Sunday, October 3, 2010

Heaven and Hell Pits - Cennet Cehennem



Description

Cennet Cehennem (Heaven and Hell) are two dolines, located very closely, near the small fishing village Narlıkuyu. They are cultic places since prehistoric times.

The Greek believed this to be the place where the giant Typhon lived, who was killed by Zeus, with the help of Pan and Hermes. Typhon was father to the hellhound Kerberos. So this place was also said to be the entrance to the underworld. However, it is not the Korykian Cave which is mentioned in the same rather complicated legend. That cave is located in central Greece.

Cennet Çökügü (Heaven) is a huge pit 250m long, 110m wide, and between 60 and 70m deep. Quite a strenuous visit, as it is entered on a limestone staircase of 426 steps. The floor of the pit is full of trees with birds nests. Cool air announces the cave entrance, which is also the place of a 5th century cave church, or better a cave chapel, which is ruined with only the lower metre of the walls remaining. This cave leads to an underground stream of cold water, which the path follows to a sump.

Cehennem Çukuru (Hell) is located 75m northeast of Cennet. It is 60m wide and 120m deep, an almost circular daylight shaft. Because of its lesser diameter it is said to be smaller, but it is much deeper and obviously was rather frightening for the locals. This may be the reason for the name hell, and obviously the chapel is the reason why the other pit is called heaven in contrast. It is also possible to visit this pit on a steel ladder, but this is rather dangerous and not recommended for the average tourist.

300m to the southwest of Heaven is the Astim - Dilek Magarasi (Asthma and Wishing Cave), also called Narlıkuyu (Pomegranate Spring). This cave is well developed and lighted and the most easy to visit of all three caves. It shows impressive speleothems, like stalactites, stalagmites and all forms of calcite crystals. The cave is 250m long and 10 to 15m wide and high. This main passage leads the visitor to four huge chambers and many small side passages. The air of Dilek Magarasi is thought to be a cure for asthma, so the locals used it for therapy. This seems to be a traditional use of speleotherapy.

But even more interesting than the caves is the karstic phenomenon of submarine sweet water springs in the bay of Narlıkuyu. The bay with its small restaurants and cafes looks like all the others, but when you first put your feet into the water you will see that it is much colder than what one expects from the Mediterranean Sea. Sometimes you may even see locals bending over to actually scoop up and drink the seawater. Cold karst water, sweet water from the cave systems behind, wells up from the floor of the bay, dropping the temperature and creating pools of fresh water in the sea. The water is the same you have seen as a cave river at the end of Cennet.

At the entrance to the bay are the remains of a 5th century Roman bath. Even the people of that time knew about the value of those springs. Most impressive is probably a mosaic on the floor depicting three bathing nymphs who smile at us across the centuries. Its the reason why the bath is called Kızlar Hamamı (Girls Bath).

Hotel Sahil Marti

e.g. 1 day from €40.00

Located along the Mediterranean Coast, Sahil Martı provides modern accommodation with a private sandy beach. It also features free Wi-Fi access, a traditional hammam and massage facilities.

Rooms at the Sahil Martı Hotel open out onto private balconies. They all offer air conditioning, TVs with satellite channels and a minibar. The private bathrooms are equipped with a hairdryer.

A selection of Turkish specialities from the Mersin Province is served at the restaurant of the hotel. The in-house Antik Bar has live performances every night and the garden features a tea house and a narghileh bar.

Other facilities of the hotel Sahil Martı include a children’s playground, a car rental and a tour desk. Guests can plan excursions to the ancient city of Soli and the Taurus Mountains. Free parking is available on site.

Neither HolidayCheck nor the travel agency assumes liability for the accuracy and completeness of the content displayed above. Please take note of the hotel description of the respective operator and bear in mind that the services included in an offer may differ from the catalogue advertisement presented here. Only the services, which you have chosen yourself from the selection, are owed. We are obliged to offer solely those services available at the time of booking as shown on the booking form. © 2010 Giata

Hotel Mersin Hilton

1 day from €76.00

Hotel Mersin Hilton

This 5-star luxury high-rise hotel hosts city and sea views from all rooms with private balconies, with Mersin attractions and the beachfront nearby.

Enjoy local, Asian and international cuisine at the Mersin HiltonSA Hotel, with terraces overlooking the Mediterranean. On a hot day you can enjoy drinks from the poolside bar of the palm-flanked pool.

Have a workout with modern fitness equipment, after which you can unwind in the sauna and steam bath, and have a massage treatment. The beach is nearby with a variety of water sports activities available.

Mersin HiltonSA Hotel provides extensive facilities for business guests. There is a business centre and executive lounge on the 12th floor with space for up to 500 people, with 6 meeting rooms and state-of-the-art audio/visual equipment.

