#archivesof

[sweetestpopcorn]

Preview of Chapter 48

Daemon: I am a man of the world as you all know. 

[jsofdagi-blog]

#Archive column

Summer trips organized by SOF Youth and Sports Association for volunteers.

In this column, we will share our traveling stories during group EVS. The description of the places will be included as well. As it was mentioned in previous articles, one of the main advantages of volunteering on Erasmus+ projects is exploring the country and its culture. There is no better way than traveling to achieve this goal. Therefore, our organization assists volunteers to discover surroundings.

Today, I am going to tell about one of the most mysterious places covered by history dust and passed through ages. One of the closest destinations Halfeti.

The settlement is divided into New and Old Halfeti. The remnants of Old Halfeti is sunken into the river due to the Birecik Dam, which flooded the area in the 1990s. The town’s history goes back to 855 BC when the Assyrian King Shalmaneser II first established the settlement. After the Roman period, the town witnessed many civilizations including the Sassanians, Arabs, Umayyads, and Abbasids who ruled over the area from the 6th until the 8th centuries AD. By the 11th century the Seljuks took over Halfeti and by the 16th century, it became part of the Ottoman Empire.

There is a video of Halfeti’s Old Town:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVIX_xI5vhA

One of the most significant places in the history of Christianity, Rumkale carries architectural ruins of Late Roman and Middle Age characteristics. In the castle, you will find the ruins of columns and bushes, Aziz Nerses Church (1175), Barşavma Monastery (13th century), water cisterns, etc.

The reason why Rumkale was in a significant place under the name of Hromgila in the 11th century during the Roman era Johannes, one of the apostles of Jesus, resided at that place and produced copies of the Bible in a room caved inside the rocks. In addition, in the 12th century, when the Poet Saint Nerses gathered all ambassadors of the empire in order to unite the sectarians, it contributed to the significance of the castle.

Here you can observe Rumkale:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YF3PPDuXHg ,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdFK3vhXzNk

In case, if you are interested in history you should search for more information since I do not want to overload this article with historical background, however, I hope this information to be useful and provide insight into the city’s atmosphere and background.

MUST DO is taking a boat trip in the Euphrates observing the city under the water and having a refreshing boat ride. It is not recommended and even is forbidden to swim in the river. However, some volunteers with very good swimming skills are able to take a swim under the boat captain’s supervision. Not every captain agrees to do so. One more TO DO is trying fish! It is incredibly tasty and spicy as well. The fish has never left indifferent anyone yet.

That was just one of the trips in 2018. I am going to share more trips and adventures of our volunteers. Stay with us, stay informed and inspired to join our projects!