Experience 25 landmarks and archaeological sites in Mersin (Turkey) : Your Ultimate Guide
Join us on a journey to uncover Mersin (Turkey) ‘s best-kept secrets with our list of 25 landmarks and archaeological sites. Whether you’re looking to explore 25 amazing landmarks and archaeological sites or discover the most famous and best 25 landmarks and archaeological sites in Mersin (Turkey) , we’ve got you covered. Let’s explore Mersin (Turkey) with our ultimate guide to 25 of the best landmarks and archaeological sites, or uncover Mersin (Turkey) ‘s hidden landmarks and archaeological sites with 25 must-visit places. Get inspired and start planning your next adventure with our comprehensive list of the best destinations in Mersin (Turkey) .
Information about Mersin (Turkey)
The city of Mersin is located directly on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, and it is one of the most beautiful Turkish cities that abound with tourist attractions that attract tourists from all sides. This city is distinguished by its picturesque nature, which varies between beaches with soft sand, clear waters that reflect the bright color of the sky, caves, hills, and lush forests interspersed with many waterfalls and streams. In addition, it includes local and international restaurants, modern commercial complexes, advanced entertainment centers, hotels, and tourist and therapeutic resorts that provide distinguished services. As well as museums and art galleries, historical buildings such as churches, monasteries, mosques, castles and palaces of a majestic architectural nature. Tourism resources vary in the city of Mersin, which makes it the focus of attention of many visitors from all over the world.
A list of the best Landmarks and archaeological sites in Mersin
Discover the top landmarks and archaeological sites destinations in Mersin (Turkey) with our hand-picked list, chosen with care by our expert team based on the feedback and ratings from previous visitors. Let us help you plan the perfect trip.
1- Nagidos Ancient City
Nagidos Ancient City – Located in the Bozyazi district of Mersin, the ancient city of Nagidos reflects the cultural beauty of Mersin with its fascinating history, as well as the advantage of a small island that can be reached by sea. The history of the city dates back to more than 2000 years BC, when it was a colony of Samos in the seventh century, and it acquired the identity of a coastal city through openness to trade. Today, the island includes a number of distinctive artifacts that are displayed exclusively in the Mersin Historical Museum due to its importance.
Place address: Merkez, 107. Sk., 33830 Bozyazı/Mersin, Turkey
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2- Hazrat Bilal Abyssinian Mosque
Hazrat Bilal Abyssinian Mosque – The office and mosque of Bilal al-Habashi is located in the southwestern side of the Great Mosque of Mersin. And the great companion Bilal Al-Habashi is the muezzin of the Prophet Muhammad, and in honor of him and a reminder of his important role in the call, his office was built in the seventh century, and his mosque was built in the sixteenth century, where he recited the call to prayer and the mother of prayer in the place called Kirkashik, when he came to Mersin during his visit to the sites of the conquests Islamic. It is a mosque with a black outline and covered with a large dome. It includes a portico with three sections and three domes. Inside, there is a shrine section belonging to Bilal al-Habashi. In addition, a well was built next to the mosque.
Place address: Yusuf Kılıç, 83023. Sk. No:36, 33220 Toroslar/Mersin, Turkey
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3- Hz. Mugdat Mosque
Hz. Mugdat Mosque – The Muqdat Mosque is the second largest mosque of the Republic period after the Ankara Grand Mosque. It is distinguished by an external structure that was designed according to the Islamic architecture system, where Islamic inscriptions and decorations are the master of the situation. The building includes a chapel, the main dome, the portico, and the meeting floor. It was built in the style of classical Ottoman architecture, with the characteristics of a complex that includes a total of three balconies, 6 minarets, a conference hall, a library, a kitchen, and a health center. Once inside this architectural masterpiece, you will be amazed by the arched ceiling on which Quranic verses and distinctive decorations are inscribed, in a majestic view that inspires feelings of reverence.
Place address: Gazi, 1314. Sk. No:3, 33130 Yenişehir/Mersin, Turkey
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4- Mavga Castle
Mavga Castle – In 1230 AD, Sultan Alaeddin Keykubat built Mafga Castle by carving natural rocks, with a distinctive formation that is the strangest and most beautiful of its kind. The castle includes a rectangular mihrab on the tower at the northeastern end, phrases in the Arabic language are engraved inside it, and the castle includes graves and mausoleums for a number of political and military figures and soldiers who died during their valiant defense of the city.
