Things to do in Nemrut Daği National Park
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Harran-Nemrut Tours
Harran-Nemrut Tours or sunrise/sunset tours (€40, minimum four) to Nemrut) This tour usually takes you to the Atatürk Dam along the way. It's relatively good value, but don't expect more than a driver. At the time of research no other operators were offering these tours from Urfa.
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Nemrut Dağı Park Eastern Terrace
Beyond the building, hike 600m (about 20 minutes) over the broken rock of the stone pyramid to the western terrace. Antiochus I Epiphanes ordered the construction of a combined tomb and temple here. The site was to be approached by a ceremonial road and was to incorporate what Antiochus termed 'the thrones of the gods', which would be based 'on a foundation that will never be demolished'.
Antiochus planned this construction to prove his faith in the gods, and in so doing assumed that upon his death his spirit would join that of Zeus-Ahura Mazda in heaven.
As you approach, the first thing you see is the western temple with the conical funerary mound of fist-sized stones beh…
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Eski Kale (Arsameia)
About 1.5km further along the main road, a road to the left takes you 2km to Eski Kale, the ancient Commagene capital of Arsameia. Just after the turn-off is the park entrance for payment for the Arsameia site and summit access (TL6.50).
At Eski Kale there is a large stele depicting Mithras (or Apollo), the sun god, wearing a cap with sunrays radiating from it. Further along are two more stelae. Only the bases have survived, but they were thought to depict Mithridates I Callinicus, with Antiochus I, the taller stele, holding a sceptre. Behind them is a cave entrance leading to an underground room thought to have been built for Mithras-worshipping rites.
Further uphill is …
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Karakuş Tümülüs
Highway D360, marked for Nemrut Dağı Milli Parkı , starts in Kahta next to the Hotel Kommagene. After a few kilometres, you'll reach a fork; the road to the left takes you 1.5km to Karakuş Tümülüs. Like the Nemrut mound, the Karakuş burial mound, built in 36 BC, is artificial. A handful of columns ring the mound – there were more but the limestone blocks were used by the Romans to build the Cendere Bridge. An eagle tops a column at the car park, a lion tops another around the mound, and a third has an inscribed slab explaining that the burial mound holds female relatives of King Mithridates II.
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Yeni Kale
Eski Kahta, also known as Kocahisar, is overlooked by castle ruins. Although there was once a palace here, built at the same time as the Commagene capital of Arsameia on the other side of the ravine, what you see today is the ruins of a 13th-century Mamluk castle, Yeni Kale (New Fortress). There are some Arabic inscriptions above the main and only gateway. You can climb up to look at the castle, but make sure you're wearing appropriate shoes and watch your step.
At the base of the path up to the castle is the Kocahisar Halı Kursu (Kocahisar Carpet Course), a rudimentary workshop where local women learn carpet-weaving techniques to keep the tradition alive. They don't sell…
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Cendere Bridge
Some 10km from the Karakuş Tümülüs, the road crosses a modern bridge over the Cendere River. On the left-hand side, you'll see a magnificent humpback Roman bridge built in the 2nd century AD. The surviving Latin stelae state that the bridge was built in honour of Emperor Septimius Severus and his wife and sons (long after Commagene had become part of Roman Asia). Of the four original Corinthian columns (two at either end), three are still standing.
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Kocahisar Halı Kursu
At the base of the path up to Yeni Kale is the Kocahisar Halı Kursu (Kocahisar Carpet Course), a rudimentary workshop where local women learn carpet-weaving techniques to keep the tradition alive. They don't sell the carpets here but don't usually mind if you poke your head in to have a look.
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Nemrut Dağı Park Entrance
By the time you arrive at the car park and café you're well above the tree line. The Nemrut Dağı park entrance is 200m up from the Çeşme pension and 2.5km before the junction with the short cut to Arsameia.
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Neşe Tour
Three-day tours are run by Neşe Tour with twice-weekly departures. Other companies in Göreme offer similar packages but it's worth checking exactly where you'll be stopping.
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Nemrut Tours
Based in Hotel Nemrut. A great way to approach Nemrut Dağı from Kahta. Expect to pay around €100 per group for the longer tours.
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Karadut
Along the roads to the summit lies the pretty village of Karadut, 3km up the mountain from the turn-off to Nemrut. It has a few small eateries.
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Mehmet Akbaba Tour Guides
A great way to approach Nemrut Dağı from Kahta. Expect to pay around €100 per group for the longer tours.
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Eski Kahta (Kocahisar) & Yeni Kale
About 5km from the bridge is a 1km detour off the main road to Eski Kahta (Kocahisar). There was once a palace here, built at the same time as the Commagene capital of Arsameia. What you now see are the ruins of a 13th-century Mamluk castle, Yeni Kale (New Fortress). The castle was being renovated at the time of writing and due to reopen in 2011.
At the base of the path up to the castle is the Kocahisar Halı Kursu (Kocahisar Carpet Course), a rudimentary workshop where local women learn carpet-weaving techniques to keep the tradition alive. They don't sell the carpets here, but it's OK to have a look around.
After Yeni Kale, cross the Kahta (Nymphaios) River to see the ol…
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