• Tour type- historical and cultural
• Location- Nemrut Dağ, Sanliurfa, Harran, Gobekli Tepe
• Duration- 5 days
• arrival date- on request
• Visa- not required

The highlight of this trip is a fascinating expedition to the southeast of Turkey, to Mount Nemrut Dag - the main sanctuary of the ancient kingdom of Commagene, where King Antiochus erected huge statues of the Gods of Europe and the Middle East. This is one of the most famous places in Turkey, a kind of national reserve that has preserved to this day the remains of an ancient kingdom.

Altitude 2150 meters above sea level, surrounded by the Taurus Mountains.

Program

November 5-9, 2019

Istanbul - Gaziantep - Adiyaman - Nemrut Dag - Diyarbakir - Midyat - Mardin - Sanliurfa - Göbekli Tepe - Harran - Halfeti - Gaziantep - Istanbul

Day 1.

Meeting in Istanbul. For those who want a city tour

Day 2.

Flight Istanbul - Gaziantep/about 2 hours/
Excursion to Gaziantep. Roman Mosaic Museum
and the fortress of the city of Antep. Free time in
city ​​center. Lunch.
Transfer to Adiyaman /190km/. Short rest, departure to Nemrud Dag /90 km/On the way, visit the Roman bridge of Septimius Severus. Climbing
the top of Nemrud Dag to the huge statues of the times of Antiochus of Comogenes./62 BC/

Watching the sunset on the mountain is an incredible sight. And return to the hotel. Dinner.

Day 3

Transfer to Diyarbakir /200km/ We will visit the Ulu Mosque and the city walls, the old bridge over the Tigris River in the old city. Lunch in the city of Diyarbakir. Departure to Midyat/150km/ and free time for walking. Visit to the monastery of Mor Gabriel. Departure to Mardin/70km/ Dinner.

Day 4

Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to Sanliurfa /200 km/ - the city of the prophets. We will visit Göbekli Tepe /Bellied Hill/ and the ethnographic village of Harran with cone-shaped brick houses.
Dinner.
We will see a beautiful lake with fish and the cave of St. Abraham, a fortress and the Archeology Museum.
Hotel accommodation. Dinner.

Day 5

Transfer to Halfeti on the river. Efrat/110km/ Boat trip along the Efrat River.
Lunch in Halfeti. Departure to Gaziantep airport/100km/and flight to Istanbul.
Upon arrival in Istanbul, an excursion program is available upon request.
Cost 425 dollars. /person for single occupancy

Included in cost:

Accommodation in 4* hotels

Breakfasts, dinners

All internal moves

Accompanying a Russian-speaking guide along the entire route

Additional expenses:

Flight to Istanbul

Medical insurance

Lunches (about 30 dollars)

Personal expenses

Entrance fees to museums (about 40 dollars)

We welcome curiosity and are open to communication:

+ 7 903 1840248 Whatsapp

info@site

or through

See you soon!

Below is an example of a program from Cappadocia. Day 1

This program can only be organized upon individual request if the guide has free days.

Arrival in Kayseri/Nevsehir

Day 2

We will begin our acquaintance with Cappadocia with a panoramic view of the Derwent Valley or the Valley of the Imagination. For thousands of years, rains and winds have sculpted their creations from soft tuff rock, in which you recognize images of people, animals, and fairy-tale characters. It really all depends on your imagination!

On the way to the village of Goreme, which means “Hidden from view,” we will meet 3 beauties - amazing rock forms that resemble giant mushrooms. Without a doubt a natural phenomenon and a true symbol of Cappadocia.

In Goreme we will visit the Open Air Museum - a complex of Byzantine churches from the 10th-11th centuries, included in the UNESCO cultural heritage list. At one time it was a significant monastic complex where revered Christian saints lived and preached. The frescoes of the churches have retained their beauty and bright colors to this day.

Frescoes in a Byzantine church of the 10th-11th centuries, Goreme

After lunch, after relaxing a little in hospitable Goreme, we will go to the Pashab Valley, otherwise known as the valley of the monks. At one time, monks who chose a life of asceticism and solitude loved to retire here. Their cells were preserved in amazing rocks, the so-called “fairy fireplaces”.

