Frederick Barbarossa Memorial (Silifke) facts for kids
The Frederick Barbarossa Memorial (Turkish: Frederik Barbaros Anıtı) is a special monument in southern Turkey. It honors Frederick I, who was a powerful emperor long ago. You can find this memorial in Mersin Province.
Contents
Where is the Memorial?
The memorial is located about 9 kilometers (about 5.6 miles) west of a town called Silifke. It sits right next to the main highway, D715. From the memorial, you can look down and see the beautiful Göksu River and a village called Ekşiler on the other side.
Who Was Frederick Barbarossa?
Frederick Barbarossa was a very important leader. He was the Holy Roman Emperor, which was a big empire in Europe many centuries ago. He got the nickname "Barbarossa" because of his red beard. It means "red beard" in Italian!
Frederick's Journey and Fate
In 1189, Frederick Barbarossa joined the Third Crusade. This was a huge journey where European armies traveled to the Middle East. As he was traveling through a land that is now Anatolia (part of Turkey), something tragic happened.
On June 10, 1190, Frederick was crossing a river. This river is known today as the Göksu River. Sadly, his horse slipped, and he fell into the water, hitting some rocks. He drowned in the river.
About the Memorial
The first memorial for Frederick Barbarossa was a simple inscription. It was placed near where he drowned in 1971 by the German Embassy.
A New Monument
Later, in 2012, a bigger monument was built. This happened when the highway was made wider. The new monument was placed in its current spot. It even had a large statue of Emperor Frederick!
The words on the monument are the same as the original inscription from 1971. They are written in two languages: German and Turkish.
The inscription says: Holy Roman-German Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, who was in friendly agreement with the Seljukid Sultan Kılıçarslan II for a free passage, drowned in Göksu River around this place while going to Palestine with his army.
This message shows a peaceful connection between the emperor and the local sultan, even though the exact history might be a bit different.
Where Did the Statue Go?
Sadly, the large statue of Frederick Barbarossa disappeared about a year after the monument was opened. Now, only the base of the monument remains.
Future Ideas for the Memorial
Some local people in Silifke have an interesting idea. A local historian, Dr. Mustafa Erim, says that citizens would like to see a statue of Kılıçarslan II next to Frederick Barbarossa. Kılıçarslan II was the Seljukid sultan in 1190. This would show the friendly agreement mentioned on the monument.
Images for kids
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Barbarossa Memorial (without statue).
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Bilingual inscription.
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Barbarossa drowns in Göksu River from Sächsische Weltchronik (c. 1280)
