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The Southern Anatolian Region |
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The Southeastern Anatolian Region has a very rich history and
cultural heritage, as can be seen in its magnificent historical sites. Its
history begins around 7,000 B.C. in the New Stone Age. Between 2,000 B.C. and
1,500 B.C. came the Hurris who were followed by the Hittites sometime around
1,200 B.C.
In the land which encircles the Firat (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 Sanliurfa,
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 Islamic universities
can be seen among the archaeological remains.
When you travel from the south to the north over the Mesopotamian plains, the
first high mountain to be seen is the picturesque Mt. Nemrut, with the
mausoleum of the Commagene King Antiochos at its 2,150 meter peak.
The most important areas of the region are Diyarbakir, whose city walls
are a superb example of medieval military architecture; Mardin with its
regional architecture; and Gaziantep, 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 Anatolian Project - GAP
From Gaziantep to Mardin
Gaziantep
Kahramanmaras
Adiyaman
Sanliurfa
Diyarbakir
The Southeastern Anatolian Project - GAP
The Southeastern Anatolian Project is the largest and most multifaceted development project in Turkey as well as one of the, largest development projects in the world. The project includes active farming with extensive irrigation systems and electricity production. It will also benefit the tourism, mining, petrol, education, health, communication, industry and transportation sectors.
The Southeastern Anatolia Project covers the lower parts of the Fırat and Dicle rivers and the provinces of Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Mardin, Siirt, Batman and Sirnak, on the plains between the rivers. The project will also bring with it a change in 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 Firat River in the town of Bozova in Sanliurfa. 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 Sanliurfa Tunnel System, which is the largest in the world, in terms of length and rate of flow. The waters of the Fırat 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 Gaziantep to Mardin
To explore the sites along Turkey's southern border, take the highway which connects Gaziantep, Sanliurfa and Mardin to Syria and Iraq.
Gaziantep
Gaziantep (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 its 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 Archaeology
Museum has important artifacts from Neolithic, Hittite and Roman times. The
artisans of Gaziantep 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.
Next to the Syrian border, on the banks of the Fırat
River, Kargamış, once a late Hittite
capital, is another important archaeological site. The site's finds, including
immense bas-reliefs, have been moved to the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations
in Ankara.
Kahramanmaras
In the 12th century B.C. Kahramanmaras (78
km north of Gaziantep) was the capital of the Hittite state of Gurgum. A
massive citadel built in the 2nd century B.C. now houses the city
museum with a good collection of Hittite sculptures. Other sites include the 15th-century
Ulu Mosque and the Tas Medrese. The city is famous throughout
Turkey for its ice-cream thickened with gum Arabic and beaten with a wooden
paddle.
Adiyaman (153 km northeast of Gaziantep) the Archaeological Museum houses regional finds from the Lower Firat 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.
Adiyaman, as well as Kahta (which also has good accommodation and camping facilities), make good bases from which to visit Nemrut Dagi (Mt. Nemrut) National Park. You can hire transportation in either town. On the summit of Nemrut Dagi, at 2,150 meters the highest mountain in Northern Mesopotamia, sits the gigantic funerary sanctuary erected in the first century B.C. by King Antiochos 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, Heracles, Tyche and Antiochus. Time has inflicted heavy damage on the sculptures - their torsos sit with their beautifully carved heads at their feet.
Sanliurfa
In the great Upper Mesopotamian plain, Sanliurfa, 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 B.C., were found 70 kilometers northwest of Sanliurfa, 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 site is still the only one of its kind in the world. 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 northeast of Şanlıurfa lies Göbekli. This settlement is perhaps 9000 years old, and may rest atop even older settlements in lower layers of the artificial hill. The probable workplace of an ancient idol maker can be seen here where many finished and unfinished human and animal figures and tools have been found. The Sanliurfa area, in the second millennium B.C., was a city of a Hurrite state. Some believe that Abraham was born in a cave near where the Mevlid 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 Archaeology and Ethnography museum, one of the best in Turkey, houses important Neolithic and Chalcolithic finds from the Lower Fırat region. To capture the spirit of Şanlıurfa, wander through the vaulted eastern bazaar and linger in the courtyards of the old hans (inns). See if you can find Gümrük Hani and Barutcu Hani - the most interesting of the old hans.
Believed, to be the ancient city of the same name mentioned in the Old Testament, Harran is known more now for its unusual beehive dwellings than as the place where Abraham actually spent several years of his life. Included among the archaeological 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.
Diyarbakir
Diyarbakir, known in ancient times as Amida, spreads
across a basalt plateau close to the banks of the Dicle river. The black basalt
triple walls which encircle the old town give the city a rather ominous
appearance. These ramparts are 5.5 km in length, have 16 keeps and five gates,
are decorated with inscriptions and bas-reliefs, and represent a superb example
of medieval military architecture. The Ulu Mosque, built by the Seljuk sultan
Melik Shah, is notable for its original design and for its utilization of both
Byzantine and more ancient architectural materials. is made of the local black
basalt. The Nebii Mosque represents the typical Ottoman style,
while the Safa Mosque exhibits Persian influences in its tiled
minaret. 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
the writer Cahit Sıtkı Taranci. The
Deliller
Hanı (1527) by the Mardin Gates, convened and
refurbished into a hotel, recreates
the atmosphere of the days when trading caravans stopped in Diyarbakır.
Just outside the city 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 great picture of the Dicle River, the bridge and
the city walls.