Place address: Topluca, 33600 Mut/Mersin, Turkey
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5- Candir Castle
Candir Castle – Chander Fort, which has unique significance in terms of its geographical location and structural features, is a small settlement consisting of structures covering a large area. Studies have shown that this castle belonged to the Armenian baron in the Byzantine period in the Middle Ages in the Cilicia region, as the architectural design that dominated the general structure of stone arches, columns and fortified walls, proves this.
Place address: Çandır, 33250 Toroslar/Mersin, Turkey
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6- Great Mosque
Great Mosque – The Great Mosque of Mersin was built in 1898 AD by Sultan Abdul Hamid II, and it is considered one of the oldest and largest mosques in Mersin, and one of the important points in cultural tourism in Mersin with its historical and architectural structure. The mosque is characterized by an architectural design that is the most beautiful of its kind in the world of mosques. On the ground floor of the mosque, which consists of three floors, there is a place of worship that can accommodate 2,000 people, and contains a conference hall that can accommodate 400 people in the basement, in addition to a number of domes and minarets decorated with verses. And Islamic inscriptions, which give an atmosphere of prestige and grandeur to the place.
Place address: Çankaya, Kuvayi Milliye Cd., 33070 Akdeniz/Mersin, Turkey
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7- Saint Thecla Underground Church
Saint Thecla Underground Church – The earthly church of Saint Thecla is considered one of the distinctive religious architectural wonders in the city of Mersin, which was established in honor of Saint Thecla, who gave herself to the church and her subjects, as Christians considered the cave in which Saint Thecla lived sacred after her disappearance, and it was used as a secret place of worship until it was The launch of this religion in the year 312 AD, and later it was converted into a church in the nineteenth century, distinguished by unique and distinctive designs, including paintings, mosaics, books and religious tablets that the saint used in her life.
Place address: Yeni, 33900 Silifke/Mersin, Turkey
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8- Laal Pasha Mosque
Laal Pasha Mosque – The Lal Pasha Mosque was built by order of İbrahim Bey in the Mut district of Mersin. It is a mosque with a single dome and a portico, distinguished by its simple and distinctive design, in which Islamic architecture styles are evident. The mosque is still standing and open to this day, receiving worshipers and visitors from all over the country. According to the inscription inscribed in it, there are two domes in the garden of the mosque that have been restored twice, and there are 3 graves in one dome and 4 graves in the other, of Turkish religious figures who left a mark in history.
Place address: Kale, Cumhuriyet Cd. 27a, 33600 Mut/Mersin, Turkey
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9- Mamure Castle
Mamure Castle – Mamore Castle is located 6 km southeast of Anamur, Mersin district, and it is one of the largest castles in Turkey with an area of 23,500 square meters. This medieval castle differs from similar castles, because it bears traces of the Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, Karamanli and Ottoman periods, and in addition to the style of architecture used in it, it overlooks the Mediterranean Sea in a strategic view designed specifically to confront the enemy and defeat it.
Place address: İskele, 33650 Anamur/Mersin, Turkey
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10- Gulek Castle
Gulek Castle – Golik Castle, whose foundation dates back to the Middle Ages, is located at a point of strategic importance, the reason being that it is a place where entrance fees are charged on the road to Tarsus. According to the architectural plan, stone works, and surface discoveries, it is understood that the castle was inhabited in different periods, and it was distinguished by a distinctive architectural style. It was completely fortified, and towers, lighthouses, forts, and tunnels were built in it. Only a few of this beauty.
Place address: Gülek, 33530 Tarsus/Mersin, Turkey
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11- Namrun Castle
Namrun Castle – Nemrun, one of the most famous castles in the region dating back to the Middle Ages, is located in the center of Çamlıila in the city of Mersin. It is a defensive castle, located on top of a hill. It was used to repel various and sporadic attacks during wars. It was distinguished by an architectural and structural design that resisted these attacks, with huge walls, watch towers, beacons, and a basement, in addition to secret underground stores for storing weapons and military equipment. Today, the castle, with its existing ruins, is one of the most beautiful archaeological sites in Mersin.
Place address: Çayırekinliği, Flamingo Sk., 33580 Çamlıyayla/Mersin, Turkey
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12- Solin – ancient city of Pompeipolis
Solin – ancient city of Pompeipolis – Solin is an ancient historical city, of political and economic importance, that dominated the commercial movement in the Mersin region, due to its geographical location close to southern Anatolia, on the edge of the timber-rich Taurus Mountains and the fertile Cilician alluvial plain. The city was distinguished by its architectural development compared to the rest of the cities at that time, as it included a commercial port, the largest of its kind in the region. Today, the city is one of the distinctive archaeological areas that history lovers go to.
