 Gaziantep
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The province of Gaziantep is one of the oldest culture centers of Southeastern Anatolian Region. The history of the city extends to 4000 B.C years and most of the civilizations were founded on the surrounding lands. |
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The city is located between Mesopotamia and Mediterranean and is at the intersection point of the roads connecting east to south and north to west and is also located on the historic Silk Road. The province of Gaziantep hosts findings, creations and structures of Paleolithic, Neolithic and Calceolithic Ages, Bronze Age, Hittite, Median, Asurian, Persian, Alexander the Great, Selefkos, Roman, Byzantine, Abbasi and Seljuk civilizations periods. Beside its cultural riches, Gaziantep is a tourism paradise with its natural beauties, geography, rich variety of food and shopping possibilities.
Districts: Gaziantep (center), Araban, İslahiye, Karkamış, Nizip, Oğuzeli, Nurdağı, Şahinbey, Şehitkamil, Yavuzeli.
GEOGRAPHY
The province of Gaziantep is at the transition point of Mediterranean and terrestrial climates. The southern parts of the province are under the effect of Mediterranean climate with hot and dry summer seasons and cold and precipitant winter seasons. The most precipitant seasons of the city are the winter and spring seasons.
HISTORY
The Gaziantep province and its environs are the lands on which the civilizations were born and developed. The region is located between the lands of Mesopotamia and Mediterranean and had been frequently chosen to be the settlement and transition point of mankind. As the city is on the course of the Historical Silk Road and is at the intersection point of the roads connecting various directions, it had preserved its vigor and importance throughout the history.
The old city known as Ayıntap had been founded 12 km northwest of today's Gaziantep at the location of today's Dülük Village. The city had witnessed the periods of Hittite, Asurian, Median, Persian, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, Mongol, Dulkadiroğulları, Memlük and Ottoman civilizations.
WHERE TO EAT
The food varieties of Gaziantep had always been at a privileged status among the worldwide and countrywide food varieties with the richness of traditions and local appetite throughout years. İçli köfte, çiğ köfte, sour small meatballs, meatball with malhıta (lentil), small meatball with yogurt are the original local meat meal varieties.
The province is famous with its kebab varieties like kuşbaşı kebab, kıyma (mince meat) kebab, patlıcan (aubergine) kebab, soğan (onion) kebab, simit kebab and ciğer (liver) (cırtlak) kebab.
Among other local meal varieties, yuvarlama, lahmacun (pancake with spicy meat), karışık dolma (mixed vegetable stuff), maş soup, beyran, şiveydiz, yaprak sarması (leaf wrapping), çağla meal, kabaklama, börk meal, doğrama, kaburga dolması (rib stuff), alinazik, yoğurtlu patates (potato with yogurt), künefe, burmalı kadayıf and Antepfıstığı (pistachio) paste could be counted.
WHERE TO BUY
Copper crafts, embroideries, nacre embroidered objects, gold and silver jewelry, traditional flat heeled shoes produced from red or black leather for top piece and stout leather for bottom piece called yemeni, hand made embroideries over white clothing adorned with white, yellow and cream colored threads are the original souvenirs of Gaziantep.
The baklava of Gaziantep, Pistachio of the region and dried fruit pulp, red pepper and spices should be included in your shopping list in Gaziantep.
The shopping malls of the city are intensified at the most busy centers of the province like Mütercin Asım, Gaziler, Suburcu, Kargöz and Şıhcan avenues and at the regions of Değirmiçem and Sarıgüllük where the new settlement areas are founded. Shopping in Belediye Passage, Büyük Passage, Söylemez Passage, Halep Passage, Suriye Passage and Kurtuluş Passage is available.
