ANTAKYA (ANTIOCHEIA)
In 300 BC, Nicator I, a Seleucid king and a
former general of Alexander the Great, was seeking divine guidance for where he
should found a city in the region. As he did for the establishment of Seleucia
Pieria( Cevlik in Samandag), he ascended Mt Cassius in Antigonia where he
performed a sacrifice for Zeus in a temple built there by Antigonus and begged
the god for a sign as to where to found his city.
An eagle suddenly appeared
and snatched some of the sacrificial meat. It then flew away, alighting somewhere
else and this is where the king decided to have his city built, to which was
given the name Antiocheia and is commonly referred to in English sources as
Antioch. Originally the city was a centre for the worship of Zeus, its
secondary guardian deity being Apollo.
There are in fact 2 other ancient cities
known as Antioch in Anatolia. One is Antiocheia in Pisidia, located in Yalvac
district in the province of Isparta and the other is Antioch and Maeandrum, located on the banks of the
Menderes ( Meander) river between Denizli and Nazilli in the region known as
Caria in ancient times. In the 7th century, Antioch was one of five
patriarchal centres of the Christian Church, the others being Rome, Alexandria,
Jerusalem and Istanbul.
A cave know today as the Grotto of St Peter
or Church of Saint Peter is believed to be where the Apostle Peter preached
when he visited Antioch and is considered to be one of the earliest Christian
houses of worship.
This grotto –church, located on the Antakya- Reyhanli road,
is as sacred for the Christian world as are the cities of Rome or Jerusalem and
it is the only structure to have survived from the earliest period of
Christianity when the new faith had begun to spread.
In 1963, the papacy
designated the site as a place of pilgrimage and also recognized it as the
world’s first cathedral. Every year on 29th June, a special service
is conducted at the Church of St Peter that is attended by Christians and
clergymen from all over the world.
In addition to this early church, Antakya
is also home to a Catholic Church and a Greek Orthodox Church as well as a
Museum of Archaeology ( also known as the Mosaic Museum ), which has the second
richest collection richest collection of ancient mosaics in the world.
Such
attractions of ancient mosaics in the world. Such attractions, combined with
Antakya’s splendid scenery, further enhance the city’s value as a centre of
Turkey’s tourism industry. Also to be found in Antakya are a number of
historically important examples of architecture from the Ottoman Period, such
as the Mosque of Habib –un Neccar.
HARON (CHARONION) , located 200
metrons from the Church of St Peter, is
a huge human bust carved into the rock along with inscriptions that were
believed to have the power to prevent death during a terrible plague that
ravaged the city in the reign of King Antiochus.
ANTAKYA CASTLE date back to Hellenistic
times in its original form with additions being made during the Roman and
Byzantine periods. The castle is enclosed by the second longest fortifications
in Turkey. Only the ancient walls of Istanbul are longer.
The Aqueducts of Trajan, measuring 9
kilometres long, was built in the 2nd century by the Roman Emperor
Trajan to bring water to the city from Harbiye. The City Park, which graces the
city with its lush and lovely appearance, occupies an area of 51000 square
metres.
Harbiye ( Dphne), located 7 kilometres from
Antakya, is a popular excursion and picnic area –a virtual paradise thick with
greenery and blessed with abundant water. According to legend, this is the spot
where Apollo caught sight of Daphne, a beautiful nymph and fell in love with
her. When he tried to approach her however, she fled and Apollo began to pursue
her. Realizing that there was no escape, she prayed to the Mother Earth, begging
for her protection and she was transformed into a laurel tree just as Apollo
reached her. Ever after, a crown of laurel leaves was used to award excellence
in poetry and military prowess. Daphen’s tears are said to be still flowing
over the waterfalls of Harbiye. The Turkish world for laurel is define, whose
origin of course id the nymph’s name. The essential oils of this tree are used
in making the famous laurel soap define sabunu, which is completely natural and
is highly recommended for its healthfulness.
