Adamkayalar (Men of rock) — Attraction in Silifke

Adamkayalar is a region closer to Kızkalesi, located between Silifke and Erdemli, in Mersin. While driving from Kızkalesi to Erdemli, you will see the Uzuncaburç sign. When you enter from this sign, you will see the Adamkayalar sign after about five or six kilometers. If you go too far and see the Hüseyinler sign, you have missed the road. You enter a rough road from the Adamkayalar sign. If you do not have an off-road vehicle, park your vehicle in a suitable place without taking too long. After parking your vehicle, follow the arrow signs painted on the stones that show the pathway to Adamkayalar. The trail is a bit rough so be very careful. Experts examine the Adamkayalar ruins in two parts. In the first part, the Karyagdı (Mitan-Miytan) Valley, -as the people say, the Devil's Creek- rock reliefs carved into the rocks of the canyon, and the ruins in the second part. Remains of the castle, bastions and settlements on the hill in the north-east of the valley. From where the ruins are found, you can go down to Adamkayalar by following the stairs carved into the rock. Adamkayalar are depictions of a four-death feast with 11 figures placed in a frame. In the feast of the four dead, father, mother, children are depicted. The sons of the dead and two men on the relief are carved as soldiers. The Adamkayalar reliefs are a five-step composition carved into the rock for ritual purposes. It is understood that the names of the priests who died were written on the inscriptions under the reliefs. Adamkayalar was processed in AD 200. There are 11 men, 4 women, 2 children and a mountain goat figures in 10 different compositions carved into the rocks. Roman eagle relief can be seen on the pediments of...

Great place to interesting. But you need to know some things before you go: There are ruins on top of the bluff. The rocks are sharp, but most places easily accessible for just about everyone who can walk. Interesting to camber around, great place for pictures, sea in the background, several stone arches intact, makes for a great sunrise/sunset photo shoot place. The figures in the rock are a different story. Don’t expect to see them unless you are prepared to do some rock climbing without equipment. Technically not terribly difficult if you already have rock climbing experience (steps are cut in the rocks), but the sharp cliff into the canyon below and lack of emergency services around make it more dangerous. There are red arrows painted in the rock that lead you from in info sign at the parking lot to the steps. They are weatherworn-may be hard to spot. My friend didn’t climb down the steps because it was just too sheer of a cliff—at one point it was pure rock climbing hands and toes above an steep drop off into the valley below.

This sheer part isn’t really all that long and you have a bit of a cliff at the bottom you can land on and walk relatively normally to the figures in stone (there are a couple more places of clambering, but not too bad). It’s a lot easier going back up as long as you don’t look down or think about the cliff too much.

In short, if you want to see these figures in stone, be prepared for a very short stretch of rock climbing. For serious rock climbers, it’s super easy I’m sure. For an average tourist who is not expecting it and not experienced in rock climbing or hiking, this could be a shock and be prepared to to NOT be able to see the figures in...

Adamkayalar was not on the day's itinerary. In fact, we had not heard about this historical site at an interesting place near Kizkalesi, at the bottom of a canyon. But we were so disgusted with the hotel we stayed in the previous night, a four-star Oxo Hotel, that we were desperate to change the scenery and the mood. And by golly, we found more than what we were looking for. We had read the reviews that you should not wander off to this place with your beach slippers, and need to carry a lot of water, etc. but the challenge is not only that. It is the path that takes you down, or there lack of. It is literally rock climbing down and then rock climbing back up. My hero is Katya, who descended, inspected the men of rock, a burial site, and then ascended free of cuts or aches. Katya did veni, vidi, vici. I chickened out. If you are not well equipped and not in good shape, don't even think about it. Skip it. I'm sure it is not a very frequented place but still the site is full of trash and litter which is an eyesore. Just before we left, a Turkish family stopped by the site, cut their watermelon, downed the slices with thunder, and left the slices out in the open, shamelessly, openly out in front of our eyes. It is this kind of attitude which is putting us Turks to shame and also littering these beautiful ancient...