Pashab Valley

Galip's workshop

We will walk along the ancient Ottoman bridge, visit one of the oldest and respected workshops in the region - Galip's workshop and his hair museum, listed in the Guinness Book of Records due to its unusualness. According to tradition, every traveler has a chance to come to master Galip and learn pottery for free. What is needed for this? Just a lock of hair from a beautiful lady and a note with contact information. Every year Master Galip holds a drawing for a trip, and every year the lucky winner comes and stays for a week in Galip’s hospitable house.

In the workshop we will have a fascinating story and a demonstration of making ceramics with gifts. The master has a great sense of humor and a lot of charm, so a great mood is guaranteed! And if you wish, you can always try and sculpt your own product and take it with you as a souvenir.

Day 3

One of the distinctive features of Cappadocia is its underground cities. There are more than 200 of them in the region! We will visit the largest of them - Derinkuyu underground city. Only 8 floors of the city are open to the public. The multi-storey dungeon is fully adapted by humans for long-term living. There are churches, cattle stables, chapels, kitchens, food storage, cemeteries, wells and even wineries.

The underground city of Mazy - everything here is adapted for life underground

The inhabitants of Cappadocia love and revere pigeons, so dovecotes are everywhere here... in the rocks. Some of the pigeon houses are painted white and decorated with murals and are located quite high off the ground to prevent foxes from getting close to the birds. We will visit Pigeon Valley near Goreme - here is perhaps the largest number of dovecotes - and we will enjoy its magnificent panoramic views.

After walking through the underground labyrinths of Derinkuyu, we go up, where a trip to the deepest canyon of Cappadocia awaits us. The nature here is strikingly different from the mountain landscapes of Cappadocia.

Yikhlara Valley, there is a lot of greenery and wildlife

After lunch on the Melendiz River we head to Selima– a Byzantine monastery from the 8th century, where halls with columns, refectories and wonderful frescoes are still preserved. Fans of active recreation will really like it here, because the churches of the monastery are located on a hill, connected by grottoes, stone ledges and passages and offer a lot of space for movement.

Day 4

We leave Goreme and start to the mysterious Nemrut Dagu. The journey takes about 8-9 hours, about 600 km. and a lot of impressions. Our journey into history will last two nights and three days.

Nemrut at sunset is magnificent

There are several short stops along the way - Seljuk Caravanserai Karatayhan Built in the 13th century, tea break in a small town Pinarbasi, famous for its purest springs. Lunch with wonderful views of Tekir Valley.

Arrival in Kyakhta, city tour and dinner.
Overnight at a hotel located in the center 9 km. from Nemrut Dag.

Day 5

Check out from the hotel before sunrise. We have to get to the ruins of Mount Nemrut Dag and see an incredibly beautiful picture - the rising sun between 10-meter statues of the Gods.

By bus we arrive at the foot of the mountain, and then we have to climb the mountain on foot - about 800-900 m. Our ascent will take 25-30 minutes in good weather (no snow or rain).

As a reward for our efforts, we are treated to a stunning view of the rising sun between the statues of the Gods. Travelers who were able to see this beauty remain impressed for a long time. History and modernity intertwine here and the boundaries of reality are erased. It seems that the statues are living people, whose gaze is forever turned into the distance..

Free time for independent walks and photo sessions.
We return to the hotel for breakfast.

Trip to Kyakhta, with a visit to the ruins of the Arsemia Bridge, the Roman Sendera and the royal tomb of Karakus Tumulus. Tea break.

Next we will go to Göbekli Tepe (Turkish Göbekli Tepe - “Bellied Hill”, also known as “Umbilical Hill” or “Umbilical Mountain,” is a temple complex located 15 kilometers northeast of the city of Sanliurfa, in southeastern Turkey. It is the oldest of the largest megalithic structures in the world. Its age is at least 12,000 years!

