Mersin

                    “What is the Mediterranean? A thousand things at a time.

                                     Fernand Braudel / Historian of the Mediterranean

If we describe Mersin as a “big port city in the Eastern Mediterranean,” we would be telling the truth, but not the whole truth. If we say, it is a very old city that witnessed the great civilizations of history, still playing host to the rich historical heritage that was left over from them, we would still not be giving a complete description. Or shall we say, it is an area located on the most fertile land in Turkey, Çukurova, an agricultural region where fruits and vegetables burst forth from the earth? A place where sand beaches stretch alongside the emerald blue of the Mediterranean where the sun shines for 300 days a year; a holiday resort where numerous hotels offer most up-to-date amenities and comfort? A city behind which signs of traditional nomadic life still survives on the range of Taurus Mountains and the plateaus? Or shall we describe it as a place where Christianity first spread to Anatolia and a cultural environment where numerous languages, faiths and cultures mingle together? None of these descriptions is sufficient by itself to give a complete picture of Mersin. Maybe if we say Mersin is all of these, we might be able to convey a fairly adequate image. The difficulty that we encounter in describing this geography in East Mediterranean in a simple sentence does not stem from us. It is because of the multi-faceted character of this region.

Maybe it’s better to let the most renowned Mediterranean expert, Fernand Braudel, the famous French historian to give his description. He writes in his voluminous work on the subject, “What is the Mediterranean? A thousand things at a time! Not a landscape but innumerable landscapes. Not a sea but a series of seas. Not a civilization but civilizations piled up one above the other.”

In this city of sun, where the best lemon and orange groves of Turkey are found on its plains, vineyards sprawl up the lower slopes of its mountains, the Yoruks continue the 4000-year old tradition of the peoples of the Mediterranean who have migrated from one place to the other without break by moving up and down the peaks of Taurus mountains with their sheep and goats.

Tourists, who are sunbathing on the golden sands of the beaches under the scorching Mediterranean sun, could see the snowy caps of the Taurus Mountains when they lift their heads and look around. Between the beaches and the mountain peaks, there is a swath of year-round greenery offered by vegetable and fruit gardens and then as the landscape rises towards the mountains, pine trees and meadows. It is a gorgeous landscape stretching from the Mediterranean blue to the snow-white peaks of the Taurus Range.

Mersin city center is one of liveliest places in Turkey. The easygoing rhythm of daily life, so special to the Mediterranean, suddenly picks up speed here. Markets and shopping sections of the city display the hustle and bustle of all the big cities at anytime of the day.

Mersin is a fast-growing city where commerce, agriculture and tourism industries have converged. It is also a port city. The agricultural produce coming from the fertile Çukurova and industrial products manufactured in the region are exported through the port of Mersin. Imports needed for both industry and agriculture are also unloaded here.

Mediterranean is not as docile as it seems

The Mediterranean was suitable for the development of maritime operations. And it developed in this direction throughout the history. However, this “suitability” does not necessarily mean that it was a sea of serenity. It is known since the Antiquity that the Mediterranean can be full of surprises any time.

In the 7^th Century B.C. Hesiodos, one of the chroniclers of the Antiquity wrote in his “Works and Days” addressing his brother who was a seafarer and a farmer at the same time:

“Work the soil when the winter comes instead of going out to the sea where winds blowing from every direction turns its waters to the color of wine. Haul your vessel onto the shore and surround it with rocks … fold your sails heedfully, hang your rudder above the fireplace and wait for the season for going out to the sea to come.”

Famous Genovese Admiral Andrea Doria did not trust the Mediterranean either. He had this to say about it:

“There are three havens in the Mediterranean: Carthage, June and July!”

A Short Journey through a Long History

In Mersin, the adventure of human beings commences at the very early ages of history. Çukurova, which was one of the most fertile and naturally irrigated lands in the Mediterranean basin, hosted the first human settlers who learned how to cultivate the soil. Another advantage that this vast plain offered to its settlers was the forest that sprung up on its edge. In this area, which was called Cilicia during the Antiquity, first human settlements date back to the Neolithic Age. The excavations at the tumulli called Gözlükule and Yumuktepe uncovered valuable findings that shed light not only on the history of the region but the history of mankind in general.

While still unknown to the people living in the Aegean islands, Greece and Europe during 3000 B.C., the inhabitants of this area found out that adding tin to molten copper forms a strong and durable alloy called bronze and that they could manufacture weapons, agricultural tools, household utensils and other instruments with this metal. Bronze ushered in a new era in human history during which the society developed rudimentary stages of small industry passing into a higher level of production instead of relying exclusively on agriculture. This new mode of production blazed the trail for a new mode of social organization. Human societies were now moving out of closed agricultural communities, beginning to urbanize and starting trade between different regions.

In the early phases of human history, it took long years for a particular development in one area to spread into other communities. Inter-regional trade helped speed up spreading culture. Within this context, it was unthinkable that expeditions of trade and conquest would not pass through the fertile lands of Cilicia. Furthermore, ports in the region provided easy access.

The province of Mersin which today covers the ancient region of Cilicia possesses the marks of this long history and different cultures hosted by this land.

We shall make short journeys again in this ancient history as we stop by ruins and museums in the area.

Where Does the Name Cilicia Come From?

