The most important center of the Seven Sleepers belief in many parts of the world in Anatolia is the Eshab-ı Kehf Cave in Tarsus. The historical site is located 14 km northwest of Tarsus, on the foothills of Benculus Mountain. It consists of a closed area of approximately 200 m2 in which a natural depression takes the form of a cave, and the cave is reached by a 15-step staircase from the walking floor. There is a mosque right above the cave. The mosque, whose construction date was 1872, was later added to a minaret with three balconies. There are many information and documents about Eshab-ı Kehf that have survived to the present day. The fact that the event, whose time is not known for sure, is narrated by Muslims and Christians and that it is named as Eshab-i Kehf Sura in the Qur'an shows the importance of the mentioned place. Although the incident is described in different ways today, there is essentially the same information. Long after Saint Paul spread the Christian rules, the Roman Emperor Dakyanus came to Tarsus. He called these young people before him because they believed in a single god in the polytheistic period and told them to adhere to the Roman religion, otherwise he would punish them. These young people, who did not want to give up their belief in one god, took refuge in this cave near Tarsus, taking advantage of the time given by the emperor for a few days, and miraculously slept there for 309 years. When Yemliha, who wakes up first, goes to the city to buy food, she sees that everything has changed. When it is understood that the money in his hand is very old and what he says is not reasonable, the people of the city go to the cave with him. However, they can see nothing but a nest where seven birds perched in the cave. Today, the historical place, which is among the travel routes made within the scope of Faith Tourism and Cultural Tourism, has become an important tourism center of Tarsus with the arrangements made.
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