Mersin @ Travel Turkey

10th Mersin Music Festival to welcome world famous acts
This year Mersin's 10th annual International Music Festival will commence on May 1, getting under way with a chamber concert from the world famous Swiss orchestra Festival Strings Lucerne. Having been accepted as a member of the European Festivals ... 15 April, 2011
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-241060-10th-mersin-music--festiva...

2013 Mediterranean Games awarded to Mersin, Turkey
Turkey's port city MERSIN will be added to the list of Turkish cities to host an international sports event, as the southern district won the race to host the 2013 Mediterranean Games following a re-vote of the committee. The Games has been awarded to ... March 14, 2011
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=121838...

Coastal facilities project on Turkish shore to begin this month
The construction of some accommodation facilities as part of the Kazanli-Tarsus Coastal Project, an attempt to turn particular beaches on the shores of southern province of Mersin into tourist attractions, will begin this month. ... March 2, 2011 http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=coastal-facilities-project-in-southern-turkish-shore-to-be...

Mersin Citrus Festival helps put southern Turkish city on the map
Mersin has much cultural and agricultural heritage to share with the world, according to the organizer of the city's first annual Citrus Festival. November 30, 2010
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=mersin821...

Nearly 108 kilometre lengths of Mersin shores composed from naturel beaches. These beaches preferred because of their thin sands and cleanness, and their suitability for underwater hunting. Kulakköy, Taşucu, Susanoğlu, Kuruçay, Lamas, Yemişkumu, Kız Kalesi, Çeşmeli, Ören, Balıkova, İskele, Yenikaş, Ovacık, Büyük Ecelive and Anamur Beaches are some of that beaches. For whom fond of history and archaeology there is Viranşehir (Pomeipolis) which city built on area that area was continuous settlement place since Neolithic Age, and city is an roman city built at Rome Period.

City was Papacy in Christianity Period, than destroyed by an earthquake in 525. Necropolis (graveyard), theatre, public baths, water canals, temple ruins are exist. Eski (old) Mosque is an important building remains from Ottoman Period (1870). It was restored at different times. Rome Public Bath hosts big amount of visitors with it's interesting mosaics.

This coast has been inhabited since the 9th millennium BC. Excavations by John Garstang of the hill of Yümüktepe have revealed 23 levels of occupation, the earliest dating from ca. 6300 BC. A fortification was put up around 4500 BC, but the site appears to have been abandoned between 3200 BC and 1200 BC.

Known history of this region is connected from inside to Luvi, Kizzuwatna, Hittite, Asur and Babylon Kingdoms histories. Than region dominated by Hittite, Urartu, Asur, Babylon, Lydia, Persian, Seleukos and Rome Empire, names mentioned with dominance order. Until the Ottoman's conquer of region at 17th century, Arabians, Abbasi, Egyptian Tulunoğulları, Seljuklians, Mogols, the crusaders, Memluks, Ramzanoğulları and Karamanoğulları take control, since the 16th century this region added to Ottoman land.

By 1900, the Catholic Encyclopedia reports the city having about 18,000 inhabitants, of whom 8,000 were by ethnicity Greeks, 1,000 Armenians, and 2,000 Roman Catholics; the remaining approximately 9,000 inhabitants were presumably Muslim. The Roman Catholic parish of Mersin was administered by Capuchins; there were also Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition; schools for boys and girls, and hospitals.

The local cuisine includes: kebab of course but especially the hot sandwich of grilled meats wrapped in flat bread called tantuni; the home-made sausage bumbar; carrot helva (cezerye); karsambaç (a kind of ice slush); künefe a baked cheese pastry (known throughout south-east Turkey including Mersin); and kerebiç, a semolina pudding, especially made in the month of Ramadan, and many other local soups and stews. The traditional drink of this corner of Turkey, including Mersin, is şalgam suyu (the water used to pickle turnips