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Tarsus: the city of St Paul and the Seven Sleepers
Photo: CeeGee / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Editor's route Pilgrimage and faith routes

Tarsus: the city of St Paul and the Seven Sleepers

Tarsus, the birthplace of St Paul, is a city of Çukurova where the traditions of three religions intertwine. Starting at Cleopatra's Gate, walk to the church that bears Paul's name, the mosque held to be the shrine of the Prophet Daniel, the Roman-era stone road and the well believed to have stood in the courtyard of Paul's house; end the day north of the city, at the cave linked to the Quranic story of the Ashab-ı Kehf (Seven Sleepers).

DurationHalf day
Walk≈ 2 km
Stop6
Tickets0
AP

AnatoliaPass editorsPilgrimage and faith routes collection · last checked 23 October 2026

The story in 3 parts

Paul's Tarsus

Part 1A Jew of Tarsus

In the Acts of the Apostles, Paul introduces himself as being from Tarsus in Cilicia, "a citizen of no mean city". Paul, whose original name was Saul, was born here into a Jewish family holding Roman citizenship, learned the craft of tentmaking and went to Jerusalem as a young man. After embracing Christianity he travelled across Anatolia and the Mediterranean; his letters make up an important part of the New Testament.

Part 2The well and the church

The pilgrimage tradition in Tarsus is tied to two places: the well believed to have stood in the courtyard of Paul's house, and the church that bears his name. Traces from the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman periods have been found around the well; visitors still drink its water today. The present church building dates from the 19th century, with a major repair in 1862; it was registered as a monument museum in the 1990s and is open for services held by pilgrim groups.

Part 3Daniel and the Seven Sleepers

Tarsus holds sacred traces not only for Christians but also for Muslims and Jews. According to tradition, the Prophet Daniel of the Bible, known as Danyal, is buried in Tarsus; a mosque was built over his shrine in 1857, and excavations in 2006–2007 uncovered a Roman bridge beneath it. The cave north of the city is linked to the story, told in the Quran's Surah al-Kahf, of the young men known in Christian tradition as the Seven Sleepers. The same tradition lives on in Ephesus too; the debate over which is the real cave has gone on for centuries. This collection's Virgin Mary route also stops at the cave in Ephesus.

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Respect guidelines
  • These places are as much places of worship as they are museums: wear clothing that covers your shoulders and knees; take off your shoes in mosques, and women cover their heads.
  • Don't walk around inside during prayer times, Friday midday prayers or services; wait outside or stand quietly at the back.
  • Don't photograph anyone praying, lighting a candle or leaving an offering; don't use flash inside, and respect any photography ban.
  • Don't get into arguments about faith with anyone; approach what each tradition holds sacred with the same respect.
  • Services for pilgrim groups are held from time to time at St Paul's Church: if a service is under way, wait quietly at the back.
  • The steps of the Cave of the Seven Sleepers can be narrow and slippery; move through inside in turn.

Visiting routes walked in Anatolia for centuries: churches, mosques, synagogues, tombs, caves and holy springs held sacred in Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Sufi traditions, plus long-distance cultural routes that follow old pilgrimage and caravan roads. These routes pass no judgement on matters of faith; where something rests on tradition or belief rather than history, we say so. Most of the stops are still places of worship today: dress modestly, don't walk around inside during services, keep quiet and don't photograph people praying.

Make your own version
  1. 1

    Cleopatra's Gate

    Start: central Tarsus; reached by train or bus from Mersin and Adana · stay 15 min

    A gate surviving from the city's old walls. Its name comes from the famous meeting described by Plutarch: in 41 BC Cleopatra sailed up the Kydnos (Berdan) River to Tarsus to meet Mark Antony. The gate itself, however, was built much later, in the Byzantine or Abbasid period; the name Cleopatra was given to it popularly.

    Cleopatra's Gate
    Photo: CeeGee / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
  2. 2

    St Paul Monument Museum · Church of St Paul

    ≈ 9 min walk (700 m), heading east · stay 40 min

    The church that bears Paul's name, visited today as a monument museum. The present building dates from the 19th century, with a major repair in 1862; the paintings on its ceiling have been preserved through restorations. As there is no regular congregation, services are not held every week, but pilgrim groups are permitted to hold services. Read the first two parts of the story here.

    St Paul Monument Museum · Church of St Paul
    Photo: CeeGee / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

    The museum is ticketed; check hours before you go. Pilgrim groups obtain permission in advance to hold services.

  3. 3

    Makam-ı Danyal Mosque

    ≈ 6 min walk (450 m), heading north · stay 25 min

    The place where, according to tradition, the Prophet Danyal (Daniel of the Bible) is buried; a mosque was built over the shrine in 1857. During a rescue excavation in 2006–2007, a Roman-era bridge and old graves were found beneath the mosque; the excavation area opened to visitors after restoration. There are other places said to be Daniel's tomb; Susa in Iran is the best known.

    Makam-ı Danyal Mosque
    Photo: CeeGee / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Working mosque: pause your visit during prayer times; women cover their heads.

  4. 4

    Ancient Road

    ≈ 8 min walk (600 m), heading west · stay 20 min

    A Roman-era street paved with large stone blocks, uncovered a few metres below today's streets; beside it are traces of a colonnaded road and buildings. This is the best place to see how far below today's ground level Paul's city lay.

    Ancient Road
    Photo: Dosseman / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Don't go down into the excavation area; look only from the surrounding railings.

  5. 5

    St Paul's Well

    ≈ 3 min walk (200 m), heading north-east · stay 25 min

    The well that, according to tradition, stood in the courtyard of Paul's family home. Traces of buildings from the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman periods have been found around the well, which is about 30 metres deep. Pilgrims and visitors draw water from the well and drink it; read the second part of the story here.

    St Paul's Well
    Photo: Yaman1990 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Ticketed; according to the official page, open 08:15–19:00 in summer and 08:15–17:00 in winter. Check current hours and prices before you go.

  6. 6

    Cave of the Seven Sleepers · Ashab-ı Kehf

    ≈ 15 min by car (≈ 12 km), heading north-west, to the village of Dedeler · stay 45 min

    One of the places linked to the story, told in the Quran's Surah al-Kahf, of the young men who took refuge in a cave because of their faith and slept for many years; in Christian tradition they are known as the Seven Sleepers. Steps cut into the rock lead down into the cave; the mosque and inn beside it were built in the 19th century. Read the last part of the story here: the cave in Ephesus is linked to the same tradition.

    Cave of the Seven Sleepers · Ashab-ı Kehf
    Photo: Fatih Renkligil / Wikimedia Commons, CC0

    Entry is reported to be free; check hours before you go. The steps are narrow and slippery; women cover their heads.

One more day? Bursa.

Outside Istanbul

≈ 2 h 15 min · fast ferry + bus · Day trip

Why here: The first Ottoman capital. The Green Mosque, the Grand Mosque and Koza Han make an easy day trip; we suggest it if you are staying in Istanbul for more than four days. Not part of this route.

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