Cirali Turkey

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Cirali Turkey: There is a camping village near the entrance to the old Roman ruins at Yanartas. These "tree house" camp sites are famous and popular with international backpackers.

Cirali Turkey: The fires of Olympus area is a national park, Chimaira and well developed for day visitors. This is a refreshment area, simple.

Cirali Turkey: Along the main path through the old Roman ruins at Yanartas.

Cirali Turkey: There is a camping village near the entrance to the old Roman ruins at Yanartas.

Cirali Turkey: A plaque with hard to read information about the gasses burning at Chimaira on the mountain.

Cirali Turkey: Some of the old Roman ruins on the mountain at Chimaira near the burning vents.

Cirali Turkey: On the path up the hill to where the mountain still burns at Chimaira.

Cirali Turkey: Some pretty yellow flowers on the main path up to the area of belching fire vents, Chimaira .

Cirali Turkey: Another scene along the path up the hill to the area of perpetual fires at Chimaira.

Cirali Turkey: On the main path up to the area of burning gases from the mountain, Chimaira .

Cirali Turkey: On the main path up to Chimaira and the area of burning gases from the mountain.

Cirali Turkey: On the main path up to the actual area of the natural gas burners at Chimaira.

Cirali Turkey: Plaque along the main path up to Chimaira and the burning mountain area. This one discusses the eternal flame of Chimera.

Cirali Turkey: More examples of the old Roman ruins on the mountain of fire at Chimaira.

Cirali Turkey: this is a view of the campground at the base of the trail that leads up to the Chimaira area.

Cirali Turkey: On the main path through the old Roman ruins at Yanartas.

Cirali Turkey: pebbles along the beach between the fires of Chimaira and the ruins of Yanartas.

Cirali Turkey: pebbles along the beach; not a grain of sand in sight.

Cirali Turkey: There is a camping village near the entrance to the old Roman ruins at Yanartas. These "tree house" camp sites are famous and popular with international backpackers. Sign at one of the camps.

4 March 2001

Çirali: Hello from the mountain of fire!

Here the mountain vents flammable gasses that have burned since before the first light of history. I spent only a single night in the area, visiting both the unexcavated Roman-Byzantine ruins of the city of Olympos and the timeless flames of Chimaera on Mount Olympos, walking the pebble strewn beaches connecting the two places. The destruction caused by grave robbers is appalling. The priceless stone work found on ancient sarcophaguses destroyed in a moment of thoughtlessness or greed can never be replaced. Not only did the vandalism mar the beauty of the stone carver's work, but it has destroyed much of the archeological record as well. While not writing a whole lot about the region I did take a lot of pictures, 51 in all.

Peace,
Fred L Bellomy

Cirali Turkey: The fires of Olimpos at Chimaira have been burning day and night for centuries. Wonder what happens when it storms? BTW, it is pronounced "cheer-a-lee turkey."

Cirali Turkey: The fires of Olimpos at Chimaira have been burning day and night for centuries. People were actually using the fires for cooking!

Cirali Turkey: More examples of the old Roman ruins on the mountain of fire at Chimaira.
Cirali Turkey: One of the tombs at Yanartas showing the evidence of grave robbers.

Cirali Turkey: Some more of the old Roman ruins at Yanartas.

Cirali Turkey: Some interesting green flowers on the main path up to the area of belching fire vents.

Cirali Turkey: Some more of the old Roman ruins: Mabet Temple at Yanartas.

Cirali Turkey: A Roman arch on the main path through the old Roman ruins at Yanartas.

Cirali Turkey: One of the tombs at Yanartas showing the evidence of grave robbers.

Cirali Turkey: Flowers on the main path up to the area of belching fire vents .
Cirali Turkey: Some more of the old Roman ruins at Yanartas.

Cirali Turkey: More examples on the main path through the old Roman ruins at Yanartas.

Cirali Turkey: pebbles along the beach.

End

Cirali Turkey: The fires of Olimpos at Chimaira have been burning day and night for centuries. Over an area of perhaps a square block there are perhaps a dozen separate vent holes belching fire.

Cirali Turkey: The fires of Olimpos at Chimaira have been burning day and night for centuries. I can imagine the wonder this site must have commanded with the ancients.

Cirali Turkey: The artifact in this picture is fairly common when processing the Pencam; reloading the pictures always corrects the problem when I can catch it.

Cirali Turkey: The fires of Olimpos make great cooking fires for campers. One wonders if the ancients also used them this way, holy as they were considered to be.

Cirali Turkey: Some of the old Roman ruins at Chimaira near the fires.

Cirali Turkey: More examples of the old Roman ruins on the mountain of fire at Chimaira.

Cirali Turkey: More of the old Roman ruins at Chimaira near the fires.

Cirali Turkey: More examples of the old Roman ruins on the mountain of fire at Chimaira.

Cirali Turkey: Access road leading to the national park at Chimaira with the fires of Olympus.

Cirali Turkey: On the main path through the old Roman ruins at Yanartas.

Cirali Turkey: On the main path through the old Roman ruins of Yanartas.

Cirali Turkey: Door and windows still remain intact at the old Roman ruins at Yanartas.

Cirali Turkey: A hillside covered with rubble along the main path through the old Roman ruins at Yanartas.

Cirali Turkey: More ruins across the river along the main path through the old Roman ruins at Yanartas.

Cirali Turkey: Another view of the ruins across the river along the main path through the old Roman ruins at Yanartas and near the campgrounds.

Cirali Turkey: Layout of the area along the main path through the old Roman ruins at Yanartas.

Cirali Turkey: Features in the area of the old Roman ruins at Yanartas.

Cirali Turkey: Some more of the old Roman ruins at Yanartas. Looks like someone changed their mind about where the door should be.

Cirali Turkey: At this camping village near the entrance to the old Roman ruins at Yanartas I noticed this sign at one of the camps.