Tarsus Roman Colonnaded Street (Ancient Colonnade and Sewer Infrastructure)

1. History & Background

The Tarsus Roman Colonnaded Street is an exceptional urban archaeological monument discovered in 1993 during construction excavations in central Tarsus, dating back to the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. As the primary arterial avenue of ancient Tarsos, capital of Roman Cilicia, it bears direct witness to the era when Saint Paul walked these stones and Cleopatra famously met Mark Antony.

2. Architecture & Natural Structure

The avenue features polygonal basalt paving stones laid in a durable herringbone pattern, flanked by monumental marble Corinthian colonnades and storefront porticos. Most remarkably, beneath the roadway runs an intact, man-height vaulted cloaca (sewerage and stormwater drainage system), showcasing the pinnacle of Roman civil sanitation engineering.

3. Cultural & Spiritual Value

Revered in Christian history as a pathway trodden by the Apostle Paul during his upbringing and ministry, the street holds profound global spiritual and archaeological resonance, preserving antiquity directly beneath the bustle of modern civic life.

4. Practical Visit Tips & Transportation

5. Nearby Routes & Local Gastronomy

Pair with St. Paul's Well, Kirkkasik Covered Bazaar, the Daniel Mosque, and Tarsus Museum. Afterward, indulge in famous warm Tarsus hummus topped with sizzling butter and pastirma, miniature lahmacun, and handmade cezerye.