We leave for Sanliurfa - Harran, the oldest city in the world. On the way we will stop at the largest dam in the Middle East - the Ataturk Dam.
Let's visit the oriental bazaar in Kharan, where there are tempting Mad-Birki (houses that look like a beehive), which are mentioned in the book of Genesis.
Ruins of Haran, Oldest Islamic University and 18th century castle.
We return to the hotel for dinner.

Excavations at Gobekli Tepe

At the end of our busy day, we will stop by the city of Sanliurfa, where we will visit the Abraham Cave and the Holy Carp Pool.

Sanliurfa at sunset..

Day 6

We leave the hotel in the direction of Goreme and head to Biredzhik, where there is a unique farm for breeding bald birds - Kul Aynak.

Along the way we will have a picturesque stop for lunch and tea breaks.

Late arrival at the hotel, around 22-23 hours.

Day 7

Free day at your discretion. We will be happy to offer entertainment for every taste!

Choose! And that is not all …

If you haven't seen Cappadocia from a hot air balloon and seen the sunrise in flight, then you should definitely try it. It is impossible to describe this exciting action in words!

After the flight, a surprise awaits you...

Walking through the valleys on ATVs is an unforgettable experience

The expanses of Cappadocia are designed for speed and flight

Horseback riding. After all, Cappadocia is a country of horses and the attitude towards them is special here.

Riding a horse through the valleys... pleasure!

Carpet weaving master class

And our gift to you - we meet the sunset in the valley with a tasting of local wine

Additional entertainment

• Hot air balloon flight at dawn. A fascinating sight!
• Whirling dervishes in the ancient caravanserai Sarykhan.

Dervishes- wandering Sufi monks. The dance of the Dervishes is a mystical flight. It is believed that by their whirling they symbolize the rotation of planets in endless space, and human souls around God. Today this is just an artistic reminder of ancient traditions, but even a traveler far from Sufism will remember the mystical atmosphere with which this ceremony is filled...

• Attend an evening music concert in the valley.
• Master classes in carpet weaving, pottery/painting.
• Sunset from the Uchisar fortress. Magnificent panoramas and great photos!

What to take with you

• For comfortable walks around the area, we recommend taking comfortable closed shoes with non-slip soles. We will often climb to higher elevations, but the soil in Cappadocia is rocky and crumbles on the slopes! We'll be walking a lot!
• Don't forget to take hats and sunscreen. The sun in Cappadocia is very active.
• Also, just in case, you can take a raincoat and, depending on the season, a light sweater for the evening, since the weather is the weather and can be unpredictable.
• For a hot air balloon flight, it is also advisable to wear warm clothing. Flights usually take place at dawn and you can feel the coolness of the night in the air, especially at an altitude of 1000 m. The difference between day and night temperatures is not uncommon here, even in the warm season.
• Cameras and cameras will definitely come in handy. It’s impossible to leave here without photos!

Why us

We can safely say that we are Cappadocia experts and in love with Turkey. Our acquaintance with Cappadocia began in 2008 under very mysterious circumstances. Since then, our love has been mutual, deep and inexhaustible. Having studied this region in all its diversity, we offer programs developed solely on the basis of our personal experience.

excursion and educational programs and acquaintance with crafts and nationalities.

developing creative master classes with immersion in the ancient traditions, culture and life of Cappadocia.

• Pottery craft. Introduction to clay. Eastern painting.
• Carpet weaving. Colors, symbols, types of carpets
• Turkish cuisine. One of the oldest and most delicious in the world.
• East Dance. Training and communication with the famous Clara Süsekind
• Precious and semi-precious stones
• Painting in the open spaces. Drawing Cappadocia

A harmonious combination of ski holidays in the magnificent resort of Erciyes and a winter fairy tale in Cappadocia

We are for an active holiday, full of impressions and new discoveries. Your vacation!

Why Cappadocia

Cappadocia– a region in central Anatolia, far from sea resorts and the bustle of big cities. There are fantastically beautiful mountain landscapes, fabulous “fairy fireplaces” - rock formations of amazing shapes in which people still live, vineyards, apricot orchards, peace and tranquility, just like centuries ago.

