Mount Nemrut in Turkey is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a 165m high tomb hill and statues of Greek and Persian gods, including King Antiochus. Visitors can see a bas-relief depicting a lion and planets, and the site is best viewed at sunrise or sunset. Lake Ataturk is also nearby.
Mount Nemrut is a mountain in Türkiye. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and has been since 1987. The site is famous for the huge statues that stand at its apex, flanking a mighty tomb.
The tomb on the summit of Mount Nemrut was most likely built at the request of the Roman-Persian king Antiochus Theos of Kommagene in the 1st century BC He had it built not only as a tomb for when he would pass, but also as a religious shrine. He believed he was the descendant of the god Apollo.
The site of Mount Nemrut itself consists of the huge 165m high tomb hill, or cairn, and statues. The tomb has not yet been excavated and does not appear to have been looted, leading many to believe that it will be filled with treasure like many tombs in Egypt.
There are two terraces surrounding the tomb on Mount Nemrut, on both the east and west sides, which were most likely used for religious devotions. The west terrace has a beautiful bas-relief depicting a lion and the three visible planets, Mars, Jupiter and Mercury, as they would have appeared in the sky at the presumed date of construction, 7 July 62 BC
The Mount Nemrut statues themselves are about 25 feet (8 m) tall, carved from stone. They depict various Greek gods, such as Zeus, heroes such as Hercules, Persian gods, lions, eagles and, of course, King Antiochus himself. Over the centuries heads were knocked off the tops of the statues, and many of the statues themselves fell apart. In recent years the heads have been returned to their supposed original positions, though the bodies have since been destroyed, to illustrate their alignment with sunrise and sunset.
The restoration of the statues of Mount Nemrut has begun and is expected to continue until well into 2010. Some pieces are also set aside to be transferred to museums.
Most visitors to Mount Nemrut try to get to the site at sunrise or sunset, to see the amazing view. Sunrise is by far the most popular, but due to the quite difficult trek to the summit of Mt Nemrut, you should leave by approximately 2:30am. However, for those with the fortitude, it’s worth it. The colors at dawn cast a strange orange on the heads, giving the whole site a mystical and otherworldly feel.
Lake Ataturk, near Mount Nemrut, is also a popular tourist destination, and a trip to the UNESCO site should also include a visit to the beautiful scenic lake. Reaching Mount Nemrut isn’t particularly easy, as it’s well off the beaten track, near the small town of Kahta in rural Turkey. However, with a little perseverance, the site is accessible and is far enough off the beaten track to be relatively free of visitors, and can offer one of the most peaceful sunrises in the world.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
