Yeşilçam’ın şaşalı dönemlerinde ünlü filmlerin çoğunun afiş çalışmasını yapan Mehmet Bal sadece Türk film sektörü için değil, Avrupa’da da birçok filmin afişini yapmış, henüz bilgisayar teknolojisinin olmadığı dönemlerde film sektöründe aranılan bir isim haline gelmiştir. Mehmet Bal Resim Sergisinde film afişlerinden oluşan 250 eşsiz afişin yanı sıra sanatçının 1876-1938 yılları arasını kapsayan, “Yakın Tarihimiz ve Atatürk” konulu 90 tablodan oluşan seri çalışmasından da örnekler sergileniyor.

Bu eşsiz sergiyi kaçırmamanızı tavsiye ederim.

At the place where the waterfallas are located, there are underground rock graves remained from the Romans. the waterfallas had been formed as a result of changing of the bed of the Tarsus Brook and the water falling on the rock graves from 3-5 m. height. The graves cen be seen from time to time when the water level changes. The waterfalls and the surroundings are the main places that Tarsus citizens go especially in hot summer days. The water rising in the small lake and the waterfalls have a marvelous view at the sunset time during spring season. the main feature is the high speed of water eaching the waterfalls. This is the reason that keeps the water cold all the time. With the teahouses and restaurants, the place is a complete excursion spot.

This ancient street, which remains exactly in Tarsus Centrum, with polygonal placed basalt stones is 6.5 meters wide it’s ridged structure and the sewage system underneath are the features that make it seperate from other roads of Anatolia. Also, on the west and the east sides of the road, there are stylobats beloning to different ages and a Roman house. the granite columns on the stylobat and the street’s basalt stones brought from outside Tarsus is also an indication to the wealth of that age.

Until recent times, all vehicles entering Tarsus were crossing this three arch stone bridge on their way from Tarsus Intercity Terminal. The bridge had been built in the 6 th century during the Byzantine era to save Tarsus city from the flood of Berdan ( Cyndos ) river after the water bed had been changed by Justinian. The bridfe was restored in 1978. As a sort of customs duty used to have been collected for the caravan and cattle and sheep crossing by this bridge, the bridge is known as Tax Bridge in the historical records.

The building located in the Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami) quarter at the southern side of the city, which was dedicated to St. Paul is estimated to have been founded in the 17-18 centuries A.D. The church in two lines is seperated into three with four columns and covered with vault. In the Northeast corner of the church, there is the place of the bell tower. In the center of ceiling there are the frescos of the Christ, Johannesi Matthew, Marcos and Lucas. On the western internal place and above the entrance, there is the wooden secondary ceiling supported by the first two columns. The Christians regularly visit St. Paul’s Monument Museum for pilgrimage purposes.

According to the legend; the king of the snakes Sahmeran was in love with the daughter of king of Tarsus. While the pretty princess was bathing in the Old Hamam (Sahmeran Hamam) which is still in use today, Sahmeran used to secretly watch the princess from the dome on top of the hamam where the king of snakes ascend. Once, while watching the princess, Sahmeran fell down into the hamam and princess’s guards cut his head. It is believed that the stains on the hamam’s walls are traces of Sahmeran’s blood.

Ramazanoğulları zamanında 15. yy’da Ulaş Beyliğine geçmiş ve iyi bir tamir görmüştür. Günümüzdeki yuvarlak burçlu yapısı Ortaçağdan kalmıştır.

Çamlıyayla at the foot of Namrun Castle is 60 km far away from Tarsus. It is the largest and biggest high plateau. The most important historical remnant of the plateao is Namrun Castle which is on a high hill in the north of county. It was built in 1045 to defend the area. In the ages of Ramazanoğulları it was transferred to Ulaş emirates and restored. The rounded tower which we have today had been left from middle ages.

He was born in Tarsus as a Roman Citizen. The young man while working as a tent maker with his Jewish family, he went to Jarusalem for education. Here, he became  a Christian and hence was known as “Paul from Tarsus”. With the courage and the efforts he exerted in wide spreading the Bible, he became one of the best servants of Christianity. The well and the surroundings located at about 200 meters Northeast of the Antique road in Tarsus, are known as place where Saint Paul had lived. Since the ages, the Christians lived, the water of this well was believed to be sacred and cure bringing. Apart from the St. Paul’s house, the only remaining survived is tge 30 meters deep well. In the excavation works carried out recently at the vast area where the well exists, the architectural structure discovered s thought to be the house where St. Paul was born. the stony walls of the said house directly close to St. Paul’s Well were exposed to the daylight.

It’s located nearby Ulu Mosque and was built in the same period. It’s the only living example of the Tarsus busy trade at the intersection of the trade routes and still used as a bazaar.

It was restored and redecorated by Tarsus Municipality in 2004 and converted into Etnografia Museum. The Bazaar was built by İbrahim Bey, the son of Piri Pasha from Ramazanoğulları, in 1579. In previous periods it was used a Muslim theological school and soup-kitchen for the poor, and as Bazaar in Republic-Period. It was built with carved stones and has a rectangular plan. There are two entrance; one in the east one in the west and 18 rooms in the building.

Mısır’ın ünlü kraliçesi Kleopatra’nın sevgilisi Romalı General Antonius ile Tarsus’ta buluşmak üzere geldiklerinde, o zamanın limanı olan Gözlükule’de büyük törenle karşılandıkları ve Deniz Kapısından şehre geldiği söylenir. Bu sebeple Deniz Kapısına Kleopatra Kapısı da denmektedir.

As the city was one of metropolis of the ancient age, the Mount Gate the unique remaining apart from Adana Gate. The gate underwent many restoration and it is thought the gate had built on another gate built at the beginninge of the Byzantine age. Evliya Celebi, in his travel book indicated to the gate with name of “Quay Gate”. Khorasan cement aggregate had been used in the construction of the gate. Gate edge has a horseshoe shape and is high from the ground at 6.17 meters, deep at 6.18 meters. Until end of the 18th century, Tarsus had very sound three gate walls, which were destroyed by Egyptian İbrahım Pasha in the year 1835 and only the one-legged single arched sea gate survived.

When Egypt’s famous queen Cleopatra came to Tarsus to meet with the Roman General Antonio, they were received when with a great ceremony at the then port of Gozlu Kule and is is said that she entered through the Sea Gate. This is why the Sea Gate has another name “Cleopatra Gate”.