Cappadocia is the place on Earth where you are filled with special energy, strength and inspiration. What scientists say about this: Cappadocia is located on the same parallel with Jerusalem, Solovki and Christian monasteries in Ethiopia. Many cities located on the same parallel played an important role in world history.

Cappadocia- This energetically saturated place. This is due to the rich history of the region. The first Christians settled here, ancient civilizations arose and disappeared, and the Great Silk Road once passed through. In Cappadocia, traditions and ancient crafts are honored and respected; it is not without reason that many artists are happy to find their second home here.

In spring, this region blooms and is fragrant with the fresh aromas of awakening plants. In autumn in Cappadocia, the heat gives way to beneficial warmth, and the vineyards and gardens play with the colors of the foliage. This is the most comfortable time for leisurely walks through the valleys and creativity in the open air. Read more about Cappadocia in our

Why Nemrut Dag

For more than two thousand years, these majestic sculptures on the mountain Nemrut watching sunsets and sunrises.

Excerpt from a book Igor Mozheiko “7 out of 37 miracles”

...King Antiochus, after he managed to negotiate with the Romans so that they would leave his possessions alone, ranked himself among the pantheon of the main gods. Now this event was to be recorded for centuries.
The king made great sacrifices. He mortgaged part of his possessions, sold family jewels, collected extraordinary taxes and ordered construction to begin on Mount Nimrud, which towered above Samosata, sanctuary to all the gods. The king even came up with an inscription for his sanctuary in advance. It should have read: “I, Antiochus, built this temple to glorify myself and my gods.”
And so began the construction of an amazing sanctuary, dedicated to the gods of Europe and the Middle East and one living person thirsting for glory, an old man, energetic, but not knowing where to put his energy...

Harran- an amazing Turkish city, which is located about 50 kilometers from Sanliurfa, in the southeast of the country. The name of this city can be translated as “a place that is scorched by the sun.” It is believed that this place came from the pages of the Bible...
The hallmark of Harran is its cone-shaped clay houses, which in many ways resemble beehives and are built without the use of wood. For 3000 years, the design and appearance of these houses have remained unchanged. Clay houses provide the best shelter from the scorching sun and often have no windows. You can understand how many rooms there are in a house by counting the number of domes. It is at the top of each dome that there is an opening for the penetration of daylight. This design has a simple explanation - this is the only way to keep the room cool.
There are no hotels in this city, so tourists are offered a very authentic type of accommodation - beehive houses.

Sanliurfa- “the city of five prophets”, is located at the intersection of ancient trade routes: the west-east route from Persia and Nusaybin to Samosata and the Mediterranean coast, and the north-south route from Diyarbakir to Harran and Syria.

Of particular value in Sanliurfa is the Khalil-Raman Mosque and the Abraham Pond associated with it, filled with holy and inviolable carps. Legend says that the prophet Abraham, thrown into a fire, saved himself by turning the fire into water and the burning logs into carp ov..
Everyone feeds them here, so the carp are here, kind and kind.

It’s been a while since we climbed the mountains and admired natural wonders. So let's now correct the situation and go to a place full of secrets - Mount Nemrut Dag in Turkey and look at the mysterious stone heads.

Where are the stone heads on Mount Nemrut Dag?

Nemrut-Dag is a southeastern mountain in Turkey, located near the city of Adiyaman. The height of this mountain is 2150 meters above sea level.

In order to easily get to Mount Nemrut-Dag from Adiyaman, you need to take direct transport to Kyakhta and calmly wait for the “final stop”. A little more and you will be at the foot of one of the most mysterious mountains in the world, a little more and you will see mysterious stone heads.

It is worth noting that Mount Nemrut-Dag has a huge history of tens, hundreds and thousands of years behind it. And further! There is something unusual and secret on it - these are stone heads.

Who created the stone heads on Nemrut Dag and the tomb of King Antiochus I

The amazing “mausoleum” on Nemrut Dag is one of the most popular attractions in Turkey, as well as. Indeed, this place, like no other, is imbued with the history and culture of antiquity.

