The Shrine of Prophet Daniel

The Shrine of Prophet Daniel is located in the city center of Tarsus district, Mersin Province, adjacent to the Kubat Paşa Medresesi, in the area where the structure now known as the Makam-ı Danyal Camii stands. According to traditional narratives, this sacred site is believed to house the tomb of Prophet Daniel, who is revered in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim traditions.

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Prophet Daniel (Hz. Danyal) is a prophet mentioned in the Torah and certain Islamic traditions, believed to have saved the Israelites from Babylonian captivity and renowned for his prophetic insights. It is reported that Prophet Daniel lived in the 6th century BCE, during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon in Jerusalem.

According to legend, the king saw in a dream that his throne would be shaken by a child born of the Israelites, and as a result, he ordered the killing of all male infants. To save him, Daniel’s family left him in a cave. Accounts describe how he was raised there by two lions, one male and one female. Upon reaching adulthood, he returned to his people and distinguished himself through his wisdom. It is believed that Prophet Daniel brought abundance during a time of famine.

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According to some accounts, Prophet Daniel was invited to Tarsus by the King of Cilicia during a period of famine to bring prosperity. After gaining the people’s approval, he chose to remain in Tarsus, and upon his death, he was buried there. During the caliphate of Hz. Ömer (17 AH / 638 CE), after the conquest of Tarsus, a chest containing his remains was discovered. A ring was found on the finger of the corpse, depicting a child standing between a male and a female lion. Recognizing this imagery as belonging to Prophet Daniel, the tomb was reburied, and the course of the Berdan River (Kydnos) was redirected to flow over it.

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During a construction project initiated by the Tarsus Municipality in 2006–2007, an arched structure was uncovered beneath the Makam Camii. As a result of rescue excavations conducted by the Tarsus Museum:

• Remains of a bridge from the Roman period,
• A square-plan tomb dated to the 7th century,
• A monastery-style domed vault dated to the 13th century,
• Arch-vaulted tombs and sarcophagus fragments were discovered.

In addition, a seven-pointed star relief is carved on a block stone on the eastern façade of the tomb.

According to traditional accounts, the stone of the ring believed to belong to Prophet Daniel depicts a child standing between a male and a female lion, with the female lion shown affectionately. This motif is accepted as symbolizing the tradition that Daniel was protected by lions during his infancy.

The Shrine of Prophet Daniel serves as a site of reverence for adherents of the three Abrahamic faiths. In this regard, it is regarded both as one of the key destinations of faith-based tourism and as a shared space of religious memory across faith communities.

Following excavations in 2014, the tomb area was uncovered and, after surrounding landscaping and restoration work, opened to visitors. Today, the structure functions both as a place of worship and as a site for faith-based pilgrimages.