Day 220: Silifke and Taşucu

Nov 9 - It is a simple matter to get a dolmuş today, the route goes past a nearby corner. They all go through the center of Taşucu, then out to the highway for the half hour drive to Silifke. We disembark near a pedestrian bridge over the Goksu River. The stone bridge in the photo, now undergoing reconstruction, may be the site of the original bridge placed there in 77 CE.

Silifke seems like a normal small Turkish city, with a well-maintained promenade along the Goksu. The name of the town derives from the historical name Seleucia, as the town was founded in the 3rd century BCE by Seleucus I Nicator. He was one of the generals that divided Alexander the Great’s empire after his death, so this location must have been considered of great importance. It is easy to see why this area was chosen for a city. It sits just at the edge of the Tarsus Mountains, where the Goksu exits a valley on to a large fertile agricultural plain. There are hills around much of it, so it was easier to defend than towns in the flat delta area to the south. The city was prosperous, rivalling Tarsus (to the NE along the coast).

Having said this, there is very little remaining of ancient ruins here. Most of it is undoubtedly underneath the modern city. We did look at a few things, neither of which has drawn much attention and appear to be well off the list of historical attractions.

Up on a hill in a residential neighborhood is a Byzantine cistern. It has dimensions 45x23x12 meters.

Access to the cistern was by a spiral staircase on the corner. We did not go down, but it appears to be unblocked.

Down in the middle of town is the Zeus Temple. This renowned temple made Silifke a religious center after it began construction in the 2nd century CE. However, it was never fully completed. The grounds of the temple were closed when we came by.

Stop by the otogar and buy tickets onward for tomorrow. There is no otogar in Taşucu, so we will have to make the run here by domuş tomorrow as well.

Back in Taşucu, eat at a sushi place and spend some time on the tiny beach by the pier. It is composed of pebbles and the water is fairly cold, but still a nice place to relax for a bit. I’m not sure when we will sit at a beach again, it could be over a month.

In our walk through town, I note a few old marble columns standing in the small city park. There is not indication of what they are from, but I have read that the this area was an Ionian colony that predates Silifke. However, it was impossible to defend against sea attacks and was abandoned.

Back at the hotel, fairly late, there is some commotion and I go out on the balcony to see what is amiss. I am just in time to see someone from the hotel drag a man through the reception hall by his arm and out the front door. The man gets up and just stands there, while a few people, one holding a broom, berate him. He just stands and doesn’t seem to have much to say, or any interest in fighting. I can’t tell if he is drunk. Other than that, it is really peaceful in this part of town.

Türkiye III