Place address: Viranşehir, 33340 Mezitli/Mersin, Turkey
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13- Four Foot Mausoleums
Four Foot Mausoleums – The four-footed tomb with a pyramidal roof is located in the northeast of the ancient city of Mersin. The square-plan monument consists of a lower room in the shape of a quadrangular tower, a middle floor with arches on all four sides, and a pyramidal-shaped roof, with a height of 13 meters. The building, which is believed to belong to one of the city’s notables, was built at the beginning of the third century BC, to become one of the city’s distinctive landmarks, which still exists to this day.
Place address: Merkez, Sabahattin Çakmakoğlu Cd. No:40, 33840 Aydıncık/Mersin, Turkey
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14- Silifke Castle
Silifke Castle – Silvi Castle, which is understood to belong to the Hellenistic or Early Roman period according to its basic rules, today appears as a medieval castle as a result of the repairs and changes it underwent. It is an ancient Roman castle featuring arched galleries, water tanks, warehouses and the remains of other buildings within the oval-shaped castle, which was built on a 185-meter-high hill overlooking Silvike, surrounded by a dry moat. It was mentioned in the antiquities that Silifki Castle included 23 forts in the nineteenth century, and that it contained a mosque and 60 houses.
Place address: Pazarkaşı, 33950 Silifke/Mersin, Turkey
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15- İmbriogion
İmbriogion – Embryogon is an archaeological mausoleum located in the city of Mersin, characterized by the fact that it includes a number of tombs of historical, political and religious figures who left an imprint on the city. This mausoleum was designed in a distinctive architectural style, where there are four columns with Ionic capitals at the bottom and Corinthian capitals at the top on the facade of the two-storey building whose roof cover has been destroyed, and there is also a rock tomb next to this mausoleum. The two shrines that stand side by side on the right are among the most striking artifacts. Art, inscriptions, and animal statues are evident in the architectural decorations decorating the building of this shrine.
Place address: Demircili, 33940 Silifke/Mersin, Turkey
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16- Gözne Castle
Gözne Castle – Jozni Castle is about 30 km away from Mersin, and is located in the north on high cliffs, on the strategic road leading to Kandir Castle, which dominates the area. The castle previously served as a police station. The castle, which dates back to the Middle Ages, consists of two main buildings, the castle and its surroundings, which are open to highland tourism summer and winter, and are also a prime area for picnics and summer walking trails.
Place address: Yukarı Gözne Mh., İstemihan Talay Cd., 33325 Gözne Bld./Toroslar/Mersin, Turkey
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17- Mut Castle
Mut Castle – Mut Castle is located in the center of the city of Mersin, and it is a historical castle that the invaders took turns to obtain, here the Greek soldiers settled and made it their stronghold, and later, Ibrahim Bey (İbrahim Koyu), one of the princes of Karamanoglu, seized and destroyed this castle completely, and after he seized The Ottomans over the castle, it transformed into its current majestic form, as it is characterized by an outer wall and an inner castle supported by inclined and square bastions, fortified columns, and huge stones inscribed with construction dates and important events, in addition to the ruins of an old church.
Place address: Karşıyaka, Mezarlık Sk. No:4, 33600 Mut/Mersin, Turkey
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18- Adamkayalar
Adamkayalar – Adam Kılar is one of the distinctive rock archaeological sites of Mersin, which is famous for its carved rocks dating back to decades ago. This secret place is located on the southern slope of the Taurus Mountains, several kilometers north of the Mediterranean coast, and includes 17 human figures carved into 9 niches. Of these numbers, there are 11 males, 4 females and 2 children. Since there are no written records about these carvings, information about them remains incomplete, but their mesmerizing beauty and the nature of their execution made them a site immortalized in history.
Place address: Kızkalesi, 33790 Erdemli/Mersin, Turkey
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19- Alaoda Church
Alaoda Church – Al-Awda is a distinctive rock church in Mersin. It was established as a result of the formation of a large rocky cave in one of the city’s mountains, and for this reason it was distinguished by a distinctive architectural composition, which includes paintings and mosaics inside, and the decorations here include birds, pigeons, various cross structures, braid motifs, geometric shapes and plants. The slate roofs are plastered with thatch and plaster. The church at that time was considered one of the most sacred places because of some of the religious beliefs that prevailed in that period.
