus, commander of Alexander the Great. But in the 3rd century A.D. it was defeated by the Sassanid (Persian) tribes and Zevgma was forgotten for almost 1700 years until the construction of dams under the GAP project began. This is when many artifacts were found and are now preserved in the museum.

In Turkey the city is still informally called Antep, as it has been called since ancient times, and the prefix Gazi, translated "glorified in battles," was invented and given by the Turkish Parliament in 1921 to commemorate its resistance to the French siege during the Turkish War of Independence. Heroes of the resistance can be seen imprinted in stone on the way to the fortress of Gaziantep.

Gaziantep can safely be called a foodie capital, officially recognized by UNESCO as part of the Creative Cities Network project in the field of gastronomy. This title is awarded to places that are original in terms of food culture. Antep's cuisine has acquired a unique flavor and culture by blending local products with spices brought in by Silk Road traders over the centuries. The culture that develops around food is as important as the food itself. We recommend tasting local specialties such as kushleme (küşleme), alinazik kebab and baked sheep cheese (Antep peyniri). Also visit the historic Gulluoglu (Güllüoğlu) store at Elmacı Pazarı. It is believed to be the oldest baklava producer in the world.

Wander around the historic Tarihi Bey Mahallesi neighborhood, checking out some authentic museums like the Gaziantep Hamam Müzesi Hamam Museum, or watching craftsmen at the old Tarihi Gümrük Hanı Guesthouse.

We recommend spending the rest of the time shopping for souvenirs or just strolling around the Bakırcılar Çarşısı Copper Market, a "mecce" for lovers of handmade souvenirs.

Or maybe there are those who would like to visit a hamam? The oldest of the hamams is considered to be Naib Hamamılocated in a room dating back to 1640. However, "the oldest" does not mean the highest quality, so we can recommend a couple of hammams in Antep with better service. However, please note that historically, the time for men and women are separated, until 17:00 hammam is open for women and after 17:00 hammam is open for men.
A night in Gaziantep.

Individual transfer to the airport and flight to Istanbul, and from there flight home. If you wish, you can stay in Istanbul for a couple more days, to take a ride to Adalar (Princes Islands) or Yalova thermal, or just have a shopping finally. Just let us know and we will extend your stay in Istanbul, with a guide or on your own, it's up to you.

Or maybe there is a desire to extend the trip for another 4-5 days and go to the Ankara and Cappadocia tour? We will be glad to be with your company!

Until new journeys with TRAVEL123!