The southeastern Anatolia Region has a very rich history and cultural heritage,as can be seen in its magnificent historical sites.Its history begins around 7,000 BC came the New Stone Age.Between 2,000 BC and 1,500 BC came the Hurris who were followed by the Hittites sometime around 1,200 BC.
In the land which encircles the Fırat (Euphrates) and the Dicle (Tigris) Rivers,lived Abraham,the patriarch claimed by three world religions.Some think that Abraham was born in what is now called Şanlı Urfa,supposed to have been Ur of the Chaldees,and later moved south from the city to Harran.In Harran,which was an important Mesopotamian historic and cultural center,the ruins of one of the largest and oldest İslamic universities can be seen among the archeological remains.Restoration of the 18th-century mansion, Küçük Hacı Mustafa Hacıkamiloğlu Konağı,is now complete.It has reopened and now serves as an art gallery.
When you travel from the south to the North over the Mesopotamian plains,the first high mountain to be seen is the picturesque Mount Nemrut,with the mausoleum of the Commagene King Antiochus at ist 2,150 meter peak.
The most important areas of the region are Diyarbakır,whose city walls are a superb example of medieval military architecture;Mardin with its regional architecture; and Gazi Antep,a large trade and industrial center which contains the remains of late Hittite cities.
The Atatürk Dam Lake is the region’s holiday and water sports center.There are many beaches along the shore of the lake which can give you an unforgettable holiday experience under the Mesopotamian sun.
THE SOUTHEASTERN ANATOLIA PROJECT-GAP
The Southeastern Anatolia Project is the largest and
most multifaceted development project in Turkey as well as one of the largest
development projects in the world.The poroject includes active farming with
extensive irrigation systems and electricty pruduction.It will also benefit the
tourisim,mining,petrol,education,industry and transportation sectors.
The Southeastern Anatolia Project covers the lower parts of the Fırat and Dicle Rivers and the provinces of Gazi Antep,Şanlı Urfa,Adıyaman,Diyarbakır,Mardin,Siirt,Batman and Şırnak on the plains between the rivers.The Project will also bring with it a the climate of the area.
The Atatürk Dam and Hydroelectric Plant,the largest in
Turkey and the sixth largest in the
world,is situated on the Fırat River in the
town of Bozova in Şanlı Urfa.Atatürk Dam,which
is the foundation of the Southeastern Anatolia Project,began operation in 1994
and is important not only for energy production but also for irrigation.
The water obtained from the reservoirs of the Atatürk Dam will be carried to the Harran plain by the Şanlı Urfa Tunnel System,which is the largest in the world,in terms of length and rate of flow.The waters of the Fırat(Euphrates) River will pass through tunnels which are 26,4 kilometers in length and 7,62 meters in diameter,and be distributed to the vast croplands of the Southeastern Anatolian plains from central and branch channels bringing a production boom and prosperity to the region.
FROM GAZİANTEP TO MARDİN
To explore the sites
along Turkey’s southern border,take the highway which connects Gazi Antep,Şanlı
Urfa and Mardin to Syria and Iraq.
Gazi Antep ( 685 km southeast of Ankara ) is located on a wide and fertile plain cultivated with extensive olive groves and vineyards and produces a wide variety of agricultural crops.It is especially known throughout Turkey for ist excellent pistachios.Industry also contributes to the local economy.
The 36 towers of the city’s fortress were originally
constructed in the Justinian era and were later rebuilt by the Seljuks.The
Archeology Museum has important artifacts from Neolithic,Hittite and Roman times.The
Hasan Süzer House,from the turn of the century,has been beautifully restored as
the Ethnographical Museum.The artisans of Gazi Antep specialize in copperware
and furniture inlaid with mother-of-pearl.The kitchens there produce some of the
best lahmacun,a delicious pizza topped
with spicy meat and herbs,and also
baklava,a honey and nut pastry.
West of Gazi Antep,the Dülük Forest makes a good day’s outing,or you can stay overnight in the campsite.In the woods,stroll through the arceological site which dates back to prehistoric times.A Hittite school of sculpture was centered in Yesemek,where the 200 works of art still reveal the beauty of the Hittite period.Next to the Syrian border,on the banks of the Fırat River,Kargamış,once a late Hittite capital,is another important archeological site.The site’s finds,including immense basreliefs,have been moved to the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara.
The ruins of Belkıs (Zeugma) are on the edge of Nizip.There is a mound which was turned into a citadel and mosaics from the Roman period which are well worth seeing.
Kilis, near the Turkish-Syrian border en route to Gazi Antep,was originally known in the Assyrian archives as Kilizi. Kilis is important for ist cotton and silk weaving and important for its leather products.This most charming area dotted with vineyards and olive groves on all sides.Also interesting are the Canbolat Bey complex, the old baths and a center that once housed a dervish order.Several other sites worth seeing nearby include Ravanda Castle, situated between Kilis and Gazi Antep.Five km to the northeast is the town of Kuzeyne (Korus) that is like an open-air museum with its castle and mosaic.What makes iy special is that here one can view ruins from Hittite, Roman, Byzantine, and İslamic times all in one place.An ancient Roman center is found 20 km east of Kilis in the town of Korus (Kiriz). Ruins of a castle, a temple and a theater await your visit.
