Mount Nemrut

From Turkey Travel Guide

Mount Nemrut

Mt Nemrut - Adiyaman - Turkey by iwasinturkey

Coordinates 37°58′N 38°44′E

Town

Kahta

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Nemrut.jpg Mt Nemrut - Adiyaman - Turkey http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwasinturkey/465045711/ iwasinturkey

Location of Mount Nemrut within Turkey.

[edit] History

When the Romans defeated the Seleucid Empire in the Battle of Magnesia in 189 BC, it was the beginning of the end. Many smaller kingdoms rose in the empires place, one of which was the Kingdom of Commagene. Ruling the area between the Taurus Mountains and the Euphrates River, its sovereign, King Antiochus I, led a religion that incorporated aspects of both Greek and Persian gods, and also deified himself and his family, presumably in an effort to unite these diverse peoples.

The crown jewel of the religious monuments Anitochus constructed in the area was his tomb/temple, built at the peak of the mountain on top of an additional terrace made of small stones. He considered this construction an act of faith that would secure his position among the gods after death. His tomb is thought to be located here, but has never been found. Many of the statues have fallen into disrepair, both because of the harsh weather and iconoclastic periods.

[edit] Visitor's Guide

There are several sites around Mount Nemrut worth visiting.

Approaching from Kahta, the first site would be the Karakus burial mound, just east of the D360 highway. The grave of the ladies of the of the court of Mithradates II, it was finished in 36 BC. Some of the surrounding columns still remain, on topped by a lion and another by an eagle.

Next on the approach to Mount Nemrut is Kocahisar, or the New Fortress, Yeni Kale, built in the 1200s by the Mamluks, a Turkic-Egyptian people. Some drivers may try to use excuses to pass it, but it is worth exploring. If you can't, look for it from Arsameia.

Arsameia, or the Old Fortress, Eski Kale, is 2 kilometers north of the New Fortress off of a left fork in the road. Built in 80 BC by the Conmagenes, it contains an inscription by King Antiochus I about his political goals and spiritual beliefs. It also has a stone slab depicting Apollo (Mithras) and a relief of King Mithradates and Hercules together. Don't miss the the underground hall that goes 158 meters underground. You should bring a flashlight for this.

Finally, the main event is the summit of Mount Nemrut. In the west is the 'throne of the gods,' a slave-built mountain that was once topped by stone statues of the gods. Many are missing their bodies, the heads having been broken off during a period of iconoclasm. The eastern side matches, but the statues are in better repair and have Greek writing on the back.

[edit] Getting there

The site must be visited between March and October because of the heavy winter snows.

There are a few options for reaching the summit. First, there are many multi-city tours from Istanbul that include Mount Nemrut on their itinerary, but they are quite expensive.

From Adiyaman helicopter tours are possible, landing on the mountain.

Next it is possible to travel to Sanliurfa or Kahta on your own, and find a tour group there. Some hotels arrange dolmuses or cars to the mountain.

Harran Nemrut Tours have a good, 80 lira tour from Urfa.

Karadut Pension, in the village Karadut is one which arranges cars for 40 lira.

Nemrut Hotel charges 100 lira per minibus, which can be a good deal if there are many other passengers.

If you go with a private dolmus, be prepared to bargain hard. For a guide who only drives, and speaks no English, you should pay 30-40 lira. They will ask for a lot more, and many tourists end up paying 70 lira or more.

It is also possible to rent a car and drive up, but the road is narrow and in poor repair.

These vehicles can only take you close to the peak, the last 500 meters must be traveled on foot or donkey.

Keep in mind that tourists are big business here, and some hotel owners find it lucrative to decieve travelers about bus departure times so they will stay another night. Ask at the bus station or check online to be sure. Also travelers report problems with intimidation by tour groups. Make sure you are speaking with someone inside the office to ensure that they actually work there, and ignore anyone bothering you about a tour on the street.

[edit] Eat & Drink

While you may wish to bring water, there are places to eat in the villages on the way up and there is a cafe at the entrance booth.

[edit] External links