Today, Tarsus, a district of Mersin, is one of the ancient cities of Anatolia. The earliest finds in the city center of Tarsus belong to the Neolithic Age and were found in the Gözlükule mound.
The name of the city is first mentioned as ‘Tarz(s)a’ in Hittite sources. In the Assyrian annals, the name of the city is ‘Tarzi’. The city, which was called Tarsos / Tarsus by the ancient Greeks and Romans, continues to live with the name Tarsus today.
Tarsus’ vast agricultural lands, rich water resources, and indispensable location on the roads have made it indispensable in every period. This situation has led different ethnic and religious communities and different groups to make Tarsus their home.
Jews are also among those who made Tarsus their home. Paulus, who belonged to a Jewish family, lived approximately between 5 BC and 67 AD. Some written sources indicate that his family migrated from Giscala in Palestine and settled in Tarsus in Cilicia. Paulus learnt tent-making, which was famous in Cilicia, from his family. From Tarsus, Paulus was sent to the school of the famous Rabbi Gamaliel, who had a good school in Jerusalem.
Paulus of Tarsus
According to the legend, after the ascension of the prophet Jesus, the prophet Jesus appeared to Paulus in the caravan, where he was travelling to Damascus with the permission of the high priest of the Temple of Solomon. This event completely changed Paulus’ life. After a short conversation with the prophet Jesus, whom only he could see in the caravan, he adopted the Christian faith and changed his name from Shaul to Paulos in Greek (Paulus in Latin). He will be known as Paulus of Tarsus from now on.
Paulus, a fellow citizen of the important city of Tarsus and a free Roman citizen, became a Christian and was soon recognized among the early Christians because of his success in oratory and his knowledge of Greek and Latin as well as Hebrew.
Holy Mission Journeys
Paulus, with the approval of the apostles, went on three missionary journeys. The ‘First Mission,’ which took place from about 46-49 AD, traveled from Cyprus to various places in Anatolia, preaching mainly in synagogues. His ‘Second Mission’ took place ca. 49-52 AD, starting from Syria and traveling to cities in Anatolia, Macedonia, and Greece, ending in Antiochia ad Orontem (Antioch). He traveled on his ‘Third Holy Mission’ between c. 52-57. He travelled to Ephesus, then to Greece, and returned to Jerusalem at the end of his journey. Christians accept Paulus of Tarsus as being executed in Rome during the reign of Emperor Nero.
Well of St Paulus
The courtyard and the well, located in the Kızılmurat Quarter in the city centre of Tarsus, are accepted as the place where Paulus was born and lived. The archaeological remains of the house and the well named after St. Paulus are open to visitors as a museum today.
Church of St Paulus and Memorial Museum
St Paulus Church and Memorial Museum was built on an area of 460 m2. The front entrance gate is on the north side and has a monumental appearance. Right next to the entrance, there is a church water well in the garden. The church has a basilical plan with three naves. To the west of the building is a vaulted porch carried by four columns, the interior of which is painted sky blue, and the corners are decorated with stylized plant motifs. At the back, there is an arched main entrance door and a window on each side.
The column capitals of the church are painted based on the Corinthian style. The floor of the church is covered with white and black marble slabs, and only a small section in front of the prayer area is simply emphasized with black and white marble in a triangular form.
The sacred space at the intersection of the central nave and the apse is separated by an ornamented marble screen. The niches in the inner walls were made for icons and saints. There are similar niches in the small apses on the sides. Next to the circular window on the central apse to the east of the central nave, there are depictions of two angels among the clouds and a landscape painting underneath. In the middle vault above the angel motifs, there is an eye motif in a triangle. The next scene depicts Jesus Christ with a halo on his head and the Gospel writers on the sides. The figures are from the front, dressed in red and blue clothes. Jesus Christ extends his right hand forward. To the side (front left) are Lucas and a bull, and behind him, Matheus. The upper part of this figure has been destroyed from the shoulders upwards; only part of his name can be read. On the right front is Mark and a lion, and behind him is Joannes with an eagle.
There are two more small doors to the north and south of the church. A stone staircase with a double ascent on the side of the door in the south connects to the mezzanine inside the church from the outside. There are landscape paintings on the railing facade of the balcony-shaped mezzanine made of wood. To illuminate the interior, there are symmetrical windows in the apses and on the sides. These windows were made in the form of a cross on the small doors on the sides. In the north-east of the building, there is a bell tower supported by a small column.
Tarsus Cleopatra Gate
The ancient city of Tarsus had three gates: the Mountain Gate, the Adana Gate, and the Sea Gate. Cleopatra Gate (Sea Gate) is the only gate of the ancient city that survives today. Evliya Çelebi, while describing Tarsus in his travelogue, wrote ‘Pier Gate’ for this gate.
Research shows that the gate was built at the end of the Byzantine period or during the Abbasid period. However, the location of the current gate also indicates the existence of an earlier gate.
When the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra and her lover, Roman General Antony, came to meet in Tarsus, they were welcomed with a great ceremony at the Gözlü Kule, the harbor of that time, and it is said that they came to the city through the Sea Gate. For this reason, the Sea Gate is also called Cleopatra Gate.
Historical Tarsus Houses
In Tarsus, which has a rich history, historical Tarsus houses that keep history alive continue to maintain their importance today. The historical Tarsus houses, which were prepared using stone, adobe and wood, were built in two sections, the lower floor being the warehouse and the upper floor being the living area. Over the years, additions such as bathrooms and kitchens were made to these structures in line with the needs. High walls and courtyards are some of the features of traditional Tarsus houses. With today’s sanitization works, these buildings are renovated and continue to live with boutique hotels, cafes, restaurants, etc.
Tarsus Roman Road
The Roman Road, which was revealed as a result of the excavations, is estimated to have been built in the 1st century AD. The ancient street, which shows the splendor of Tarsus two thousand years ago, was built with basalt stones placed in polygonal technique, and 65 meters of the street has been uncovered today. The herringbone form catches the eye at first glance, and the sewerage system below it shows that it is architecturally different from other streets in Anatolia. These channels, which dispose of surface water and other wastes, were directed to the south of the city, i.e., to Lake Regma, by the main channel. Logars were also placed at certain intervals on the street.
Prof. Dr. Deniz Kaplan (Mersin University, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Archaeology)
Photos İsmail Şahinbaş
WORLD HERITAGE MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 (APRIL 2024)