🕊️ Hatay (Antakya) - a city of civilizations, tastes and peace
Antakya Turkey
Hatay is a unique region in southern Turkey where history, religions and cultures of East and West have been intertwined for centuries.
Its heart is Antakya, ancient Antioch, one of the oldest cities in the world.
Here mosques, churches and synagogues stand side by side, Arabic and Turkish speech, the smell of oriental spices and orange flowers.
Hatay is a living encyclopedia of history, the culinary capital of Turkey and a symbol of peaceful coexistence of peoples.
📍 Geography and climate
Region: Southern Turkey, near the border with Syria
Capital: Antakya (Antakya)
Population: about 1.6 million people
River: Oront (Asi Nehri)
Climate: Mediterranean
Summer: hot and dry (+32-38°C)
Winter: mild and rainy (+10-15°C)
Feature: Hatay is a verdant region surrounded by the Amanos Mountains and fertile plains.
The proximity of the Mediterranean Sea and Syria makes the climate warm and the culture incredibly diverse.
🏛 History
Antakya is one of the oldest cities in the world, founded in 300 BC. Seleucus I Nicator, a general of Alexander the Great.
The city was named after his father Antiochus - hence the ancient name Antiochus.
📜 Major eras:
🏺 Hellenistic period: Antioch was the capital of the Seleucid state and one of the largest cities in the ancient world.
🏛 Roman era: the city became the third largest in the empire after Rome and Alexandria. Grand festivals were held here and the streets were decorated with marble and mosaics.
✝️ Christian History: Antioch was one of the first places where the apostles Paul and Peter preached. It was here that the word "Christians" first appeared.
⚔️ Byzantium and the Arabs: the city was a key center of trade between East and West.
🕌 S eljuks and Ottomans: Hatay became part of the Muslim world while maintaining its multicultural character.
🇹🇷 Modernity: the region joined Turkey in 1939, while retaining a rich Arab-Turkish heritage.
🏛 Hatay is called the "city of 13 civilizations": Hittites, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Crusader orders, Seljuks, Mamluks, and Ottomans all left their mark here.
🕌 Main attractions
🏛 Antakya Archaeological Museum (Hatay Arkeoloji Müzesi)
One of the greatest mosaic museums in the world.
It houses Roman era mosaics from the villas of Antioch, Daphne and Seleucia.
The most famous exhibit is "Dancing Ariadne" and "Ocean with Trident".
⛪ S t. Peter's Cave Church (St. Pierre Kilisesi)
It is considered one of the first Christian churches in the world.
According to legend, the Apostle Peter preached here.
The cave is carved in the rock, overlooking the city and the Orontes River valley.
Every year on June 29, a mass is held here, attracting pilgrims from all over the world.
🕌 Habib-i Nejar Mosque (Habib-i Neccar Camii)
Turkey's oldest mosque (7th century).
It was built in honor of a saint revered in both Islam and Christianity.
Nearby are the tombs of the disciples of Isa (Jesus), a symbol of inter-religious unity.
🏘 Antakya Old Town (Antakya Eski Şehir)
Narrow streets, white houses with wooden shutters, bazaars and cafes.
Here time seems to have stopped - the smell of cardamom coffee and the sounds of azan mingle with the scent of jasmine.
🏺 Dafna (Defne / Harbiye Şelaleleri)
A verdant neighborhood with waterfalls and orange orchards.
In ancient times, Daphne was a vacation spot for the elite of Antioch.
According to legend, the nymph Daphne turned into a laurel tree here while fleeing from Apollo.
🧿 Religions and culture
Hatay is one of the few regions where Muslims, Christians and Jews have coexisted peacefully for centuries.
Antakya has mosques, Orthodox and Catholic churches, and a synagogue still in operation today.
Local festivals often unite representatives of different faiths.
Turkish and Arabic are spoken here, and sometimes French and Armenian words can be heard.
🕊️ The symbol of the region is the "dove of peace" as a sign of friendship between cultures.
🍽 Hatay's cuisine is a taste of the East
Hatay is a gastronomic wonder included in the UNESCO list of cities of gastronomy.
The region's cuisine is a bridge between Syrian, Lebanese and Anatolian tradition.
🍛 What to try:
Tepsi kebabı - meat roasted with tomatoes and peppers on a metal tray.
Künefe - a famous dessert with cheese and crispy vermicelli, originally from Antakya.
Oruk (Içli köfte) - fried bulgur balls with meat filling.
Humus ve Muhammara - classic oriental appetizers made of chickpeas and red pepper.
Zahter salatası - salad with wild thyme and pomegranate syrup.
Katıklı ekmek - thin bread with herbs and tahini baked in a stone oven.
💡 Hatay cuisine is a fusion of Syrian flavors, Turkish spices and Mediterranean simplicity.
🎭 Culture and crafts
Copper, olive oil, spices and textiles are staples in Antakya's markets.
Pottery and mosaics are the legacy of ancient craftsmen.
Folk music and dance (Halay) are popular at festivals and weddings.
Every September, the Hatay Gastronomi Festivali takes place, where you can sample hundreds of dishes from the region.
🏞 Nature and surroundings
Habib Nejar Mountain is the symbol of the city and the site of ancient sanctuaries.
Samandağ is a coastal area with beaches and the ancient port of Seleucia Pieria.
Tunnel of Titus (Vespasianus Tüneli) - a grandiose hydraulic engineering construction of the Roman times.
Cevlik and Meydan beaches are quiet, overlooking the mountains and the Mediterranean Sea.
🚗 How to get there
✈️ Hatay Airport (HTY) - flights from Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir.
🚗 From Adana - 3 hours by highway D817.
🚌 Buses from Gaziantep and Ankara run daily.
🚢 From Iskenderun port, there are sea routes on the Mediterranean Sea.
✅ Why you should go to Hatay
✔ One of the oldest cities in the world
✔ Home of the first Christians
✔ City of three religions and cultural peace
✔ Gastronomic paradise and UNESCO cuisine
✔ Magnificent scenery from the mountains to the sea
✔ The atmosphere of oriental warmth and soulfulness
📌 Conclusion
Hatay (Antakya) is the heart of civilizations, where every stone keeps the memory of ancient empires and every smell is a promise of taste.
It is a place where a person of any faith and background feels at home.
Here past and present live in harmony, like a prayer, like the aroma of fresh baklava, like the fire in the hearth.
"Antakya is not just a city, it is a lesson in humanity." 🕊️