"Forgotten but not gone" a Hatay Ili Travel Page by midnight_mike

For about a thousand years, Antioch was one of the most important cities in the world. At one point, it was the third largest city behind Rome and Alexandria. Built in the mountains, its rugged location provided many challenges for would-be conquerors.

Antioch was founded by one of Alexander the Great's generals in the fourth century B.C. It was built along the Orontes River, 30 miles inland from the Mediteranean Sea.

Antioch was an important breeding ground for early Christianity. Peter, Paul and Barnabas all preached here. It was in Antioch that the name Christianity came about. There are many references to Antioch in the Bible.

One of the greatest sieges of the middle ages took place in Antioch in 1098. The Crusaders, on their way to Jerusalem, spent nine months trying to break through the city's walls. Finally, a traitor let the Europeans inside. The city would permanently fall into Muslim hands in 1268, thanks to the Muslim warrior Baybars, sultan of Egypt. He destroyed the city and its residents were either killed or enslaved.

The main attraction in Antioch is St. Peter's Church, a cave where the apostles preached. It has been recognized as Christianity's first church. Inside the cave, there is a tunnel which was used as an escape route. The exterior facade was built during the First Crusade.

Modern Antioch is now called Antakya or Hatay. Hatay also refers to the region, which includes Iskenderum/Alexandretta. It is three hours from Adana in Turkey and three hours (including border delays) from Aleppo in Syria. Turkish and Arabic are spoken here.