Anemurium, Ancient city archaeological site in the Anamur district, Turkey
Anemurium is an ancient Greek and Roman city in the Anamur district of Mersin Province, set on a slope running down to the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. The site includes a theatre, large bathhouses with mosaic floors, several early Christian churches, and a wide necropolis with hundreds of tombs.
The city was first founded by the Phoenicians and later grew into a key port under Greek and then Roman rule, serving as a trading hub on the Cilician coast. It was probably abandoned in the 7th century after a series of raids, a major earthquake, and a Persian invasion left the population unable to sustain life there.
The terrain is uneven and the site is large, so sturdy shoes are a good idea, especially for the climb toward the acropolis where thorny bushes can make the path tricky. Summer heat can be intense, so bringing water and visiting in the early morning makes the walk more comfortable.
The necropolis at Anemurium is one of the best preserved in Turkey, with around 350 tombs, some of them rising to several stories and featuring barrel-shaped or cone-shaped stone roofs. Visitors can actually enter some of the burial chambers, which is rare for a site of this kind.
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