GÖKBEL VALLEY, FRESCO HUNTING IN JURASSIC LANDSCAPES

The amazing scenery of the Gökbel Valley, the Menderes Massif, and the Latmos Mountains have already been discussed in a number of our previous posts. Take in the breathtaking rock formations when trekking to Yediler Monastery, which is situated above Lake Bafa, or while descending to Gerga, which is arguably one of Turkey’s most enigmatic locations. However, these mountains hide a lot more surprises. Among those wonders are the 1.500-year-old frescoes painted on a cliff not far from the Adnan Menderes reservoir; we detail their location in this piece. It’s time to learn about the myth of Marsyas, the breathtaking stones of Gökbel Valley, and these specific frescoes!

Boulders or modern art?

THE STORY BEHIND THE UNUSUAL ROCK-FORMATIONS

Why do we keep talking about the Menderes Massif as though it’s something special? This particular section has been designated as a ‘hotspot’ in our Turkey trip planner. Check those out if you haven’t seen them already. Hotspots are noteworthy locations, impressive structures, stunning vistas, and other noteworthy items that you should definitely highlight on your schedule. Although we don’t have a separate post for them, you are free to use our images to incorporate them into your trip.

Trust us, you can never get enough of these Gokbel boulders.

We’ve long wondered about the formation process and source of those boulders’ shape. After conducting some research, we found that “these granitoids represent the products of the widespread Pan-African acidic magmatic activity, which can be attributed to the closure of the Mozambique Ocean during the final collision of East and West Gondwana” in the paper Pan-African magmatism in the Menderes Massif: geochronological data from leucocratic tourmaline orthogneisses in western Turkey. This terrain is essentially hundreds of millions of years old, from the Jurassic Period.

The Gökbel Valley is situated in the fine submassif, whose geological framework is dominated in its northern region by Pan-African basement units and bordered to the south by Paleozoic-early Tertiary cover series that span more than 200 km. You won’t regret scheduling a hiking day here—believe us when we say that the scenery is amazing.

Mind blowing rock formations

THE LEGEND OF MARSYAS

The myth of Marsyas is also based on the Gokbel Valley. The locals refer to it as Marsyas Valley or Marsyas Vadisi in Turkish. This is the basic plot of one version of the (tragic) Legend of Marsyas. The flute that Marsyas, a Phrygian Satyr, discovered had been tossed aside by the goddess Athena. He later challenged the God Apollo, who played a different instrument, to a duel since he could play it nearly automatically. Marsyas lost after Apollo insisted on playing a second round with their instruments turned upside down.
Apollo made the decision to tie Marsyas to a tree and flay him alive since they had agreed that the victor may deal with the vanquished side any way he saw fit.
The source of the river Marsyas, which is today the Cine stream, was the tears shed by people who grieved his passing. These days, this stunning valley, where nature reigns supreme, is anything but depressing. The section of the Gokbel Valley where hiking offers the bonus of seeing 1,500-year-old frescoes is one of the areas that is worth exploring.

Outer worldly is the right term to describe Gokbel Valley

HOW TO HIKE TO GÖKBEL VALLEYFRESCOES

Hiking in Gökbel Valley isn’t always easy. You will occasionally have to cross some more difficult terrain in order to reach certain locations. By reading this page, you’ve already overcome the first obstacle to finding the breathtaking frescoes. The second is using the major Mugla-Aydin route to enter the valley. On our Turkey Trip Planner, a pin indicating the precise position of the frescoes can be found. This will assist you in determining where to park your vehicle. Our first preference is to park the car before we get to the small home that serves as a landmark for the valley’s entrance. To view the location and obtain the coordinates, click this link.

Proceed towards Çine-Aydin until you come upon a little house situated on a hillside, not far from the main road. If in doubt, use the comparison image below. Note that you will need to climb over (or under) the guardrail in order to enter the valley. In addition, there is barbed wire. The goal is to keep the animals, such as goats and cows, in the valley, not to keep you out.

Not long after entering Gokbel Valley you’ll spot the rock with the frescoes.

Once you’ve accessed the valley, walk up to the little house and take the path to the left of it. Keep following that path, which is more of a goat track than an actual hiking trail, and work your way down. There are no markings or signs anywhere, but the walk to the frescoes is rather short, so you should be fine as long as you’re wearing decent shoes and you keep following the track until you spot the rock with the frescoes.

Spotted the frescoes

Impressive frescoes.

Choose your preferred access route as soon as you’ve located the rock; you may always go back up and choose a new one later. It’s difficult to think that you’re standing less than a km from the main road, given the amazing scenery. Around 1,500 years ago, when Christianity first began to spread through this amazing rocky landscape, people painted murals of Jesus Christ and a few saints on a huge rock wall. They made the decision to come here and pray in private.
The largest fresco is easily two metres tall, while the “smaller” ones are only approximately 1.5 metres high. The degree of detail is astounding, and even though the frescoes have sustained some damage, their selected placement has shielded them from the elements.
only in 32-bit

Minaret Of The Pazar Yeri Mosque

A former secret praying spot. Now a hidden gem.

The lower portion of the rock has more painted frescoes. The paintings have been completely destroyed over time, but you can still make out the outlines.
For years, there have been discussions of creating a tourist-only Geopark, but up until now, this has only ever been a paper idea. If you ignore the reservoir, we believe that this location’s charm comes from the fact that it has been mostly unaltered. In order to explore the valley, we are therefore more than willing to scale a few fences or guardrails.

RACTICAL TIPS FOR VISITING THE GÖKBEL VALLEY FRESCOES

The frescoes are not too far away from the Mugla – Aydin main road. Still, while this is a short hike, it doesn’t mean you should undertake it unprepared.

Wear proper hiking shoes, bring protection from the sun, and plenty of water, especially during the hotter season. This isn’t a walk for people with mobility issues, but anyone in a reasonably fit condition can do it. Put the car park coordinates in your GPS before leaving; there are no particular signs to point you in the right direction.If you’re relying on public transportation, talk to the driver before getting aboard. There are no official bus stops nearby, but it’s safe to stop at the indicated parking lot if the driver agrees. If you miss it, don’t panic; hop off at the next one. which is only slightly farther away.

Consider combining your visit with a few other gems in that area. There are too many places to name them all, but Lagina, Stratonikeia, or Alabanda pop to mind. Check out our map of Turkey to discover them all.

Look at the size of that rock!

POSTS NEARBY

•   Gerga: hiking to one of Turkey’s most mysterious sites 7.96 km
•   Non-touristy Mugla? Visit Hekate in Lagina! 12.07 km
•   Stratonikeia, a well-kept secret in Southern Turkey 16.45 km
•   Alabanda: countryside meets ancient site 23.58 km
•   A visit to the Sanctuary of Zeus Labraundos: Labraunda 28.84 km