The Hilton is only a short walking distance to the centre and 5 km (3 miles) to the Mersin Harbour.Ginger Restaurant (18:30-23:00)- Pass through the bamboo curtains onto the wooden floors before easing back into a corner sofa and enjoying the sea views, as you enjoy East Asian culinary delights. Open Tuesday-Saturday

Greenhouse Restaurant (06:30-23:00) - International cuisine and local favourites are part of the buffet, as you dine on the terrace. Open Monday to Sunday

The Bar (17:00-01:00) - Enjoy speciality cocktails and admire the sea or enjoy a beer while watching live football. Open Monday to Sunday

Pool Bar (08:00-20:00) - Swim over to the pool bar and enjoy a selection of fresh fruit cocktails, ice creams and light snacks. Open Monday to SundayIn the immediate area outside of the hotel, you have the opportunities to go bowling, fishing and take a sightseeing tour.

In a 3km radius from Mersin Hilton you will find the city centre, park, Icel Museums, Kizkalesi Castle Island, Mersin Shopping Centre, State Opera and the Tarsus Waterfall. You should also take the opportunity to go see the Byzantine Ruins (5.5 km) in the area.

The Mersin International Music Festival takes place every October.

Neither HolidayCheck nor the travel agency assumes liability for the accuracy and completeness of the content displayed above. Please take note of the hotel description of the respective operator and bear in mind that the services included in an offer may differ from the catalogue advertisement presented here. Only the services, which you have chosen yourself from the selection, are owed. We are obliged to offer solely those services available at the time of booking as shown on the booking form. © 2010 Giata

Kizkalesi and history


Geography

Kızkalesi is a Mediterranean coastal town. It is situated on the ruins of an ancient city named Corycus. Taurus mountains are at north of the town and in fact some quarters of the town are situated on the lower slopes of the mountain. The surrounding area is mostly covered by macquis groves.

Kızkalesi at 36°28′N 34°9′E / 36.467°N 34.15°E / 36.467; 34.15 is a part of Erdemli district which in turn is a part of Mersin Province . Kızkalesi is west of Erdemli and Mersin. It is on the D 400 highway, the highway distances being 23 kilometres (14 mi) to Erdemli and 60 kilometres (37 mi) to Mersin. The winter (settled) population is 1963. (2009 est.)[1] But in summers, much higher population figures can be reached due to tourism.

People and history

Ancient Corycus was a big city. It became parts of Seleucid Empire, Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, Seljuks, Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, Oghuz Turks of Karaman Beylik, and finally Ottoman Empire. In Turkish history, it is known as Prince Cem's departing point from Turkey in 1482 after his defeat in civil war on his way to Rome. After Cem’s departure, Kızkalesi became the winter location of nomadic Turkmens tribes known as Ayaş. It is decleared a township in 1992.

Mersin

This article is about the city of Mersin, see Mersin Province, (named İçel province until 2002), for information about the surrounding area.
Mersin is a large city and a busy port on the Mediterranean coast of southern Turkey and is the capital of the Mersin Province
History
This coast has been inhabited since the 9th millennium BC. Excavations by John Garstang of the hill of Yümüktepe have revealed 23 levels of occupation, the earliest dating from ca. 6300 BC. A fortification was put up around 4500 BC, but the site appears to have been abandoned between 3200 BC and 1200 BC.

Afterward the city was part of many states and civilizations including the Hittites, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, the Macedonians of Alexander the Great, Seleucids, Lagids. During the Ancient Greek period, the city bore the name Zephyrion (Greek: Ζεφύριον[1]) and was mentioned by numerous ancient authors. Apart from its natural harbor and its strategic position along the trade routes of southern Anatolia, the city profited from trade in molybdenum (white lead) from the neighbouring mines of Coreyra. Ancient sources attributed the best molybdenum to the city, which also minted its own coins.

Then the area became the Roman, province of Cilicia, which had its capital at Tarsus while nearby Mersin was the major port. The city, whose name was Latinized to Zephyrium, was renamed Hadrianopolis for emperor Hadrian.

The Roman Empire split and this area fell into the half ruled from Byzantium (later Constantinople), which became the centre of trade in this part of the world, drawing investments and trade, and causing Mersin to lose its shine.

Mersin(İçel) İli İngilizce Tanıtımı-mersin2-jpg1-jpg


The city was Christianized early; and was the see of a bishop. Le Quien (Oriens christianus, II, 883) names four bishops of Zephyrium: Aerius, present at the Council of Constantinople in 381; Zenobius, a Nestorian, at the Second Council of Constantinople in 432-434; Hypatius, present at the Council of Chalcedon in 451; and Peter, at the Council in Trullo in 692. The city remains a titular see of the Roman Catholic Church, Zephyriensis; the see has been vacant since 1966. [2]

Then came Arabs, Egyptian Tulunids, Seljuk Turks, Mongols, Crusaders, Armenians, Mamluks, Anatolian beyliks, and finally the city was conquered by the Ottomans in 1473.

