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Tarsus 2026Saint Paul, the Berdan River and the ancient routes of Cilicia
Between Mersin and Adana, in the fertile Çukurova plain, Tarsus is one of southern Anatolia's oldest inhabited cities. Its history spans many civilisations and cannot be reduced to a single period.
Within a relatively compact area, a journey can connect a prehistoric settlement mound, a paved Roman street, a gate named for Cleopatra, sites associated with Saint Paul, historic mosques and markets, a waterfall formed after a river diversion, and a Roman road climbing towards the Taurus.
This guide follows those layers from the old centre to the Berdan River and the mountain routes that made Tarsus a major city of ancient Cilicia.
Where is Tarsus?Tarsus lies in eastern Mersin province, east of Mersin city and west of Adana. It occupies part of the broad agricultural plain of Çukurova, with the Mediterranean to the south and the Taurus Mountains to the north.
Natural and historical routes through this landscape connected Anatolia with Syria and the Levant. Tarsus linked the coast, inland Anatolia, Cilician towns, farmland and eastern Mediterranean ports.
Gözlükule: nine millennia of settlementGözlükule Höyüğü stands within the modern urban area. Official Turkish descriptions place its earliest settlement approximately 9,000 years ago.
Excavations have revealed Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze Age and Hittite material, followed by Classical and later Islamic layers. Modern Tarsus stands beside and over a deeply layered settlement landscape.
The old harbour and a changing coastline
The ancient coastline differed from today's. Sediment carried by Çukurova's rivers altered the shore over centuries, while the Gözlükule area was associated with Tarsus's ancient harbour.
The city was more closely connected with Mediterranean shipping than its present inland position suggests. Goods arrived by sea, agricultural produce came from the plain, and routes continued north through the Taurus. This combination helped sustain its importance.
The Roman street in the modern centreAt Cumhuriyet Alanı, Republic Square, Antik Cadde preserves a street thought to date to the first century AD. It was discovered accidentally during foundation works in 1993.
The street remains in its original location, surrounded by the contemporary city.
How was it built?
Basalt paving, carefully arranged stones, surface-water drainage and a sewer beneath street level demonstrate its engineering. Buildings from several periods survive beside it.
The paving pattern and drainage system distinguish it from many other ancient streets in Anatolia. It is easy to imagine carts, residents and merchants using this same route nearly two thousand years ago.
Cleopatra's GateKleopatra Kapısı stands on a busy modern route. Also known as Deniz Kapısı, the Sea Gate, it belonged to the city's fortifications, whose principal entrances were the Mountain Gate, Adana Gate and Sea Gate.
After large sections of the walls were removed in the nineteenth century, the Sea Gate remained one of the most visible surviving features.
Cleopatra and Mark Antony
In 41 BC, Cleopatra VII came to Tarsus to meet the Roman commander Mark Antony, Marcus Antonius.
Local accounts associate her reception with the old harbour and her entry into the city with the Sea Gate, giving rise to its familiar name. That association should not be taken to mean that every part of the surviving gate dates from her visit.
Its stone arch amid modern traffic captures something characteristic of Tarsus: ancient layers embedded in everyday city life.
The city of Saint PaulChristian tradition and sources identify Tarsus as the birthplace of Saint Paul, one of early Christianity's most influential figures. The association attracts pilgrims and visitors interested in Christian history.
Today's main sites are Saint Paul's Well, the church dedicated to him, and the surrounding historic neighbourhood.
Saint Paul's Well
St. Paul Kuyusu lies among old Tarsus houses, in a courtyard traditionally associated with his home. The well is approximately 18 metres deep.
Excavations around it revealed architectural remains and occupation layers from different periods, including Paul's lifetime. Glass coverings protect some of the excavated remains while keeping them visible.
Saint Paul's Church Memorial Museum
St. Paul Anıt Müzesi occupies a later Christian building, rather than a church constructed in Paul's own lifetime. Restored and opened as a cultural and religious site, it preserves church architecture, religious paintings and decoration, stonework and floors, and elements of the local Christian tradition.