In the 12th century BC,
Kahraman Maraş (78 km north of Gazi Antep) was the capital of the Hittite
state of Gurgum.A massive citadel built in the
2nd century BC now houses the city museum with a good collection of Hittite
sculptures.Other sites include the 15th-century Ulu Mosque and the Taş Medrese.The
city is famous throughout Turkey for its ice-cream thickened with gum arabic and
beaten with a wooden paddle.
Adıyaman is 153 km
northeast of Gazi Antep.The Archeological Museum houses regional finds from the
Lower Fırat which date from
the Neolithic and Chalcolithic ages.Good quality
kilims woven in bright colors sell for reasonable prices in the bazaar.Surrounding
monuments include the ruins of an Abbasid citadel (restored by the Seljuks) and
the 14th-century Ulu Mosque.The discovery of oil in the region has brought
prosperity to Adıyaman.Five km to the north is Pirin
(Perre), that boasts a large Roman necropolis dug out of the rock and
soil.The Haydaran rock tombs and a relief of King Antiochus shaking hands with
the sun god are found 17 km north of Adıyaman in the village of Taşgedik.
Adıyaman and Kahta (which
also has good accommodation and camping facilities) make goog bases from which
to visit Nemrut Dağı (Mount Nemrut) National Park.You
can hire transportation in either town.On the summit of Nemrut Dağı, the highest
mountain in Northern Mesopotamia at 2,150 meters, sits the gigantic fenurary
sanctuary erected in the first century BC by King Antiochus I of Commagene.The
engineering involved continues to amaze visitors seeing for the first time the
artificial tumulus as it is flanked by terraces on which rest the colossal
statues of Apollo, Zeus, Hercules, Tyche and Antiochus.Time has inflicted heavy
damage on the sculptures-their torsos sit their beautifully carved heads at
their feet.
At ancient Eskikale (Arsameia of Nymphaios), a magnificent relief in the ruins of what scholars believe might have been the Commagene Place depicts Hercules greeting the Commagene king,Mithradates.Anatolia’s largest Grek inscription is also located here.Opposite this site,separated by the Eski Kahta River,are the remains of Yenikale (New Castle) built by the Mamluks.Other nearby sights include the 2nd century Roman bridge at Cendere (which is stil in use) and another Commagene royal tumulus, Karakuş.At Karakuş there is a nine meter high pillar dating from the fist cenyury BC with an eagle on top.
In the great Upper Mesopotamian plain,Şanlı
Urfa,thought by some to be the ancient city of
Ur and later known as Edessa,proudly
exhibits the legacy of all the civilizations that have prospered in this region.Some
of the oldest signs of civilization,dating to 7000 BC,were found 70 kilometers
northwest of Şanlı Urfa,at the village of Kantara.The
recent development of dams and a hydroelectric plant stand in stark contrast to
the ancient site of a temple and Neolithic settlement which is nine thousand
years old.The temple has been identified as a religious center for moon worship.This
sites is stil the only one of kind in the wold.Visitors can view small idols and
religious figures as well as some very early and beautiful mosaic work from the
settlement.On a hill 20 kilometers north of Şanlı Urfa lies
Göbekli.
This settlement is perharps 9000 years old,and may rest
atop even older settlemens in lower layers of the artificial hill.The probable
work place of an ancient idol maker can be seen here where many finished and
unfinished human and animal fig
ures and tools have been found.
The Şanlı Urfa area,in the second millennium BC.was a
city of a Hurrite state.Some believe that Abraham was born in a cave near where
the Mevlit Halil Mosque now stands.Today the cave is a pilgrimage site and
flocks of pigeons do not seem to disturb the elderly men praying around the
entrance.The remains of a castle with two lone Corinthian columns rising above
the ruined walls stands atop a small crest.
At the food of the hills,the lovely Halil Rahman Mosque
is built around a quiet pool in which sacred carp swim.The 17th-century Ottoman
Rıdvaniye Mosque and the Fırfırlı Mosque,formerly the Church of the Apostles,are
worth a detour.The archeology and ethnography museum,one of best in Turkey,houses
important Neolithic and Chalcolithic finds from the Lower Fırat region.To
capture the spirit of Şanlı Urfa,wander through the vaulted eastern bazaar and
linger in the courtyards of the old hans (inns).See if you can find Gümrük Hanı
and Barutçu Hanı-the most interesting of the old hans.
Belived to be the anciend city of Harran mentioned in the Old Testament,Harran,48 km south of Şanlı Urfa,is known more now for its unusual beehive dwellings than as the place where Abraham actually spent several years of his life.Harran,which was also known as Helenopolis,was burned and destroyed by Mongolian invaders in 1260.Included among the archeological finds are those of the largest ancient Islamic university,city walls dating from the eighth century,four Gates and a citadel.The GAP Project will transform Harran into one of the most fertile areas in Turkey.
