The lion valley of the golden-fingered King Midas

Most people have been to the stunning Cappadocia region, but they do not know the Phrygian Valley, which is not inferior to it in beauty. The magnificent artifacts belonging to the lost civilization of the Phrygian King Midas, famous for turning everything he touched into gold and donkey ears, are mainly in Afyon, Kütahya and Eskişehir. Autumn is the ideal time to go on long expeditions in this geography.

The Phrygian Valley, stretching between Seyitgazi, Kütahya and Afyon, is not like a valley at all. The center of interest is Midas City (Yazılıkaya village). If you start your trip from Seyitgazi in the north, your first stop should be the impressive mosque and complex on the hill built in memory of the hero Battal Gazi, who was martyred in the 8th century while fighting the Byzantines. The mosque dates back to the Seljuks, although the surrounding madrasah, soup kitchen and dervish lodge were built later by the Ottomans.

TRANQUILITY IN KÜMBET

The Phrygian area south of Seyitgazi is well marked with signs. Most of what you will see around are huge rock masses carved by the inhabitants of the region to make various shelters for themselves, just like in Cappadocia. Many of them got their names from their shapes. It's worth taking a detour off the main road to see Dogankale and Camel Neck Kale, but somehow these sites seem less important compared to Midas City. To find it, go up the stairs behind the local library and then turn right around the big rock. Right above you you will see a rock temple surrounded by a Phrygian inscription. The Phrygians settled in Anatolia around 2000 BC, but this tomb was built much later, dating back to 585 - 550 BC. Find a car and drive to Kümbet, where you will feel the silence in your bones. Here you can see the Lion Tomb, famous for its lion reliefs, the symbol of the Phrygians. If you continue south towards Afyon, the quiet little town of Döğer is well worth your time. The 15th century caravanserai here is most likely locked. Then head to Üçlerkayası, just south of Döğer. You will come across a mini Cappadocia with its rock-carved caves and fairy chimneys. Emre Lake, which has a lovely view, is not far away. Overlooked by the ruins of an old dervish lodge, the lake is a great place for a picnic.

YOU'LL DISCOVER YOURSELF ON THE ROAD

If you take the direct route to Afyon, you pass through Ihsaniye and head south, and if you have enough time, visit Alanyurt to the east. You will have the chance to see the beautiful, carved Phrygian tombs, including Aslantaş and Yılantaş. Finally, you arrive at Ayazini. This was once the rock-carved settlement of Metropolis, and you will see many Cappadocian-style rock churches around. During the visit you will find that the best part of the journey through the Phrygian Valley is the self-discovery. I came face to face with more history along the valley than I can describe here. If you want to do the region justice, spend at least two days. You can spend the first night in Eskişehir or Kütahya and the second night in Afyon. If you want to see the valley at its most beautiful, try to time your trip for early June or October. The Phrygian Valley will stay in your heart not only with its history but also with its extraordinary natural beauty and colors.

The mystery of two inscriptions at the Midas Monument remains unsolved

Located 80 kilometers from the center of Eskişehir and about 14 kilometers from Han district, this magnificent 17-meter structure was built in the 600s BC. Those who encountered it for the first time in the 19th century thought it was the "Tomb of Midas" when they read the Midas inscription on it. However, it was later realized that it was just a monument. It got its name from the inscription on it. It is one of the most original works of Phrygian art. Covering an area of 400 square meters, the monument has survived to the present day largely preserving its original structure. The niche in the center of the monument was built to place a statue of the mother goddess Cybele, as in many other Phrygian monuments. Unfortunately, the statue is not there today. The elaborate decorations covering the surface of the monument are a work of mastery that surprises everyone even today. The two inscriptions on it are still not fully deciphered. One of the words that can be read in the first inscription is "fire", one of the Phrygian gods. The other word "Midai" is the mother of Midas and the goddess believed to be the ruler of iron. Therefore, it is thought that the inscription may be related to the processing of iron. It is considered to be the greatest of the monuments in the Phrygian Valley. In the acropolis where the monument is located, there are also tombs, altars, underground chambers, an unfinished monument, a fountain and the walls surrounding the entire acropolis.

