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).
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| Donuktaş Roman Temple * |
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| Landform (Google Earth) N↑* |
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Structure made of Roman concrete cast in
between walls made of stone blocks not present
on site anymore (photo: Tarsus municipality) * |
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| Foundation is 8 meters high * |
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Tarsus Museum dedicated one of its chambers
to Donuktaş * |
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| Temple model * |
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| Temple's 1:1 column base, 2,29 m in diameter * |
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Original element of column base with later
(Byzantine) mark of cross * |
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| Donuktaş artefacts * |
More information on Tarsus' historical sites:
https://myciliciantrips.blogspot.com/p/tarsus-mausoleum-of-daniel-gozlukule.html
