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Tarsus, the birthplace
of St. Paul, is now a mostly
modern industrial and commercial
city on Turkey's eastern Mediterranean
coast just west of Adana (map).
Anyone
with an interest in biblical
history will want to stop.
The rest may pass it by.
Why stop? Mostly
for memories of St. Paul, who, having
been born here, took several celebrated journeys through Anatolia to
spread the word about Christianity.
What's to see?
— The Roman-era Cleopatra's
Gate, which probably has
nothing to do with Cleopatra.
— St.
Paul's Well, a hole in
the ground which may have nothing
to
do with St. Paul.
— St. Paul
Church which, having
been built in the 1800s has virtually
nothing to do with the saint.
— Archeological
excavations of the Roman-era Old
City (Antik Sehir) which
are of interest to those who
like biblical history.
— The Tarsus
Museum housed in
a 16th-century medrese (theological
seminary).
— The Old
Mosque (Eski
Cami) may have been built
as a church dedicated to
St. Paul.
Access to Tarsus (TAHR-sus,
pop. 200,000) is easy as it lies between Mersin and Adana,
with fast highways and frequent buses, minibuses and trains.
Maps
of Tarsus, Mersin & Mediterranean
Turkey
Distances & Travel
Times
Adana: 37
km (23 miles) E, 35 minutes
Alanya: 352
km (219 miles) W, 6.5 hours
Anamur: 237
km (147 miles) W, 4 hours
Ankara: 467
km (290 miles) NW, 8.5 hours
Antakya: 230
km (143 miles) NW, 3.5 hours
Iskenderun: 200
km (124 miles) SE, 4 hours
Istanbul: 909
km (565 miles) NW, 14.5 hours
Mersin (Içel): 23
km (14 miles) W, 20 minutes
Osmaniye: 107 km (66 miles)
E, 1.5 hour
Silifke: 123
km (76 miles) W, 2 hours
Mediterranean
Turkey
Southeastern
Turkey
Central Anatolia
Where
to Go
Turkey
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