The fertility of the city of Midas used to be the talk of the town

Eskişehir'in Han ilçesine bağlı Yazılıkaya Köyü, anıtın hemen altında kurulmuş ve anıtın üzerindeki yazıtlardan dolayı bu adı almıştır. Havasının temizliği ve toprağının verimliliği Roma metinlerine bile konu olmuştur. Yerli halkın dedeleri 1800'lü yılların sonlarında Kafkasya'dan gelerek bu bölgeye yerleşmişler. Yaklaşık 1300 metre rakıma sahip köy, Frig Vadisi'nin merkezinde yer aldığı için tarihi zenginliği nedeniyle sit alanı ancak ne yazık ki bu zenginliğin tadını çıkarmak isteyen turistler için tesis sıkıntısı var. Geçim kaynağı tarım ve hayvancılık olan köyün nüfusu göçle birlikte her geçen gün azalıyor. Midas Anıtı'nı ziyaret ettikten sonra yaklaşık 200 metre ileride bulunan ve yarım kalmış bir anıt olan Küçük Yazılıkaya Anıtı'nı da görmenizi tavsiye ederim. Midas Anıtı ile olan benzerliği dikkatinizi çekecektir. Midas Kenti, Kümbet, Asar Kalesi, Arezastis Anıtı ve kaya mezarları gibi daha birçok Frig anıtını bünyesinde barındırmaktadır. Yazılıkaya birçok gezgin tarafından 'Frig Vadisi'nin Kalbi' olarak nitelendirilir. Yine muhteşem anıtlar olan Gerdek ve Hamam kaya mezarlarını görmeden buradan ayrılmayın.

Ayazini Village

It is about 30 kilometers from the center of Afyon. In the village, you will see Phrygian artifacts as well as Roman and Byzantine artifacts carved into the rocks, tombs, churches, houses and many more. The terrain consists of tuff rocks that can be easily processed. For this reason, you can even come across structures with several floors, which can be connected to each other through tunnels. One of them is Avdalaz Castle. While visiting the castle, which the Byzantines used as a command castle, pay attention to the steps, it is hard to say that they are all intact and you can go all the way down to the bottom. Another work that you should not leave without seeing while you are here is the burial chambers where you will see the lion reliefs, the symbol of the Phrygians. There is also a rock church from Byzantine times in the tomb rooms where some tombs were built in the form of bunk beds. You touch history everywhere you put your hand. The people are hospitable. There are no significant accommodation facilities around the village, but you can stay in the surrounding districts.

Phrygians named Nacolea, Ottomans decided its fate

The Phrygians named the city 'Prymnesia', which is understood to have been founded in 3500 BC near Seyitgazi district of Eskişehir. The settlement, which has been on important trade routes since the early ages, was called Nacolea in Roman and Byzantine periods. It was one of the important cities of the Phrygians like Midas, but when the Gordion Road, which also included the cities of Pessinus and Orkistos, lost its importance over time, Nacolea began to decline. After the division of the Roman Empire into two, the city remained under the rule of Eastern Rome (Byzantium) and came to the agenda again with the wars fought with Arab raiders. Seyyid Battal Gazi, one of the important commanders of the raiders, was martyred in one of the battles and buried here. When the Seljuks took the region, Battal Gazi's grave was found and the region was named after him. Seyitgazi joined the Ottoman lands during the reign of Murat I and its importance increased as it started to be located on trade routes again. The ancient city of Nacolea was badly damaged during the Crusades.

They fought and lived in fortresses

Seyitgazi Castle: The Byzantines built the castle on a hill overlooking the whole surrounding area, and the Seljuks and Ottomans appreciated the castle and repaired and strengthened it during their reign. The Byzantines used marble and stones taken from the ancient city of Pessinus in the construction of the castle. It cannot be said that much has survived to this day, but even the city walls that have survived to this day are enough to prove how meticulously the castle was built. As far as it is understood from the ruins inside the castle, there were cisterns and buildings used for different purposes.Doğankale: The structure near Çukurca Village of Seyitgazi district is also known as Doğanlı Castle among the people. Dating back to the Phrygian period, the castle got its name from its shape resembling a falcon. The castle, which consists of seven floors, was also used during the Roman and Byzantine periods, and it strengthened its position even more thanks to the underground passages built in those periods. Locals say that the 3rd floor of the castle is called the 'Monastery of the Forty Virgins'. This is not just a castle, you can also see rock tombs inside. You also have the chance to walk around the floors with stairs and visit the rooms.Camel Neck Castle: Just opposite Doğankale. Phrygians built passages between the two castles. The rock tomb tradition they started was continued by the Romans and Byzantines. In fact, Phrygians built many castles for defense or settlement purposes on the Seyitgazi -Yazılıkaya road. The most noteworthy is Pişmiş Kale at 1400 altitude, but I can also count Kocabaş, Gökgöz and Akpara castles.

