Nemrut
At the junction of the East and West civilisations, Nemrut Dagi (Mount Nemrut) is one of the most astounding sites in Turkey: a collection of colossal statues on a remote mountain 2150m high, adorning the temple and tomb of King Antiochus.
Nemrut
Culture and history info
This vast funeral monument, built by the dynastic ruler Antiochus, is unlike anything else in the world with a remote and isolated location at the top of the mountain. Virtually unknown until after the Second World War, the site was first excavated by the American school of Oriental Research in Connecticut, some years after the war. Mount Nemrut is often called the “Eighth Wonder of the World”.
The western terrace contains a large slab with a lion, showing the arrangement of stars and the planets Jupiter, Mercury and Mars on July 7 62 BC, the possible time when construction began on this monument.
Nemrut is a significant attraction, with thousands coming at sunrise and sunset to see the stones in the best possible light. In addition to the statues, the entire site includes art from the Commagene (Komagene) civilization, the Eskikale (Old Castle), Yenikale (New Castle), Karakus Hill and Cendere Bridge.