To convince ourselves, let's start with the history of the creation of the statues on Nemrut Dag.

In the distant 2nd century BC, Nemrut belonged to the dwarf state of Commagen. The state itself was small, but the rulers were very proud and powerful individuals. Each of them tried to “stand out”, to show their power over others. King Mithridates I organized the Olympic Games here, thereby “attracting and enticing” those around him. It would seem that what could be better and larger?

But King Antiochus I simply surprised everyone with his idea. He created his own, new religion! And he gave himself the “title” of God.

Nemrut at that time became a religious center. And it was here that it was planned to build something like a ritual complex. But the construction was not completed, since after the death of Antiochus I the work stopped.

At the top of the mountain there is a huge burial ground with a sanctuary - this is the tomb of King Antiochus 1.

The king wished to deify himself and ordered a will to be written on the walls of the temple with a request to “celebrate” his birthday from year to year. He said that, no matter what, literally every subject was obliged to taste the treats and sacrifice an animal. “Let there be a holiday!” - the will ends with these words.

The mystery of the stone heads on Mount Nemrut-Dag

The peak of Nemrut Dag consists of three terraces - western, eastern and northern. It is there that these mysterious statues of gods are located - stone heads.

At this point, the statues have already been “dismembered,” so to speak. It’s just that after a strong earthquake, the stone heads of the statues “fell off their shoulders” and now stand next to “their bodies”!

As Antiochus I said: “This place is the home of the Gods! This is where their heavenly thrones are."

Now you know about the history of the stone heads on Nemrut Dag in Turkey. Find out more and more interesting things and travel the world with us.

Where are the stone heads on Mount Nemrut-Dag located on the map

panoramas are clickable

Actually, we went on a trip to Eastern Turkey precisely for this place. A year earlier, while traveling around Georgia, we were at the observatory in Abastumani and our guide-astronomer Givi Kimeridze briefly showed a picture of giant statues on a mountain against the backdrop of a starry sky. Said: This is in Turkey, a beautiful place. The old photo stuck in my head so much that when I arrived, I found Mount Nemrut on Google and now we were going to visit it.

You can get to Nerut from Malatya or Adiyaman by taking a dolmush ticket to Kahta. There we decided to spend the night in a hotel, the name of which, luckily for them, I don’t remember. They invited people to come to them as the best and cheapest hotel in the city, however, in fact it turned out to be a rather creepy and dirty bedbug infestation, while 200 meters away there was a cozy and cheap teachers house. By the way, teachers' houses are kind of like hotels for government employees. Ordinary tourists can also stay there. A little more expensive, but still very cheap. At the same time, the level of the hotel is quite 3 stars. But we only met them in eastern Turkey. If anyone knows more, please tell me. In general, we doubted for a long time whether to stay in our terrible hotel, then we spat, threw our things, went out, saw the hotel better and returned exactly 10 minutes later with the goal of checking out. It seems, of course, that we are not very consistent, but the administrator at the reception threw us a formal tantrum, demanding to pay for a day for two, because... he has losses because of us. Yeah, losses. We arrived at 10 pm and canceled 10 minutes after checking in, without even registering. In general, there was a terrible and lengthy scene, as a result of which we moved out, the administrator yelled that we would not be accepted in any hotel in the city, we went to the teachers house, but they did not let us in, saying that the hotel owner, it turns out, has connections , he forbids taking his clients and they will have trouble with the measure, because. The administrator just called. As a result, two nice Turkish teachers saved us by directing us to a third hotel that was not involved in the quarrel.