Together, the church and well form a principal focus of religious tourism in Tarsus.
Historic Tarsus housesAround the Saint Paul area, streets of Tarihi Tarsus Evleri reveal traditional domestic architecture: stone walls, timber, internal courtyards, distinctive windows and balconies, and old doors.
This is a rewarding area for walking, with houses, churches, markets and other religious and historical sites close enough to explore together.
Kırkkaşık Bedesteni: the “Forty Spoons” marketNear the Grand Mosque stands Kırkkaşık Bedesteni, whose name is commonly rendered as the “Forty Spoons” covered market.
Built in 1579 under the Ramazanoğlu dynasty, the building initially served charitable dining, education and related social purposes before becoming a covered bazaar.
Inside the bedesten today
Restoration returned the building to use. Its shops offer woodwork, gifts, local crafts, ceramics, textiles and foods associated with Tarsus.
Seven domes cover its chambers and shops. The stone architecture and surrounding market streets make this one of the centre's most attractive areas for walking and photography.
The Grand MosqueBeside the historic market, Tarsus Ulu Camii, also called Cami-i Nur, adds another layer to the town's history.
The present building dates to the sixteenth century, under Ramazanoğlu rule. The mosque and nearby tombs and shrines reflect the Islamic and Turkish periods that followed the Roman and Byzantine city.
The shrine of the Prophet DanielMakam-ı Danyal Camii is associated in local tradition with the Prophet Daniel.
Official descriptions acknowledge the importance of inherited oral accounts in the belief that he was buried in Tarsus. The site has considerable religious and cultural significance, while the attribution of the burial belongs to a long-standing tradition rather than a conclusively documented identification.
Donuktaş: a monumental Roman templeDonuktaş is one of the city's largest ancient structures: rectangular, massive and exceptionally thick-walled.
Travellers and researchers once offered competing interpretations, including a palace or royal tomb. Excavation and modern study strongly support its interpretation as a monumental Roman temple.
Its scale is a reminder of Tarsus's importance in Roman times.
Tarsus Waterfall and the diverted BerdanTarsus Şelalesi lies just north of the centre on the Berdan Nehri, known in antiquity as the Kydnos.
The present waterfall has a history of human intervention. During the Byzantine reign of Justinian, the river was diverted to help protect the town from flooding. Its new course crossed rocky ground containing ancient burial remains, creating the waterfall known today.
The river behind the city
The Berdan system rises in the Taurus and crosses the Tarsus plain towards the Mediterranean. Its water supported drinking supplies, farming and urban life, connecting the town with the wider coastal environment.
Alexander and the cold Kydnos
Ancient accounts relate that Alexander the Great became seriously ill after bathing in the river's cold water while at Tarsus. Details differ between sources, so the story belongs to the city's historical accounts rather than serving as a secure medical explanation.
When is the waterfall most impressive?
Flow is usually strongest in winter and spring, when rainfall and mountain snowmelt increase the river's volume. The surroundings are used for recreation and provide a pleasant riverside pause, especially compared with exposed city streets in summer.
Sağlıklı: the Roman road towards the TaurusApproximately 15 kilometres beyond Tarsus, around Sağlıklı, a surviving Roma Yolu demonstrates the region's ancient transport engineering.
Roughly 2–3 kilometres remain sufficiently intact to reveal the stone-block paving and surviving roadside kerbs.
Built for carts as well as people
Raised edges helped keep carts on the road. Curves followed the terrain, while wider sections allowed vehicles to pass one another. These details make it an instructive piece of Roman infrastructure.
The single-arched gateway
A stone arch stands along the route. No surviving inscription conclusively establishes its original function or date. Suggestions have included a triumphal arch or a boundary gateway associated with Cilicia.
The original purpose therefore remains debated. The arch has also been rebuilt using surviving stones, so its present appearance should not be treated as wholly untouched ancient fabric.
Caracalla's inscription
At the northern end of the route, a Latin inscription records repairs under Emperor Caracalla. A Roman milestone found in the area also recorded distance towards Tarsus, placing the road within a functioning network across the Taurus.
