Spil Mount
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The "Weeping Rock" or the "Stone Complexion" associated with Niobe in Mount Sipylus

Mount Spil (elevation 1513 m), the ancient Mount Sipylus (in Turkish Spil Dağı) is a mountain rich in legends and history situated near the city of Manisa in Turkey's Aegean Region. It towers over the city of Manisa as well as over the road between İzmir and Manisa. The contiguous mass of Mount Yamanlar, overlooking the Gulf of İzmir and also rich in history, actually an extinct volcano with a crater lake on its top and a distinct geographical formation, is sometimes considered as an extension of the Mount Sipylus massif, and even named "Western Sipylus".

Hittite statue of Cybele in Mount Sipylus

History

A late-Hittite statue of Cybele is found in Mount Sipylus and the mountain was considered a favorite haunt of the mother goddess. Later called "Sipylus in Lydia" in Greek mythology, who knew the goddess as Meter or Meter oreie ("Mountain-Mother"), or, with this sacred mountain in mind, as Sipylene.

In proto-Lydian times, Mount Sipylus was ruled by Tantalus, who cut up his son Pelops and offered him to the gods. His daughter was the tragic Niobe, who is associated with the "Weeping Rock" ("Ağlayan Kaya" in Turkish) natural formation facing the city of Manisa. The rock was also frequently cited, including in international literature, under another name in Turkish, that is, as "Taş Suret" (meaning "The Stone Complexion")

In historic times, Mount Sipylus rose above the site of Magnesia ad Sipylum (in the southern portion of modern Manisa), on the Hermus River (Gediz River), which was the scene of the defeat of Antiochus III "the Great" by the Romans, at the Battle of Magnesia in 190 BCE. Smyrna lay nearby.

Spil today

View of the Gulf of İzmir as seen from the top of the mountain

Today Spil Dağı National Park attracts both tourists and locals. The famous "Weeping Rock" of Niobe (Ağlayan Kaya) still can be seen with the richly forested and beautiful scenery area surrounded with flowers, especially with wild tulips. The mountain is also a good spot for camping, parachuting, hiking and other mountain sports.

References

External links

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