During the American Civil War, the region became a major supplier of cotton to make up for the high demand due to shortage. Railroads were extended to Mersin in 1866 from where cotton was exported by sea, and the city developed into a major trade center. By 1900, the Catholic Encyclopedia reports the city having about 18,000 inhabitants, of whom 8,000 were by ethnicity Greeks, 1,000 Armenians, and 2,000 Roman Catholics; the remaining approximately 9,000 inhabitants were presumably Muslim. The Roman Catholic parish of Mersin was administered by Capuchins; there were also Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition; schools for boys and girls, and hospitals.

In 1918 Mersin was occupied by French and British troops in accord with the Treaty of Sevrès. It was liberated by the Turkish army in 1920. In 1924, Mersin was made a province, and in 1933, Mersin and İçel provinces were joined to form the (greater Mersin) İçel province.

Mersin(İçel) İli İngilizce Tanıtımı-mersin_02-jpg

Up until the 1970s Mersin had a population of 580,000 and a classy feel to it, with carriages parading under palm trees. The seafront was all orchards of oranges and lemons, perfect for a quiet stroll, and you could play on the beach. The heart of this tree-lined bourgois establishment were the patisseries along Flamingo road, a name that evokes nostalgia among those who lived here through the 60s and 70s.
Mersin today
Today Mersin is a large city spreading out along the coast, with Turkey's second tallest skyscraper, huge hotels, an opera house, expensive real estate near the sea or up in the hills, and many other modern urban amenities, although still nothing like the long-established nightlife and culture of Istanbul or Izmir.

The municipality is now trying to rescue the sea front with walkways, parks and statuary, and there are still palm trees on the roadsides especially where the young generation like to hang out in the cafes and patisseries of smart neighbourhoods such as Pozcu or Çamlıbel. These are established neighbourhoods where there are many well-known shops and restaurants with years of experience and reputations to protect. The city centre is a maze of narrow streets and arcades of little shops and cafes, with young people buzzing around on scooters. The old quarter near the fish market is where you will find the stalls selling tantuni and grilled liver sandwiches.

One of the most distinctive features of the city as a whole is the solar heating panels, they are everywhere, on top of every building. Turkey now plans to construct its first nuclear power plant in the port city of Mersin. In March 2008, Turkey opened bidding for the construction of the plant. Environmental groups, such as Greenpeace, oppose this plan.
Cuisine
The local cuisine includes: kebab of course but especially the hot sandwich of grilled meats wrapped in flat bread called tantuni; the home-made sausage bumbar; carrot helva (cezerye); karsambaç (a kind of ice slush); künefe a baked cheese pastry (known throughout south-east Turkey including Mersin); and kerebiç, a semolina pudding, especially made in the month of Ramadan, and many other local soups and stews. The traditional drink of this corner of Turkey, including Mersin, is şalgam suyu (the water used to pickle turnips in).

Mersin(İçel) İli İngilizce Tanıtımı-mersin_fener-jpg

Economy
The port is the mainstay of Mersin's economy. There are 45 piers, a total port area of 785 km² (205 acres), with a capacity of 6,000 ships per year.

Adjacent to the port is Mersin Free Zone established in 1986, the first free zone in Turkey, with warehouses, shops, assembly-disassembly, maintenance and engineering workshops, banking and insurance, packing-repacking, labelling and exhibition facilities. The zone is a publicly owned center for foreign investors, close to major markets in the (Middle East, North Africa, East and West Europe, Russian Federation and Central Asia. The trading volume of the free zone was USD 51,8 billion in 2002.

Mersin has highway connections to the north and east, and is also connected to the southern railroad. Adana airport is 69 km (43 miles).

70% of the male population and 46% of the female population is employed. Unemployment is about 6.7%

Mersin port is an international hub for many vessels routing to European countries.Its now operated by PSA.
Mersin University
Mersin University was founded in 1992 and started teaching in 1993-1994, with 11 faculties, 6 schools and 9 vocational schools. The university has had about 10 thousand graduates, has broadened its current academic staff to more than 2100 academicians, and enrolls 38,000 students.
Culture
Because the city has been a crossroads for centuries the local culture is a medley of civilizations. Mersin has a State Opera and Ballet, the fourth in Turkey after Istanbul, İzmir and Ankara. Mersin International Music Festival was established in 2001, and takes place every October. The photography association Mersin Fotograf Derneği (MFD), is one of the most popular and active cultural organizations in the city. There is a great museum in the city centre. The municipal cemetery is interesting as people of all faiths and denominations can be buried here.

In order to swim in clean water you need to get out of town, perhaps an hour along the coast. The beach at (109km beaches) Kızkalesi, Ayaş,Soloi,Susanoğlu is popular with families while young people prefer Akyar,Yapraklı koy,Narlıkuyu or quieter bays along the coast, some of which are very attractive indeed