Strabon, the geographer from Amasya who lived during the 1^st Century B.C. has defined the borders of Cilicia as stretching from Alanya (Caracesium) to Viranşehir / Mersin (Soloi / Pompeipolis) which constituted the Mountainous Cilicia (Tracheia) and from Mersin to the bay of Iskenderun (Alexandria Kat’isson) which was named Cilicia on the plain (Pedias). The Taurus Range of mountains that separated the area from interior part of Anatolia constituted the northern border.

We come across the name Cilicia for the first time in Hittite inscriptions dating back to 16^th Century B.C.  Adaniya referred to Cilicia on the plain and Chalaka was used to describe mountainous Cilicia. The area is referred to as Kedi (or Kode) in the Egyptian inscription of 15^th Century B.C. Whereas the Assyrians called it Cihalakka (Hilakku) in the 8^th Century B.C.

According to famous historian Herodotus, the name Cilicia goes back to Phoenician Hero Cilix. Cilix who was the son of Phoenician King Agenor, came to this area with his brothers searching for their sister Europa who was abducted by Zeus. According to Herodotus, when Cilix loses his hope to find Europe he settled here and gave the region his name.

Mersin City Center

Mersin which borders on Antalya, the most attractive tourism center of Turkey and the Mediterranean in the west and Adana which is a productive agricultural and industrial region, in the east has Mediterranean stretching all along its southern border. In the north, Taurus Mountain Range separates the province from the Anatolian hinterland.

Mersin is one of the major ports of the Mediterranean and a center of maritime trade as it has always been since the earliest periods of history.

A Landmark of Mersin : The Skyscraper The 52-floor skyscraper still holds the title of “Tallest Building of Turkey.” One part of it is a hotel. The landmark building, which has metropolitan shopping centers around it, is a symbol of modern times in Mersin. There are conference rooms and offices of various businesses in the building. You just have to take the elevator to the 52nd floor to have a bird’s view of Mersin.

The History of Mersin as a city

Mersin has a peculiar history of its own regarding urbanization in the whole region of Cilicia, settlements both in the mountains and flatlands. It is also different from the general characteristics of urbanization in Anatolia.

Many towns in Anatolia show a remarkable continuity throughout the history. Tarsus, one of the main towns to the east of Mersin city center and Silifke a major settlement to the west both have an urban history running through scores of centuries without a break. For example, the known history of Tarsus dates back to 7000 years and the city has been carrying the same name for the last 2000 years.

There is no such continuity of urban settlement in Mersin. Famous 17^th Century Ottoman traveler Evliya Chelebi in his Seyahatname  (Travelogue) mentions a certain village with about 70 households in the area called Mersinoglu.

We know that there were ancient cities in the geographical area where Mersin is located now. But there is no indication that there was a big city here during the Middle Ages or most part of the Ottoman history.

Mersin seems to have appeared as a city during the mid 19^th Century. This is a period when important changes have taken place in this particular area. The governor of Egypt, Mehmet Ali Pasha of Kavala, rebelled against the Ottoman rule and took this region under his domination. He brought agricultural workers from Syria and Egypt and launched a campaign to restructure the agriculture of the area. With this campaign cultivation of sugar canes and cotton intensified in Mersin and surrounding regions.

Mersin showed a speedy development after the deregulation of trade between the Ottoman Empire and West European countries with the trade agreement of 1838 and the modernization movement of Tanzimat.

Tarsus, which had served as the main port of the Çukurova region in the past, was clogged with alluvia brought down by the rivers. Mersin was now taking over as the main port in the region.

In this way, Mersin’s progress from a small village to become a major port began. With commercial activity picking up around Iskele, (The Quay) population movements tended to concentrate towards this area.

Development was continuing fast and a big open market, with the participation of local and foreign traders, was organized every Friday on the Mersin quay in 1857. The commodities traded at this market were not restricted to agricultural produce only. It was the beginning of a full-fledged commercial sector and the nucleus of a new city.

From this point on Mersin began to take on the features of a commercial port city. A lot of people coming from different ethnic roots and different faiths started living here, a myriad of different languages were spoken on the streets. In 1886 there were consulates of 12 foreign countries functioning in Mersin.

Life in the Antiquity was completely different in Mersin where for a long period of time there was no urbanization. The hill on which the State Opera House and the Mersin Museum are standing today is thought to be the location of the antique city of Zephyrion. The oldest human settlement in Cilicia on the plain, Yumuktepe is only few kilometers north of here.

The Port that Re-transformed Mersin and shaped its Future

The port that provided the dynamics of turning Mersin into a city by the mid-1800s has an importance in our day not only for Mersin and Çukurova but also for a larger geographical area. It is a candidate to become one of the largest ports in the Middle East depending on economic and political developments in the world.

The Free Trade Area and the port that was privatized in 2005 point to developments that will make Mersin a significant center for the region even beyond the borders of Turkey.

 

Heritage of the Past

You do not need to travel long distances to see the oldest signs of human presence in Mersin, which was settled by mankind during the earliest periods of history. At the Yumuktepe (Soguksutepe) tumulus located in the Demirtaş neighborhood, one of the oldest sections of the city, the signs of human settlement date back as far as the Neolithic Age.

You come across quite a number 19th Century structures and monuments like mosques, churches, hamams (public baths) and fountains in the old neighborhoods of the city.