Birecik,80 km west of Şanlı Urfa,straddles the Fırat River and is dominated by the citadel.It is a good place to take a break with good accommodationns and camping facilites there.The endangered Iblis also lives in a protected environment there.
Diyarbakır,known in
ancient times as Amida,has been a cradle of 26
civilizations during its 5000 year history.The city is spreat across a basalt
plateau close to the banks of the Dicle (Tigris) River.The black basalt triple
walls which encircle the old town give city a rather ominous appearance.These
ramparts are 5,5 km in length,have 16 towers and 5 gates,are decorated with
inscriptions and bas-relifes,and represent a superb example of medieval military
architecture.The Ulu Mosque,built the Seljuk basalt.The Nebi Mosque represent
the typical Ottoman style,while the Safa Mosque exhibits Persian influences in
its tiled mi
naret.The third century Aramaic Church of the Virgin Mary (Meryemana
Kilisesi),which is still in use today,also makes for an interesting visit.For an
example of early domestic architecture,stop at the restored home of writer Cahit
Sıtkı Tarancı.The sultan Melik Shah,is notable forits utilization of both
Byzantine and more ancient architectural materials.The mihrap(prayer niche
showing the direction to Mecca)of the nearby Mesudiye Medrese is made of the
local black Deliler Han(Inn)of 1527 by the Mardin Gates,converted and
refurbished into a hotel,recreates the atmasphere of the days when trading
caravans stopped in Diyarbakır.Just outside the
walls,by the river,stands
Atatürk’s house,now a museum.South of town at the Dicle Bridge,built in 1065,you
can take a grean Picture of the Dicle River,the bridge and the city walls.
In Silvan,77 km east of Diyarbakır you should stop at the graceful Ulu Mosque,which dates from 1185,to admire the fine flowing lines of stone-relief work that outline the pointed arch portal.
Çayönü,one of the earliest Neolithic settlements yet to
be discovered,dates from the seventh milennium BC.
From a distance,the golden stone houses of Mardin blend into the rock of the hills on which the city is built.On closer inspection,the stone carving and decoration of the houses and public buildings reveals the city to be an architectural treasure shest.The citadel was built in 975-976 by Hamdan.It is a kilometer long from east to west,and from 30 m to 150 m wide.Ulu Mosque is Mardin’s oldest mosque built in 1186 in the time of the Artukid ruler,Kutbeddin Ilgaz.The
15th-century Kasım Paşa Medrese is remarkable for its
fine stonework.At the lovely İsa Bey Medrese,from the 14th century,you can
admire the magnificently carved portal and climb to its roof to enjoy a
fantastic view of the Mesopotamian Plain.
Only 7 kilometers east of Mardin is the Syriac-Jacobite
Monastery of Deyrulzaferan,which was once a
thriving religous community.At
nearby Kızıltepe,the
13th-century Ulu Mosque,one of the best examples of Artukid architecture,has
superb mihtap reliefs and a beautiful portal.
Midyat,famous for its silver jewelry known as “telkari”,also has many elegant and historic houses.Eighteen kilometers east of town is the active Syriac-Jacobite monastery of Deyrelumur (San Gabriel) , which dates from the beginning of the fifth century.
Batman,is Turkey’s
most important oil-producing center,with oil wells pumping the precious fuel
dotting the surrounding area.North of Batman,the
Malabadi Bridge,built in 1147,spans the Batman
River.Undisturbed by time,peaceful waters still reflect the wides single-arch
bridge of its day.Two guard towers ensured the bridge’s security.
At Hasankeyf are the
ruins of the 12th-century capital of the Artukids.The bridge,which once spanned
the Dicle(Tigris)and connected the who parts of the city with the ruined place
inside the citadel,evokes the ghosts of a vanished dynasty.The 15th-century
Zeynel Bey Mausoleum,attractively decorated with turquoise tiles,reveals Persian
influence.
Siirt,192 km
northeast of Diyarbakır,was an especially eminent city at the time of the
Abbasid
Caliphate.Among the city’s monuments,be sure to visit the 12th-century
Seljuk Ulu Mosque and the 13th-century Asakir Çarşı Mosque.At
Aydınlar (Tillo),only 7 km. from Siirt,the
18th-century İbrahim Hakkı Mausoleum Complex and nearby private İbrahim Hakkı,
Astronomical Museum are woth a visit.İbrahim Hakkı,who
studied science under Şeyh İsmail Fakirullah,wrote over forty works,the best of
which are Ilahi name and Marifetname.Siirt produces fine and large pistachio
nust and is known as well for its excellent goat-hair blankets and kilims.
Baykan County in Siirt is home of the Veysel Karani Mausoleum.Veysel Karani was the beloved friend of the prophet Muhammad who was killed in battle in 657.The mausoleum is located 38 km north of Siirt and 8 km southwest of Baykan at the intersection of the Siirt -Diyarbakır-Bitlis highways.A Veysel Karani memorial service is held each year on May 16-17.
Şırnak,on the north face of Mount Cudi (2,114 meters),derives its name from the Moslem belef that Noah’s Ark landed on this mountain: Şır-City,Nak-Noah. Forty-five kilometers from Şırnak,Çizre is the supposed location of his tomb.