Battal Gazi lives on in legends

Seyyid Battal Gazi, whom we know from Turkish movies and identify with Cüneyt Arkın, is the son of an Arab family. He was born in Malatya when his family settled there after the Umayyads took over Anatolia. His real name was Abdullah, but the Turks called him Seyyid (descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, leader) Battal (hero) because of his heroic deeds. He commanded the Umayyad armies' campaigns in Anatolia in the 8th century. Battal was martyred in Anatolia and his name became a legend and many stories were told about him. There were even stories whispered about him in the Turkish-Byzantine wars between the 11th and 13th centuries. When we analyze the stories, we see that Battal Gazi combines the qualities of the heroes of many legends told in Anatolia, such as honesty, justice, human love, fearlessness and strength. Some texts describe Battal's superhuman heroism: he fought giants, fire had no effect on him, his words could break the strongest spells... We also find Seyyid Battal Gazi in Arabic literature. In the 18th century, Bakai wrote the Battal epic in verse. It would be unfair to talk so much about Battal Ghazi and not mention the name of his closest friend. Aşkar also writes about Battal's horse, some legends, and that his horse, which saved him from death on several occasions, was immortal.

Battal Gazi Complex

It was started to be built on a hill in Seyitgazi district in 1207 by the mother of the Seljuk ruler Alaaddin Keykubad I in memory of Battal Gazi. The structure became a complex with the additions during the Ottoman period. Therefore, Seljuk and Ottoman architecture are together. Spolia from ancient buildings was also used in its construction. In the complex, there are Ottoman and Seljuk (Girls) madrasas, semahane, imaret sections as well as many tombs, including the tomb of Çoban Baba (Kutluca Bey). When you enter Battal Gazi's tomb, you will notice another sarcophagus next to Gazi's sarcophagus, which is said to belong to a king's daughter. The wooden doors of the tomb are now in the Ankara Ethnography Museum. Some classrooms and rooms of the complex are organized to serve as Seyitgazi Museum. Sculptures, weapons, clothing and jewelry from different periods and tools from daily life are exhibited here. The recent restoration of the complex is being debated on the grounds that it damages the original texture.

Seyitgazi Bor and Ethnography Museum

There is another interesting museum to be seen in the district. A part of the museum, which is hosted by a Seljuk bathhouse, is devoted to the boron mine in Turkey, which is of strategic importance. Information about the enterprises, a model of a quarry and products produced from the mine are exhibited here. In another part of the museum, you can see household items, tools and clothes from the region.

Who were the Phrygians?

The Phrygians, Anatolia's first skilled jeweler, master of decorative arts and inventor of the flute in music, originated from Thrace. They first settled in the Bithynia region (west of the Black Sea). They dominated the region between the 12th and 7th centuries BC. In the following years, they spread to a region where the area between the Sangarios River (today's Sakarya) and the Maiandros River (today's Menderes) is considered as the core. Their first king Gordias gave his name to the capital of the country. Gordias' son Midas, the subject of legends, made peace with the Assyrians, with whom they were constantly at war. He restored two important cities: Gordion, the political center near Polatlı, and Midas, the religious center located in Yazılıkaya in today's Han district...The Phrygians were a farming society. Priests ruled large lands. Mining was also developed. They shaped stones with metal tools. Their bronze goblets in the shape of a bull's head reached the Balkans. The Phrygian Civilization came to an end in the 7th century BC when the Cimmerians came out of the Caucasus and came to Anatolia.

WRITING UNRESOLVED

Phrygian was identified as an Indo-European language with the help of two inscriptions written in Greek alphabet. Phrygian was called the 'Language of the Gods' during the Roman period, and since Zeus and Cybele were believed to speak Phrygian, religious rituals were also performed in this language. Its writing has not yet been completely deciphered, only some words can be read. The subjects of the texts in some inscriptions can be identified. The dominant figure in their religious beliefs is the mother goddess. Kibele was called Kubaba by the Hittites, Artemis by the Greeks and Diana by the Romans. This Anatolian goddess symbolizes femininity, maternity, reproduction and therefore the continuation of life. Artifacts found in Sangaris (Sakarya), the center of the country, dating back to the 8th-7th century BC show the absolute dominance of the mother goddess. According to the depictions, she also rules the dead. The lion at her side is her companion and the symbol of Phrygia. Cybele's crown symbolizes her dominance over all nature. It is believed that when the mother goddess meets her lover Attis (later Men), nature is happy and fertility increases. In case of separation, winter comes. Attis went mad and castrated himself, and violets emerged from the blood spilled. Cybele turned her lover into a pine tree to ease his pain. The high priests who ruled Pessinus, which was built in dedication to the goddess, were also named after Attis and according to their beliefs, they had to castrate themselves. Don't think that the high priests only regulated the spiritual world, trade was also under their control. The Phrygians' belief in Cybele was so strong that they remained loyal to their goddess even after their civilization collapsed. The Greeks also incorporated many Cybele legends into their culture.