The next morning we went to the mountain. Nemrut-Dag (Nemrut, Nemrud, Turkish Nemrut Dağ or Nemrut Dağı, Greek Όρος Νεμρούτ, Armenian Նեմրութ լեռ, Persian کوه نمرود‎, Kurdish Çiya yê Nemrûd) is a mountain in the southeast of Turkey in the Taurus Mountains in the Adıyaman silt . Altitude 2150 meters above sea level. In 62 BC. e., King Antiochus I Theos of Commagene from the Armenian Yervandid dynasty built a tomb - a sanctuary surrounded by huge statues 8 - 9 meters high - on the top of Mount Nemrut. The center of the tomb is a mound of small stones, on top of a mountain, 49.8 meters high and 150 meters wide at the base. Under the mound is the tomb of Antiochus I of Commagene (69-38 BC). The edges of the rocky peak on which the tomb is located are turned into large terraces on three sides. Two of them are decorated with five majestic seated statues 8 meters high: in the middle is the figure of Zeus, on the sides the personified “Commagene” and King Antiochus, on the edges are Apollo and Hercules.

King Antiochus was a perky guy with Armenian roots and delusions of grandeur. He claimed that his mother came from the family of Alexander the Great, and his father was a descendant of the Persian king Darius. He himself wanted to become famous no less than the Macedonian and did not come up with anything better than to create his own religion with himself at the head. In this religion, he tried to combine the traditions of the gods of the West (Greek) and the East (Zoroastrianism) and, like the kings of antiquity, ordered himself to be deified. He ordered his will to be engraved on the wall of the temple, which was supposed to immortalize his name: “My birthday should be celebrated every year and every month. On these days, let the chief priest burn incense in honor of the gods and me, and put the most exquisite dishes and wines on the festive tables, and let him drive cattle for sacrifice. My subjects gathered here must taste everything, and let there be a holiday.”

In principle, there is a version that this whole thing was built by aliens, because how could ancient people drag 8-9 meter statues up such a high mountain? But, in my opinion, although this entire sanctuary looks very impressive, the issues of complexity of construction disappear when you have slaves.

Like the Egyptian rulers, Antiochus built a kind of pyramid in the center of the tomb - a 50-meter mound of stones. However, the greatness of this project lies in the fact that the mound crowned a 2-kilometer mountain.

The terrace facing the eastern side was most revered; here, in addition to mystical statues, there is an altar in the form of a stepped pyramid and a stone wall. The ledges in the west and east of the tomb are connected by a gallery, at the entrance of which huge stone eagles sit. On the eastern terrace, in addition to the main altar, five wonderful, 8-9 m high, throne statues of King Antiochus I and the Greek, Western Asian and Iranian gods - Zeus-Ahuramazda, Apollo-Mithras-Helios, Artagenes-Heracles-Ares and the goddess Tyche of Commagene - have been preserved. Each statue was guarded by statues of lions and eagles standing on its sides. Nearby are four monumental reliefs depicting the king and four gods, as well as a relief with a horoscope, where the deified ruler is placed in the constellation Leo.

The mountain offers superb views of the Ataturk Reservoir. By the way, the third largest “lake” in Turkey.

The pyramid hill apparently contains the tomb of Antiochus, although archaeologists have still not been able to discover it. The lower part of the hill was surrounded by a stone wall, along the top of which there was a road for ceremonial processions, connecting three terraces located on the sides of the hill - from the east, west and north. For unknown reasons, the northern terrace remained unfinished, while the western and eastern ones were built according to the same plan, with the only difference being that on the eastern one there was a huge stone altar (apparently intended for performing ceremonial sacrifices in the light of the rising sun).
The statues on the western terrace are in much worse condition. On both terraces, six reliefs of the royal ancestors of Antiochus I also survived. Even today, fragments of these huge sculptures amaze tourists.

One interesting feature of the complex is the position of the gods. In both Greek and Persian culture, it was customary for statues of gods to stand. In exceptional cases - in the named temples of one or another god - the deity was given the right to sit on the throne. On Mount Nemrut-Dag the gods sit on their thrones, because, according to Antiochus, it was here that the gods found their refuge.

In the first picture are Hercules and Apollo, in the second are Apollo and Seryozha.

Friends, today you will read and see a place that simply captivated us at first sight. I noticed one strange thing: if a place has any strong energy, that is, essentially a place of power, then we get there very easily, and sometimes literally miraculously. The inaccessibility to the mountain with large stone heads of gods called Nemrut Dag and our path there became another proof of this. Believe me, you won’t regret it either when you learn more about this place.

