Surrounded to the north by the Taurus Mountain Range and to the south by the Mediterranean Sea, which is the world’s largest inland sea, Mersin has been a settlement area in every period of human history. Cultures and civilisations have sprouted in the fertile soils fed by the cold waters of the Taurus Mountains on the way to reach the salty waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
Mersin, one of the provinces in our country with the most ancient settlements, is home to numerous magnificent assets such as rock 0tombs, caves, stone bridges, and castles, spanning from the Hittites to the Romans, from the Byzantines to the Seljuks and Ottomans.
There are 4 cultural assets from Mersin on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List. These assets are; the Mut Alahan Monastery and the St. Paul Church, St. Paul’s Well and Surroundings in Tarsus, which were added to the list in 2000; the Anamur Mamure Castle, added in 2012; and the ancient city of Erdemli Korykos (Kızkalesi), added in 2014.
Mersin is not only distinguished by its cultural assets but also by its natural values, unique features, and unparalleled beauty, which attract attention and admiration. Our responsibility is to bring to light and promote the natural, historical, and cultural values of our province, ensuring that they are recognized and appreciated internationally, thereby elevating Mersin to the position it deserves.
When we look at the assets within Mersin, it is obvious that the number of assets qualifying as candidates for the World Heritage List should be much higher. Indeed, all of Mersin’s protected natural and cultural assets possess the potential to be world heritage sites. In this context, our priority is to ensure that our candidate assets are included in the permanent World Heritage List and to continue the necessary efforts for other assets that could also become part of the world’s heritage.
“Mersin on the Path to World Heritage Status” publication has been prepared with this purpose in mind. I extend my thanks to all those who contributed and worked on it, and I hope that it will lead to beneficial outcomes for the cultural tourism development of Mersin.
Ali Hamza Pehlivan
The Governor of Mersin
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