Midas
sehri (the city of Midas) in the south of
Eskisehir, is an old Phrygian
city located in a volcanic rock scenery near
the village of Yazilikaya. The site
has a lower part and a fortified acropolis.
The
Midas Monument is a 20m/ 65 feet
high rock, whose facade is covered
with Phrygian inscriptions. It is
dedicated to the cult of the Great
Mother Goddess Cybele.
Two rock-cut temples for open-air
cult.
Rock-cut tombs.
Cave dwellings.
The tunnel that linked the
city to the valley.
Further
south in the region, at Aslantas
and Aslankaya, there are Phrygian
rock-cut monuments where magnificent
lions reliefs are engraved.
ESKISEHIR
This
newly developed city of Eskisehir has
a name meaning "old city"
which comes from its Phrygian origins.
It is reputed to be the center of meerschaum
which is a silicate of magnesia extracted
in the neighbourhood. Craftmen sculpt
the white stone which is easy to cut
when it is wet, in order to make different
types of objects. Their most famous
creation is the meerschaum pipe. A craftman
can make 3 to 4 pipes a day. Beautiful
pieces are exhibited in the local Meerschaum
Museum.
The Eskisehir International Meerschaum
(white gold) Festival takes place every
year in September.
TUZ GÖLÜ - SALT LAKE
It
is located 120 km/75 miles to the south
of Ankara on the way to Cappadocia.
It is the second largest lake in Turkey
but its surface and water level vary
according to the seasons. It reaches
its higher level, 1-2 m/3-6 inches at
the end of winter, and in summer after
evaporation the lake dries out and a
wide marsh covered with a 30cm/12 inches
salt layer forms. Due to its high salinity
(33%), 300 thousand tons of salt are
obtained per year.