The jewels of Ihsaniye

İhsaniye, located at an altitude of about 1300 meters in Afyonkarahisar, is one of the important centers of the Phrygian Valley. Phrygians came to the region after the Hittites and left important artifacts. Here are the main artifacts you should see on the Phrygian Hiking Trail...

Lion Tomb: You will see lion and eagle reliefs at the entrance of this dome-shaped tomb, which is thought to have been built around 1000 BC. On another wall, the god Men, who is depicted as riding on a lion, is probably Men, and there are warriors riding horses around him.Aslantaş: This huge monumental tomb of about 10 meters is located in Hayranveli Village of the district. Built in the 900s BC, the tomb was named after the lions standing on two legs at the entrance, whose duty was to protect the tomb.Direkli Kale: This is a family cemetery, and its most important feature is that it proves that the Phrygians had a good command of wooden building architecture as well as stone carving.Yılantaş: Dating back to 700 BC, it is understood that it was much more magnificent than Aslantaş when it was first built. Unfortunately, it was toppled due to earthquakes. It gets its name from the snake reliefs above the entrance. The same relief also depicts warriors fighting with these snakes.

MONUMENTS IN DÖGER

Let me remind you that there are also the monuments of Büyük Kapı Kaya and Küçük Kapı Kaya, two of the most important religious structures of the Phrygians in the Döğer region of İhsaniye. Unfortunately, both nature and human indifference have worked against them and they have lost much of their original appearance. Demirli Kale in the same region is an outpost fortress built by carving the mountain. Although some parts of it have been destroyed by earthquakes, its majesty, houses, burial chambers and cisterns remain. The Delikli Taş Monument in the Tavşanlı district of Kütahya is one of the best examples of the Phrygian well monument style.

How to get there?

You will need a car to really visit the region. If you don't have a car, you can take a bus from Eskişehir to Seyitgazi or from Afyon to İhsaniye and then take a taxi. Otherwise, get ready for a long walk.

Döger Caravansary restored

İhsaniye and Döğer were once on the trade route. Although it is not certain, the building, which dates back to the reign of Murat II, was built in two parts. The first part is two-storeyed and made of cut stone, while the second part is one-storeyed and made of rubble stone. A masjid was later added to the first section, which housed animal shelters on the lower floor and hosted guests on the upper floor. The architectural features give the impression that the first part of the caravanserai was built first and the second part was built in the following years. The caravanserai, which attracts attention with its different architectural features, has been completely restored and is open to visitors today.

Üçlerkayası is embroidered like lace

5 - 10 kilometers away from Ihsaniye, you are in an area that the Phrygians embroidered like lace and bequeathed to us today. As you approach Üçlerkayası Village, caves and rock tombs welcome you. The village, which you will enter right after passing the Nallıkaya tombs, consists of caves, tombs carved into the rocks, temples and settlements and tunnels connecting them. The area decorated with fairy chimney formations resembles a movie plateau.

Competitions are organized at Lake Emre

The lake is a place where locals take nature walks and picnics. It was used as a plateau for the movie Arog. Ihsaniye District Governorship decided to organize the Phrygian Sports Festival in July every year in order to contribute to the promotion of the Phrygian Valley and increase the tourism potential here. In the festival, the first of which was held in 2011, competitions in sports such as fishing, beach volleyball, horse riding, boat races were organized in and around Lake Emre.

Pessinus was dedicated to the goddess Cybele

Some sources say that it was founded during the reign of the Phrygian king Midas. Considering that the belief in Cybele predates the Phrygians in Anatolia, it seems that this city, dedicated to the mother goddess Cybele, was a settlement in much earlier times. This holy city, where pork was not eaten and ruled by high priests, had a large and powerful army. Excavations have uncovered a theater, temple, necropolis and water channels. The magnificent marble temple built in the name of Cybele, the goddess of the city, was also considered sacred during the Roman period. Today, the ancient city is located in Ballıhisar, and some of the findings are exhibited in the Ballıhisar Museum.

Guide, Historian and Travel Writer Saffet Emre Tonguç's column published on July 16, 2017 on Hürriyet Newspaper website. Source: https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/seyahat/yazarlar/saffet-emre-tonguc/altin-parmakli-kral-midasin-aslan-vadisi-25039017