Eskisehir and Sivrihisar
At Gavurkalesi, 60 km
from Ankara on the Haymana Highway near Derekoy, the remains of an open-air
Hittite temple, a tomb and two reliefs of Hittite gods can be seen. The
most important Phrygian sites in Anatolia are to be found in the provinces
of Ankara, Eskisehir and Afyon. Yassihoyuk (Gordion), 105 km southwest of
Ankara on the Eskisehir highway, was the capital of Phrygia and the place
where Alexander the Great cut the Gordion Knot to gain the key to Asia.
The tumulus of King Midas, who turned whatever he touched to gold, can he
visited here. Nearby, the remains of the ancient city Gordion, still under
excavation, and a small museum are worth a quick tour. |
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At Midas City two
enormous facades cut into a rocky promontory once held cult statues for
the worship of Cybele in their niches. Throughout the area, rock tombs -
cave- like openings pierce the sand colored stone. An underground passage
leads from the site to the valley below. Aslantas and Aslankaya were both
centers of cult worsoip in Phrygian times. The former, 34 km north of
Afyon,has two monumental lion reliefs the latter, 52 km from Afyon,comprises
a temple and a lion relief.Other Phrygian monuments can be explored at
Doganlikale, Kumbet and Deveboynu. |
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Sivrihisar's charn
derives from its many typical Ottoman houses which imbue the town with a
faded elegance. The 13th century Ulu Mosque, formerly a caravanserai, and
the Alemsah Mausoleum are very interesting and worth a visit. Connoisseurs
of carpets and kilims will know that kilims from Sivrihisar are
particularly prized. Near Sivrihisar in Nasrettin Hoca Village (Hortu),
the Nasrettin Hoca Museum has ethnographical displays as well as amusing
stories and pictures about the famous humorist. |


