Antakya
From Turkey Travel Guide
Antakya also known as antioch is a city in the Mediterranean Region of Turkey. Antakya (Hatay) city is located in southern Turkey, next to Syria. Called Antioch in the ancient times, it was the place where the followers of Jesus Christ were called Christians for the very first time. Antakya was an important center for the early years of Christianity, the Antiochian Orthodox Church, the rise of Islam and The Crusades. Therefore Antakya is known as the mosaic of religions.
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[edit] History
The foundation of the city goes back to the the Calcolithic era. General Alexander der Grosse Antigonos called the city Antigonia in the year 307 B.C. It was established north of today's Antakya but later King Seleukos Nikator moved it to the south and called the city Antiokheia. Antakya became a province of the Roman Empire in 64 B.C. and continued to be an important location for Christianity, the Antiochian Orthodox Church, the rise of Islam and The Crusades. Especially for the Christianity Antakya is a significant place because the word “Christian” was used for the first time. Unfortunately the city was destroyed with several eathquakes. In 538, the city was conquered by the Persians and the inhabitants deported. Later the city was conquered again several times, once by Justinian, later by the Arabs, and then by the Byzantines. All these cultures enriched the city's history and made it a mosaic of religions. It was an important location of commerce on the Silk Road and in 1084 it was conquered by the Seljuks. And finally in 1516, Antakya was integrated by the Ottoman Empire Sultan Selim I but in 1872 another unfortunate earthquake destroyed the city completely. Later Antakya developed once again and became a key location for commerce and culture. After the World War I, in 1918, the city was integrated into the Syrian protectorate. In 1938 it became Republic of Hatay which didn't last long and in 1939 it was integrated into the Republic of Turkey.
[edit]
Located on the Mediterranean coast of southern Turkey, Antakya is surrounded by Syria in the east and south, Gaziantep in the north-east, Osmaniye and Adana in the north and south-west.
[edit] Weather
Mediterranean climate rules in the province of Hatay. In Dörtyol, Antakya, İskenderun and Samandağ, the winters are warm and rainy as well as the summers are hot and dry. In Yayladağı and midland, the weather is colder than coastal area.Yearly average temperature is between 16-21 C while the yearly average sea water temperature is 22.1 C. The humidity rate is 70% per year in Antakya.
(°F)
(54)
(58)
(65)
(73)
(80)
(84)
(88)
(89)
(88)
(82)
(68)
(57)
(°F)
(40)
(42)
(47)
(54)
(61)
(69)
(75)
(76)
(70)
(59)
(49)
(43)
(inches)
(7.2)
(6.4)
(5.6)
(3.9)
(3.2)
(0.6)
(0.5)
(0.1)
(1.6)
(3.1)
(4.6)
(6.5)
[edit] Getting there
[edit] By plane
Domestic flights are available through Hatay Airport which is located at 25 km away from the city center. There's an international airport in Adana.
[edit] By train
There's a train station ( TCDD [1] ) in Iskenderun with several daily train connections to Adana and Mersin.
[edit] By car
[edit] By bus
There are several bus tourism companies with comfortable buses running to Hatay inside Turkey as well as connections available with Syria.
[edit] By boat
[edit] Getting around
[edit] By car
Taking a cab around town might be expensive but there are mini-van type of cars called "dolmus" running in town with affordable fees.
[edit] By public transport
Public bus transportation is available in the city with cheap fares.
[edit] By foot
Walking in the city is easy and recommended to witness the history.
[edit] By bike
[edit] See
Even though there had been many earthquakes and conquests, there's still so much to see in Antakya. Hatay Archaeological Museum hosts one of the richest collections of Roman mosaics in the world. If you'd like to see a panoramic view of the city, you should go to the Castle of Antakya . The waterfalls at Daphne (Harbiye) promenade is a very pleasent place to see. In mythology, it's said that Apollo had fallen in love with Daphne ( Defne in Turkish/ means Bay Leaf) and was going to have her. But Gaia, the Mother of Earth, turned Daphne into a tree in order to save her. The area is is full of these trees and gardens of orchids where Antakyans still come, relax and dine. For sightseeing or beach activities Samandağ is a great place. Inland from Samandağ beach there's the Titus-Vespasianus Tunnel, which was built to divert the rainwaters and is a great example of engineering even today. Saint Peter Cave Church is said to be the first Christian church with its network of refuges and tunnels carved out of the rock.
[edit] Do
The area around Antakya offers different opportunities for camping, picnics, hunting, fishing or relaxing at thermal springs.
[edit] Eat
The cuisine of Antakya is very rich with delicious and mostly spicy dishes. That's why Antakyans take great pride in their land and culinary specialties. Here traditional Turkish kebab is served with spices and onions in a flat bread, or sometimes with yoghurt which is called Ali Nazik Kebab. The cuisine of Antakya is influenced by and is similar to Lebanese and Syrian cuisine. Meze is a Turkish word used for the appetizers and a must-try one is Antiochia's thyme meze which is marinated in olive oil and spices, and served with green olives. Muammara, a red pepper and tomato paste with walnuts and pomegranate molasses, is another specialty of this region. It's also known as a dip or spread for bread but here the muammara is so thick that you can eat it with a spoon. Another popular appetizer is the light hummus and abagannus, eggplant cooked over a fire and blended with peppers, tomatoes and olive oil. The homemade Antakya pomegranate syrup is a light and delicious salad dressing. İçli köfte is deep-fried balls of bulgur stuffed with minced meat. And for deserts; a hot cheese and kadayıf based sweet called Künefe is very famous in Antakya.
[edit] Drink
Turkish coffee is highly recommended.
[edit] Sleep
[edit] Budget
Located near city center, Buyuk Ozcihan Hotel is a 3* hotelwith 66 Rooms, 130 Beds, 3 Suites in Antakya. The prices are affordable. Another 3* hotel in the city center is Yaman Hotel Antakya which is offering 33 Rooms, 70 Beds, 26 Standard Rooms, 1 Single Rooms, 2 Executive Rooms, 4 Connected Rooms.
[edit] Mid-Range
Antik Beyazit Hotel in Antakya is a boutique hotel housed in a restored historical building from 1903. It is a charming example of early 20th century French colonial architecture and has only 27 rooms with stylish antique furniture. Another reasonable choice is Antik Grand Hotel which is located in the center of Antakya, near the famous Hatay Museum. Hotel's restaurant offers delicious dishes of the famous Antakya cuisine. It also has only 27 rooms and 6 suites with some non-smoking rooms. Historical Liwan Hotel [2] is the one and only boutique hotel in Antakya. Built in 1920, Liwan Hotel is located in the city center.
[edit] Upscale
Antakya Ottoman Palace Hotel [3] is a 5* hotel, located 10 km from the city center and 12 km from the airport. It is the right address for a healthy holiday offering thermal resort and spa luxuries with a five-star services quality.
[edit] Work
Antakya is an important location for commerce with so many business oppurtunities.
[edit] Learn
Mustafa Kemal University [4]
[edit] Keep connected
[edit] Internet
Most of the hotels have wireless internet connection but if not, you can try the internet cafes in the city centre.
[edit] Phone
You can get prepaid phone with simcard or use the landline phones with phone cards, credit cards, or Turkish liras, depending on the type.
Phone code for Antakya is +90 (326)
[edit] Post
There's a national post office called PTT [5] in Antakya.
[edit] Safety
Antakya is a safe city but if you need to call the police you can dial 155 .
[edit] Stay Healthy
Antakya Devlet Hastanesi [6] For emergency services if you need to call an ambulance you can dial 112 .
[edit] External links
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