Mount Nemrut in 2 days: sunset, sunrise and Commagene

Once you leave Kâhta on the road to Nemrut, the first stop is this artificial mound built for the women of the Commagene royal family. Mithridates II, son of Antiochus I, had it raised for his mother Isias; his sisters Laodice and Antiochis and Antiochis's daughter Aka are buried here as well. The mound is covered with stones brought from the Kâhta stream. It takes its name from the eagle statue on top of the column to the south, and several of the surrounding columns still stand, their animal figures looking out over the plain. It is a good introduction to the language of the sacred sites you will see for the rest of the day.

Carrying on from Karakuş, you reach the Roman bridge that rises over the Cendere stream on a single great arch. Locals call it the Roman Bridge or the Septimius Severus Bridge. It was built on the orders of Emperor Septimius Severus by the legion then stationed at Samsat. The columns at either end were dedicated to the imperial family; after Caracalla had his brother Geta killed, he had Geta's column removed, which is why one column is missing today. The inscriptions on the parapet record repairs made in the Roman period. Take a few minutes to walk across and look down into the valley.

Perched on a steep crag above the village of Kocahisar, Yeni Kale faces the old fortress on the Arsameia hill directly across the valley. Its first construction goes back to the Commagene period, but what you see today dates from the Mamluk era. Inside the walls are water cisterns, a bath and the remains of a mosque; a hidden water passage running down to the Kâhta stream secured the supply in times of siege. The stairs and slopes are steep, so take the climb slowly. Looking from the top over the valley to Arsameia opposite, you can see why the two strongholds were built so close to each other.

After lunch, head up to Arsameia, the summer capital and seat of government of the Kingdom of Commagene. According to the inscription in the centre, it was founded by Arsames, a paternal ancestor of Antiochus I, while most of the remains you see today were built by Antiochus I himself. Relief stelae line the processional way; the most widely known shows the king shaking hands with a god. Further along are a monumental burial chamber cut into the rock, a long tunnel and the largest inscription in Anatolia. It carries the world view of a king who tried to bring Eastern and Western traditions together. Reading it here gives meaning to the statues you will see on Nemrut in the evening.

Climb to the summit of Nemrut in the last light of the day. Crushed stone was piled over the tomb built for King Antiochus I of Commagene to form a giant mound, and on the three terraces around it stand a fire altar, colossal statues blending Persian and Macedonian styles, and relief stelae. The west terrace is where people watch the sunset; the fallen heads of the statues turn orange in the evening light. The lion relief on this terrace carries a map of the sky and is regarded as one of the oldest astrological calendars in the world. The wind is strong at the top and the air cools quickly; be ready to walk down in the dark after sunset.

Start the second day in the dark: the east terrace of Nemrut is where people watch the sunrise. Here the colossal statues, made of limestone and sandstone blocks, show the king and the gods seated on their thrones. The long inscription behind the thrones, known as the Nomos, sets out the religious and social testament of Antiochus I; the king had the rules for keeping his cult alive written down here in detail. As the sun rises over the Euphrates basin, it slowly lights the terrace. Set beside the west terrace you saw in the evening, it completes the two faces of the monument.

After breakfast in Kâhta, drive back to central Adıyaman and visit Perre at Örenli, just north of the city. Perre was one of the five great cities of the Kingdom of Commagene. Its place on the road between Malatya and Samsat gave it importance; armies and caravans stopped here for the water of its spring, which is still in use today. In the partly excavated necropolis you will see many burial chambers and galleries cut into the hillside. Beside the necropolis, traces of olive oil, wine and textile workshops tell of everyday life in the city. After the royal monuments of Nemrut, it is a good way to end with the world of ordinary people.