A Little Bit on Tarsus

Tarsus, the birth place of the apostle Paul, will soon be the city that Josh and I will call home. It is located on the southern Mediterranean coast of Turkey, just northeast of the island of Cyprus and about 20 miles from Adana, the 4th largest city in Turkey.

Some guide books only mention Tarsus in passing or even go so far as to say it's not worth making a stop, but thankfully my trusty Lonely Planet guide to Turkey has 10 whole paragraphs dedicated to the town. Here is what Tarsus has to offer according to Lonely Planet.


Population:  319,000

"In the 2000th anniversary of Tarsus' most famous former citizen - St Paul - pilgrims traveling through a sprawl of concrete apartment blocks would concede its beauty as largely historic. However this is also one of those towns that repays some perseverance, and a stroll through the Old City, or along Tarsus Nehri (Cydnus River), can be reason enough to linger.

SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES


Buses drop you off beside Cleopatra's Gate, a Roman city gate that has little to do with the famous lady, although she is thought to have met Mark Antony in Tarsus.

Walk straight ahead, and just before the government house is a sign pointing left to St Paul's Well. The ruins of Paul's house can be viewed underneath plates of glass.

At the same road junction a second sign to the left points to the Old City.

Follow it and you'll come to Cumhuriyet Alani, where excavations have uncovered a wonderful stretch of Roman road, with heavy basalt paving slabs covering a lengthy drain.

Return to the government house and continue northwards until you come to the 19th century Makam Camii on the right. Directly across the the street is Eski Cami (old Mosque), a medieval structure which may originally have been a church dedicated to St Paul.

Beside the Eski Cami you can catch a dolmus (mini-bus) to Tarsus' other main sight, the waterfall on the Tarsus Nehri (Cydnus River) which cascades over the rocks right inside the town, providing the perfect setting for teach gardens and restaurants.

To reach the 16th-century Ulu Cami (Great Mosque), which sports a curious 19th century clock tower, turn right beside the Makam Camii and continue along the side street.

Behind it and one street over on the right are the ruins of St Paul's Church."

We can't wait to actually explore the city on our own!