Mopsuestia / Misis - 27 March 2021

    Almost everything worth seeing at Misis is clustered around the 4th century AD Roman bridge on the Pyramos river (Ceyhan). Only the Roman windmill (G) is a bit further down the watercourse, but still within walking distance. Nothing was easily accessible on the day of my visit, and I was taking pictures from behind fences. Among notable structures unearthed at Misis to date is a neo-Hittite citadel from the 8th century BC located at the excavation mound (F). It means an ancient city already prospered here in the first centuries of the 1st  millennium BC. Its Hittite name could be Pahri as suggested by Prof. Helmuth Bossert in 1950s (misis.isma.cnr.it).

Mopsuestia / Misis (A) *

Tarsus - Donuktaş Roman Temple - 13 March 2021

    I spotted a small brown plaque while driving through Tarsus. The name on it, 'Donuktaş Roman Temple', was completely strange to me what sparked my interest. When I arrived there I saw a massive foundation of a former temple dedicated to Emperor Hadrian. The 2nd century AD structure, erected on the plan of rectangle, was 133,5 m long, 60,5 m wide and over 30 m high. The dimensions place it among the largest temples of the Ancient World (Tarsus Museum). 

Donuktaş Roman Temple *

Tarsus - Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami) - 13 March 2021

    The Grand Mosque was erected in 1579 by Ibrahim Bey, a member of the Ramazanoğlu family. It was built with blocks of limestone on the plan of rectangle. The longer walls were laid on the east-west axis. There is a courtyard adjacent to the northern wall of the structure with a peristyle and a fountain as architectural elements. The peristyle is covered with a number of small domes. The place offers that special lazy atmosphere enjoyed by many (me for sure!).

Grand Mosque's marble entrance *