Tarsus and the Cilician GatesNorth of Tarsus, passes through the Taurus have linked the Cilician coast with the Anatolian plateau for thousands of years. The most famous is the area historically known as the Cilician Gates.
Armies, caravans, traders and successive empires used these approaches. Their strategic importance helps explain Tarsus's enduring prominence.
Eshab-ı Kehf: the Cave of the Seven SleepersApproximately 14 kilometres north-west of Tarsus, near Dedeler, Eshab-ı Kehf Mağarası is associated with the religious story of the Sleepers of the Cave.
It carries sacred associations in Muslim and Christian traditions. Several sites in different countries are connected with the story, so the original location cannot be presented as conclusively identified. Tarsus nevertheless has one of Türkiye's best-known sites associated with the tradition.
Modern Tarsus beyond its historic centreCitrus groves, maize, vegetables, other crops, farming villages and greenhouses surround the town. Agriculture, industry, transport and services all contribute to its economy.
Its location between Mersin and Adana, close to major roads, the airport and ports, continues to give it a wider regional role.
Çukurova International Airport
Çukurova Uluslararası Havalimanı lies within Tarsus district. Opened in 2024, it serves Mersin, Adana and the surrounding Çukurova region.
Roads, railways and an international airport give a modern form to the town's historic position at the meeting of several routes.
A taste of TarsusLocal specialities include fındık lahmacun, the small local style of lahmacun; meat dishes; kaynar, a traditional drink particularly associated with celebrations; and sweets shaped by Cilician and Çukurova food traditions.
Official tourism material includes trying fındık lahmacun near the waterfall among the town's characteristic experiences.
Exploring the centre on footMany principal sites are reasonably close together. A walking route can link Cleopatra's Gate, the Roman street, Saint Paul's Well and Church, historic houses, Kırkkaşık Bedesteni, the Grand Mosque and Daniel's shrine.
The pleasure comes from moving through successive historical layers within a living town.
A full day in TarsusEarly morning: Begin with Cleopatra's Gate and the Roman street. Include Gözlükule if it forms part of your plans and the available access suits the visit.
Mid-morning: Continue to Saint Paul's Well, the church and the old residential streets.
Before lunch: Explore Kırkkaşık Bedesteni, the Grand Mosque and neighbouring historic sites.
Afternoon: Visit the waterfall and pause by the Berdan River.
Later in the day: With a car and enough time, continue to Sağlıklı for the road and gateway. Eshab-ı Kehf is better added to a longer day or a separate excursion north of the centre.
Photographic highlightsLook for Cleopatra's arch, the Roman street's paving, Saint Paul's Well and the remains beneath glass, traditional house-lined streets, the bedesten's domes, Donuktaş's monumental walls and the waterfall.
Outside town, the Sağlıklı road and arch, and views across the plain towards the Taurus, complete the picture.
Practical advice- Heat: Çukurova summers are very hot and humid. Begin walking early.
- Footwear: Comfortable shoes make the historic centre more enjoyable.
- Outlying sites: Sağlıklı, Eshab-ı Kehf and mountain destinations require transport.
- Historical accounts: Distinguish archaeological evidence from religious tradition and inherited stories.
- Waterfall: Water volume changes with the season.
- Airport: Çukurova Airport makes Tarsus straightforward to combine with Mersin and Adana.
Thousands of years within a few streetsTarsus is rewarding because its history accumulates within the same urban landscape. Gözlükule reaches back into prehistory; the street preserves the Roman town; Cleopatra's Gate recalls Cilicia's Mediterranean connections; and Saint Paul anchors its Christian significance.
Mosques and markets reveal Islamic and Turkish periods, the Berdan explains the town's relationship with water, and the northern road recalls its position at the gateway to Anatolia. Allow at least a full day.
The next Mersin guide heads west to Erdemli, where Kızkalesi, Ayaş, Elaiussa Sebaste and Kanlıdivane bring together an exceptionally rich archaeological coast.
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