Place address: Geçimli, 33600 Mut/Mersin, Turkey
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20- Meydancık Castle
Meydancık Castle – Medancik Castle covers a very large area in the city of Mersin, with a length of 750 meters. This castle was before Christ the city of kings, and in the second century it was a garrison city for the kings of Egypt, and in the fourth century it played a military and administrative role in the Persian era. The castle was distinguished by the design of fortified walls, to repel all the invasions and strikes that were constantly launched against it. As for the internal spaces, they are spacious and include multiple rooms, including rooms for soldiers and kings, prisons, and cells for prisoners of war. Today, you will only be able to see archaeological remains and decorative stones that are spread over large areas of the site.
Place address: Tırnak, 33700 Gülnar/Mersin, Turkey
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21- Softa Castle
Softa Castle – The ruins of the Softa Castle, which still stands tall in the city of Mersin, are among the most beautiful archaeological architectural masterpieces, where the walls are well preserved in some places and are oval in shape. Huge walls and an inner castle spread over a very wide area, and there is a two-story tomb built in the architectural style. It is estimated that the building at the end of the entrance to the castle, whose walls are still standing, is a mosque, and there are many gypsum-covered tanks that were used in the Roman and Byzantine eras.
Place address: Kaledibi, 33830 Bozyazı/Mersin, Turkey
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22- Dagpazari Church
Dagpazari Church – Dapazari Church is located on the ancient road that descends from Kerman to Silifke, in the area surrounded by the ruins of fortifications and bastions. It is a three-nave church with a half-dome and an apse. Emperor Zeno built this church in 476 AD. As a result of the wars and conflicts that the region went through, the western façade of the church was completely destroyed, leaving nothing left of it today except for some standing columns and the apse.
Place address: Dağpazarı, Dağpazarı Köyü Yolu, 33600 Mut/Mersin, Turkey
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23- Yumuktepe Mound
Yumuktepe Mound – Yumuktepe Hill is located on the outskirts of the Turkish city of Mersin, and it is considered one of the oldest settlements in Anatolia, dating back to 7000 BC, when it hosted many civilizations on its summit, which still remain until now, and which was called the “cradle of civilizations.” The hill is one of the most important archaeological historical sites in the country, as it contains the remains of valuable antiquities dating back decades ago. Here, archaeologists discovered a structure with a 4,500-year-old jar and many remains of utensils and food excavations inside, in addition to ornaments and gold jewelry.
Place address: Demirtaş, Soğuksu Cd. No:40, 33090 Toroslar/Mersin, Turkey
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24- Titiopolis Antique City
Titiopolis Antique City – The ancient city of Titiopolis is one of the oldest historical spots that characterize the city of Mersin, and indeed Turkey in general. It is an ancient Roman city, showing traces of temples, churches, inns, war castles and strongholds that were the first military haven. Perhaps one of the most important things that add to these archaeological remains is the distinctive inscriptions and decorations that you will find difficult to see anywhere else.
Place address: Cami Şerif Mahallesi, Ovabaşı Köyü Yolu 5. Km, 33060 Anamur/Mersin, Turkey
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25- Imirzali
Imirzali – Emirzili are the ruins of a historical city that was established in a village near the outskirts of Mersin, but, as a result of wars and conflicts, it was completely destroyed, and only some traces remain of it today. Here there are the remains of a military fortress that was established with the aim of fortifying the city from enemy invasion, and here you will also find remains Shrines, churches and temples, and huge antique stones inscribed with important dates.
Place address: Karaahmetli, 33730 Erdemli/Mersin, Turkey
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Conclusion
As your journey through Mersin (Turkey) comes to an end, we hope you take with you unforgettable memories and experiences that will last a lifetime. This amazing region is home to diverse landscapes, ancient cultures, and welcoming communities that have something special to offer every traveler. Our guide has provided you with the top destinations and hidden gems that make Mersin (Turkey) such a unique and special place. But, we encourage you to continue to explore this region on your own and uncover new adventures and treasures along the way. As you journey back home, don’t forget to reflect on the moments that made your trip so special and share your experiences with others. Remember to keep the spirit of adventure and curiosity alive in your everyday life and continue to seek out new experiences. We hope our guide has been a valuable resource in planning your trip, and we look forward to hearing about your travels. Safe travels and until next time!