Cultural Corridors of South East Europe

South East Europe

Via Anatolia

Cultural Roads


Via Anatolia

Via Anatolia is another cultural corridor, spreading along three seas – the Sea of Marmara, the Aegean and Mediterranean Sea. Starting from the historical town Istanbul (Turkey), the direction follows the coasts of Asia Minor peninsula (Anadol, Anatolia) in Western Asia.
Via Anatolia exhibits the meeting and unique dialogue among the sea cultures of Greeks and Latin and the local continental cultures of Asia Minor. The first touch between the ancient Greeks and ancient Asia-Minor cultures of Phrygia and Lydia are revealed in the myth of the Troy war. This was actually the beginning of the cultural dialogue, taking place along Via Anatolia from West to East, which continued through the Middle Ages (between Latin and Byzantine) until nowadays. Strong cultural influence could be noted along the direction from East to West – from ancient Persia and Syria to South East Europe - reflected in the specific heritage on the southern coast of Asia Minor. Through that specific part of the large Asian peninsula passes one of the branches of the Olive Tree Route – a strong age-old relationship between the Mediterranean civilizations and Europe.
Via Anatolia tells its age-long history through the cultural assets present until present days, connecting the two unique cultural centres: Istanbul and Antakya. The town on the Bosporus has been a key point for ages – the bridge between two large dry lands –Europe and Asia. A town with numerous names - Tsarigrad, Constantinople, Kushta, Stenbol – but always playing a strategic role as meting point of numerous cultures and various beliefs. Not by chance here cross a number of cultural corridors – Via Egnatia, Via Pontica, the Diagonal Road. Here is also the starting point of Via Anatolia to the South, to tell about the touch of the local population with the sea cultures of the ancient towns Troy, Effesus, Aphrodisias, Hierapolis and Xanthos-Letoon, to reveal the logic of succession in the historical towns Patmos, Rhodes (Greece), Bodrum, Antalya, to bring the waft of ancient cultural influences from the East to в Karaman, Icel, Adana, Osmaniye, leading to the historical Antioch. The present town Antakya (former Antioch) is a historical centre, connecting since ancient times important trade roads: land roads as for instance one of the branches of the Silk Road, coming from East Asia through boundless deserts; and sea roads, as the one dating to the Bronze Age, known as Via Maris, connecting present Turkey to Egypt, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.

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