THE CITIES OF THE MOSAICS
Mosaic art reached a peak in Roman times and the art continued during the early years of the Byzantines. It was an art form that was virtually lost during the Selcuk and Ottoman periods. Two cities in Eastern Turkey offer wonderful examples of this lost art form: Gaziantep and Antakya
Known as Antaib in Ottoman days, the city gained the sobriquet Gazi as a result of the War of Independence. A small and determined band of citizens of Antaib held out against a much larger and better equipped French army for 10 months, giving Ataturk’s fledgling army time to establish itself.
Today, this is a prosperous modern city with many handsome boulevards and plazas. It is also home to a wonderful new museum displaying the rich array of mosaics rescued from Belkis- Zeuma before it was flooded by the Birecik Dam on the Euphrates River
Some Touring Highlights: Gaziantep, mosaics, Beliks-Zeuman, Gaziantep Museum, Kurds, Armenian churches, Citadle, Hasan Suzer Museum
ANTAKYA
Known originally as Antioch on Orontes, this city was founded by one of Alexander’s generals after his death. The city has a strong Arabic atmosphere, attesting to its fascinating history. Antioch was a very important city in the development of the early Christian Church. Both St. Paul and St. Peter preached here. This is also the city where the term Christian was reputed to have been coined. The Cave Church of St. Peter is an important shrine for Christians to this day. The city also has a wonderful mosaic museum displaying masterpieces of this art retrieved from the ruins of Roman villas along the coast. Evidently there are as many mosaics still buried and protected here as there are on display in the museum.
Some Touring Highlights: Antakya, Antioch on Orontes, St. Paul, Cave Church of St Peter, Mosaics, Archeological Museum, Hatay
ON TOURS: ANCIENT KINGDOMS
Some Touring Highlights: Antakya, Antioch on Orontes, St. Paul, Cave Church of St Peter, Mosaics, Archeological Museum, Hatay
ON TOURS: ANCIENT KINGDOMS