DON'T LEAVE WITHOUT
- Visiting Archeology Museum, Hasan Süzer Ethnography Museum,
- Visiting Historical Gaziantep Houses and Gaziantep Castle,
- Visiting Yesemek Open Air Museum, Ancient cities of Belkıs / Zeugma, Rumkale and Dülük / Doliche,
- Tasting Gaziantep lahmacun (pancake with spicy meat), Ali Nazik kebab, yuvarlama, içli köfte, keme kebab and yeni dünya kebab (this kebab is available every year in April and May), patlıcan (aubergine) kebab, soğan (onion) kebab, simit kebab, ciğer (liver) (cırtlak) kebab, worldwide famous baklava of Gaziantep and pistachio paste,
- Buying traditional Gaziantep hand crafts; nacre embroidered objects, kutnu clothing, copper crafts, yemeni, baklava of Gaziantep, Antepfistığı (pistachio), sweet sausage and dried fruit pulp, red pepper and spices,
- Participating the Liberation Festivals, which is celebrated every year in December 25
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Places Wich You Must See
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 Belkıs / Zeugma
Belkıs / Zeugma ancient city was founded by the general of Alexander the Great Seleukos Nikator in 3rd century B.C at the banks of the Kızılırmak River, 10 km east of Nizip district of Gaziantep, over an approximate area of 20 thousand acres.
The first name of the ancient city was Seleukeia Euphrates. The ancient city had entered under the reign of Roman Empire in 64 B.C and it was renamed as "Zeugma", which means "passage way" or "bridge". The ancient city of Belkıs / Zeugma was an important Legion city in the Roman and Byzantine Periods and was one of the most important four cities of Commagene civilization.
At the skirts of the ancient city facing the Fırat River the mansions of the wealthy citizens was constructed and the floors of these houses were covered with numerous mosaics with high art value. Numerous rock tombs are located in the Necropolis and lots of tomb steles, statues and human skeletons were discovered.
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Yesemek Open Air Museum
The museum is located at the skirts of Karatepe hill, located southeast of Yesemek village which is 23 km. southeast of İslahiye district. The museum is stated as "Yesemek Stone Mine and Sculpture Workshop" in the publications and approximately 300 statues and sculpture rough drafts were discovered in the excavations. The workshop was operated by Sam'al (Zincirli) Kingdom between 1375 - 1335 B.C in the Late Hittites period and the native folk of Hurri were worked in this workshop. After the destruction of Sam'al (Zincirli) Kingdom at the end of 9th century B.C by the Asurian civilization, The Stone Mine and the Sculpture Workshop was closed and the working folk had abandoned the area.
At the present day, it is possible to watch the progress of sculpture making at the sculpture workshop which was founded over an approximate area of 100 acres. An approximate quantity of 300 sculpture rough drafts had been excavated from ground and exhibited in a particular formation in the Open Air Museum. The museum contains pieces depicting sphinxes, lions, mountain gods, bear man and various architecture pieces.
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Gaziantep Archeology Museum
The museum hosts ceramic pieces from Neolithic Age, various objects, figures, seals from Calcolithic and Bronze Age, stone and bronze objects, jewelry, ceramics, coins, glass objects from Urartu, Hittite, Persian, Roman and Byzantium periods, the bones and remains of a Mammoth, mosaics with high art values, statues and tomb steles obtained from the ancient city of Belkıs (Zeugma).
Another attractive section in the museum is the Technology Section and Nostalgia display cabinet. In these sections, the cameras, old radios, gramophones, typewriters, old sewing machines, century old wall clocks and old postcards displaying the development of Gaziantep are exhibited.
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Ruins of Karkamıs
Some parts of the Karkamış ruins are inside the borders of Syria. The ruins of Karkamış are located to the south of Karkamış district and its historical background extends to the Neolithic periods. The Legend of Gılgamesh was described on the Karkamış ruins in the Late Hittite period. The findings discovered from this ruins are exhibited in the Ankara Anatolian Civilizations Museum.
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Resort Pictures |
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Castle
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Baklava ( Sweet cake )
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Kilims
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Lahmacaun-Pizza
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