“Wonderful” hitchhiking to Nemrut Dag.

And we continue to walk along the main street of Adiyaman, and along the way we try our luck to catch a car that will take us at least to the edge of the city. Yes, Turkey is so harsh that you can hitchhike even around the city; after 20 minutes we were sitting in a small truck that was taking us out.

For some reason, all the Turks who give us a lift think that we are in no hurry. Of course, we are in no hurry, but this does not mean that we will sit in the car and wait for the driver to sleep, because he is tired after long hours of work, and then take us to Nemrut. This is exactly what the owner of the truck decided when we left the city. Having kindly sent him…to sleep, we went further along the highway.

Traffic towards Nemrut Dag was, to put it mildly, sparse, so we were very happy when another truck decided to pick us up, although it was already completely filled with Kurdish children and women. It seems that they were not justified, and the Kurds are no worse than the Turks in terms of their desire to help. There was only free space in the back, from where two boys who couldn’t fit into the cab looked at us timidly, and there was a smell of cow waste. In such a romantic atmosphere, we covered 40 km while standing, while there were still about 20 km to the goal.

I did not expect that the very first wave of my hand would stop in front of us a car completely stuffed with bags, some of which even rested on the back of the driver’s head. There was only one seat available in the front, and it was there, out of desperation, that Mila and I crowded together with our backpacks. To be honest, I don’t know how we were able to fit there, thank God, it didn’t take long to drive, otherwise I would have remained bent in four :).

We landed right at the turn up the mountain; there was another 13 km ahead and a completely deserted road. I didn’t even know if there were any villages ahead so that local transport could pick us up. There was absolutely no point in walking, especially considering that the heads are located on a mountain 2100 meters high, which means that at night it is absolutely not hot there and I didn’t want to spend the night there. Then we sit down by the road and wait.

An hour passed and not a single car. Mila and I were already beginning to doubt that there was anything on wheels here at all, when suddenly a minibus appeared around the bend. We jumped to our feet and waved our arms. The car stopped, the driver immediately understood where we needed to go and, without further ado, put us in the cabin.

We thought that he would take us at least to the nearest village, but in the end we stopped right at the ticket office before driving up the mountain. And, apparently, this was not the final stop yet, so we just paid 9 liras (180 rubles) per person. Who knew that the driver would actually be one of the builders who are now beautifying Nemrut Dag for tourists?! That's right, we were taken straight to the mountain, which personally reminded me of a real pyramid. I will not say that this is it, but when you see the remains of the gods, I think you will doubt it too.

Collapsed sculptures of the gods of the Turkish “Olympus”.

We left our backpacks with the Kurdish workers to make it easier to explore the area. They even told us that they would find a place to stay if needed. Mila, after the pestering Turks and the tales about the Kurds, was not at all eager to agree to this proposal.

Work here was in full swing; they were building a concrete staircase right up to the mountain, carrying materials on donkeys along a side path. The stairs had not yet been completed, so we walked the rest of the way over rocks.

When I saw the first head, everything inside me stopped with admiration. With every step, a whole platform opened up before our eyes, where giant sculptures used to stand. Mila, as always, simply flew up, although downstairs she could barely move her legs due to the heat and the weight behind her back.

From the mountain there was an amazing view of hills and mountains for many kilometers in the distance. They say that the Olympian gods lived in Greece, but at that moment it seemed to me for a moment that this was where Olympus was.

It's probably worth looking into the history of the origin of this place.

The origin story of Nemrut Dag.

Once upon a time there was a small state called Commagene, and it was ruled by King Antiochus from a dynasty of Greco-Persian origin. On his mother's side, the vain king was a descendant of the famous Alexander the Great. And the king’s pride was so strong that in the end he declared himself God, after which he decided, in order not to be unfounded, to recreate his personality in art along with the pantheon of Gods already existing at that time.

Antiochus did not skimp when he built Mount Nemrud sanctuaries for the gods, inviting the best workers and sculptors of the time. Construction began in 62 BC, and three terraces were built, on the topmost of which were placed figures of gods, guarded by statues of eagles and lions.

