Antioch (Antakya)

Antakya is a large but average-looking city in southeast Turkey, just 12 miles from the Syrian border. A modern visitor to Antakya would not likely think the city has any great significance, but beneath his feet lie the silent remains of Antioch-on-the-Orontes, the city once called "the fair crown of the Orient."

Antioch was a city of great religious importance. It was the home of several Roman temples and its suburb, Daphne, was held to be the very place where Daphne was turned into a laurel tree to escape the affections of Apollo. Antioch had also been the home of a large Jewish community since the city's founding in 300 BC. Antioch played an especially important role in Christian history: it was the base for Paul's missionary journeys, where Jesus’ followers were first called "Christians" (Acts 11:26) and where the Gospel of Matthew was probably written. Antioch hosted a number of church councils, developed its own characteristic school of biblical interpretation, and produced such influential Christian figures as the martyr-bishop Ignatius of Antioch, the pillar-saint Simeon and the "golden-mouthed" preacher John Chrysostom.

In the 1930s, extensive excavations were undertaken in Antakya, uncovering a magnificent treasure trove of ancient mosaics and artifacts. But no major buildings of ancient Antioch were found and most of the ancient city still waits to be discovered. The main sights to be seen in Antakya today are the mosaics in the Hatay Archaeological Museum and the Cave Church of St. Peter, believed to be the oldest church in the world.

	Map of Ancient Antioch A detailed archaeological map of ancient Antioch.
	Map of Antakya Map of the modern city of Antakya.
	Antioch Photos Browse our extensive photo galleries of Antioch's ancient sites, artifacts and mosaics.
	Timeline of Antioch A detailed chronology of Antioch.
	Antakya Hotels Find and book a hotel in Antakya with Expedia.
	Antakya Tourism Read unbiased reviews of hotels and browse traveler's tips on Antakya.
	Turkey Travel Forum Get advice and insider tips on travel in Turkey from fellow travelers and locals.

	Antioch Artifacts Gallery A photo gallery with detailed captions of ancient artifacts discovered at Antioch and now displayed in museums in Antakya and around the world.
	Antioch Excavations A gallery of historical sketches and early photos of Antioch, primarily of the excavations in the 1930s.
	Antioch Mosaics Gallery Our huge gallery (96 photos) of the famous Antioch mosaics, with informative captions. Also included are floor plans and site photographs of where they were found.
	Cave Church of St. Peter An ancient cave church believed to have been dug by St. Peter himself. Fronted by a Crusader-era facade, it still hosts worship services and attracts pilgrims.
	Charonion This carved stone bust in the mountainside above Antioch dates from the 3rd century BC and was probably created in the hopes of averting a plague.
	Church of Seleucia Pieria This church, now completely destroyed, was built in the late 400s in Antioch's port city of Seleucia Pieria. Many interesting examples of early Christian art were discovered here.
	Hatay Archaeological Museum Built in 1938 to shelter the many artifacts being discovered during the Antioch excavations, this excellent museum displays most of the splendid Antioch mosaics as well as many other archaeological finds.
	Çevlik Monastery An early Christian monastery carved from rock, located about 35 miles from Antakya near the Mediterranean Sea.