When the construction was finally completed, by decree of the king, a paved road was laid out to the 2000-meter high mountain. All the people had to climb it and worship at the statues twice a month. Tired travelers were greeted by a huge inscription: “I, Antiochus, built this temple to glorify myself and my gods.”

It is unknown how long this lasted, only after the death of the king, his subjects buried his ashes on the top, erecting a fifty-meter marble pyramid above his tomb.

After this, the sanctuary was forgotten. Only occasionally, due to numerous earthquakes, the collapsing massive figures of gods puzzled lost travelers, until in 1953 a group of American geologists found the stone heads.

But, and that’s not all, on the other side of the pyramidal mountain, on which for some reason a bunch of small stones were poured, I found copies of exactly the same heads and dilapidated sculptures. And right in front of them is a large area, more like a landing spot for a helicopter.

Now take a closer look at these two photographs, these are heads from different sides of the mountain of the same “god” (presumably King Antiochus himself)....what is your opinion?

Did you also think that the sculptures on the reverse side were smaller and more “artisanal”? This is exactly what it really is.

My opinion is this: during the heyday of the Nth Empire, dilapidated sculptures left by more ancient civilizations were accidentally discovered. The find amazed the ruler so much that he convened his best sculptors, who tried to repeat the ideality of the lines and proportions of the “gods,” but as you can see, the task turned out to be impossible, but completed.

I even climbed to the very peak of the “pyramid”. Apparently, I’m not the first, as I found the remains of candles and other ritual accessories. By the way, the site here is flat, and if you believe some historical sources, then at the very top of the pyramid there should be a silver cone.

Despite the fact that the place is not much promoted and is not completed, there are enough tourists here, mostly independent travelers on personal transport. One of these turned out to be the French, who arrived here in a house on wheels. By the way, I saw it on the lower levels of the mountain, probably the guys decided to spend the night here, lucky guys!

We exchanged a few words with the French in English and found out where they had already been and what else interesting things could be seen. I was interested in a settlement called , but we will tell you about this in due time.

With 17 Kurds in one car.

I don’t know how much time we spent on the “Olympic” mountain, but when we went down to get our things, the sun was beginning to set. I was also of the opinion that spending the night with a girl in the company of only men was not the best idea. So we took our things and headed towards the road in the hope of some car with tourists returning home.

The builders’ working day was also coming to an end, and a couple of Kurdish guys saw us and asked where we were going. We said that we needed to go out, then they offered to give us a lift, but first it would be nice to have dinner. We were taken to a work trailer, treated to local soup and lemonade, and then seated in the very car in which we arrived. Only now in the cabin, besides us, there were 17 more guys, all Kurds. Unlike the Turks, which we really liked, the Kurds did not stare at Mila at all, but rather, on the contrary, they themselves seated us so that she felt as comfortable as possible in this crowd.

The guys not only took us to the highway, but also agreed with one of the workers who was traveling towards the town of Siverek to pick us up, where part of the route had to be covered by ferry. But even to the ferry it was not he who took us, but a minibus, yes, with ordinary passengers, only we rode for free. True, at the exit, one of the passengers began to demand payment, I never understood people who are trying to extract money from us, while not being the driver of the car we are driving. In general, I sent this comrade away when we found ourselves on the shore.

The ferry was supposed to arrive in an hour, which didn’t make us too happy, since it was time to look for accommodation for the night, and if we wasted time crossing, we’d have to pitch the tent in the dark. Okay, the ferry will wait until tomorrow, let's go look for a parking spot. This vegetable garden is ideal, and the river is nearby, which means you can wash your hair in the morning.

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 topic). In general, Nemrut Dag is not only a mountain, but an entire 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. You can't get there by plane or rail. If there is no direct bus, 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 get to Nemrut on foot 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 the Eastern terrace of the 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. Nowadays this platform is used as a convenient place for taking photographs. And also for watching the sunrise. After going around the hill we get to 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 the 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 Daga 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. There is also an 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 would be 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.