Saturday, 4 July 2009
The Southeastern Anatolia in which different faiths, languages and cultures intermingled with each other, waits for tourists to be discovered.
It takes at least three day to tour around Diyarbakir, which has been home to 33 civilizations throughout its history. One of the major sights is the Great Mosque (Ulucami). The first-built mosque in the Asia Minor reflects characteristics of many periods and civilizations.
Visitors can also see Prophet Solomon-Nasiriye Mosque, Mesudiye Madrasah which was one of the first schools of medicine in Anatolia, and churches, mansions and historical streets as well as prominent poet Cahit Sitki Taranci's house in this city.
Diyarbakir is surrounded by an intact set of high city walls of basalt. It was not known when the walls were built. The walls were restored and extended by the Roman emperor Constantine II in 349 A.C.
In Sur hamlet which was described as the old Diyarbakir, people can visit the Sheikh Matar Mosque which was built in the 15th century, some churches and the 16th century synagogue, an Ottoman-era public bath and the Yenikapi Street where church bells and Muslim calls to prayer (azan) mixed in each other.
The village of Vayonu, near Ergani town, 60 km from Diyarbakir, carries traces of the Neolithic Age in which the development of human technology began.
The Cayonu Hill aged about 10 thousand years sheds light not only on the history of the region, but also on the history of civilization in the world. The Hilar caves near Ergani are also worth of seeing.
In the Ataturk mansion, visitors can see some personal belongings of the founder of the Republic of Turkey. Bought by the Diyarbakir municipality in 1937, this mansion was given to the great founder as a present.
-A VOYAGE TO HISTORY: MARDIN-
Visitors come across historical buildings while walking around narrow streets of Mardin, a city which was home to a number of civilizations in its long history. 600-year-old kirklar Church and 13th century Latifiye Mosque are among the major sights in the city.
Visitors should buy jewelry filigreed with silver as souvenir.
There are remains of the world's first known dam in Dara, 30 km from the city center of Mardin.
The Mor Gabriel Deyrulumur Monastery, 23 km southeast of the town of Midyat, is known as the third biggest monastery in the world.
-LEGENDARY HASANKEYF-
Hasankeyf, on the bank of the Dicle River, 35 km from the city center of Batman, is a major sight in the entire region. As a center of science and culture of its period, Hasankeyf is home to a castle built by the Roman empire Constantine in the 4th century A.C.
Visitors should definitely taste the local trout before departing from Hasankeyf.
There are several shrines worth of visiting in Cizre town of Sirnak. In Siirt, Veysel karani Shrine and Ibrahim Hakki Shrine are two major sights. Before leaving this city, visitors should taste the special meat dish called "buryan".
-KILIS: CENTER OF CULTURAL AND RELIGOUS TOURISM-
Kilis is waiting for Turkish and foreign tourists with its history dating back to 3500-3000 B.C. The city, home to many civilizations in its history, is also considered one of the most important centers of the cultural and religious tourism in Turkey.
The major sights in the city include a number of Ottoman-era mosques and stone houses with courtyards.
Kilis is also known with its peculiar cuisine. Visitors should taste local food such as "sihil mahse", "oruk", "kubbulmusviyye", "malhıta", "lebeniye", "gerebic" and "belluriye".
Visitors should not forget to buy local handicrafts, hand-knitted carpets and grape juice.
-ADIYAMAN-
Giant statues on top of the Mount Nemrut bring both Turkish and foreign tourists to Adiyaman.
Besides the Mount Nemrut to which tourists climb to watch the sunset and the dawn, castles, the ancient city of Perre, the Great Mosque (Ulu Cami), churches and historical bazaars are the sights in this city. Adiyaman is also a paradise for gourmets with its local food and desserts.
Visitors can buy miniatures of the statues on the Mounth Nemrut or "besi" dolls dressed in traditional clothes as souvenirs.
-SANLIURFA-
Sanliurfa, where Prophet Abraham was born in a cave, is one of the oldest centers in the world, and one of the most important historical and cultural cities in Turkey.
Visitors can see hermit ibis population centred near the small town of Birecik. These birds disappeared from Europe over 300 years ago, and is now facing the threat of extinction. Visitors can later proceed to the historical town of Halfeti which was partly remained under waters of the Birecik Dam.
Before arriving in the city center, visitors should visit the legendary Pool of Sacred Fish (Balikligol), where Abraham who defended the idea of a single God was thrown into the fire by cruel ruler Nimrod. But God commanded the fire to be healthful (The Holy Koran, Enbiya, Verse 69), upon which the fire turned to water and the firewood to fish. The fish here are considered sacred and not eaten. The visitors may feed them. The pool is in the courtyard of the mosque of Halil-ur-Rahman, built by the Ayyubids in 1211.
Visitors can enjoy the historical bazaars and the local tradition "sira gecesi" where people gather as groups to sing folk songs. They can also taste local foods.
Sanliurfa Museum has one of the biggest collections in Turkey. Gobeklitepe, 18 km from the city center where the oldest known stone temples of the humanity take place, and the Ataturk Dam are the other sights in the city.
The town of Harran with its peculiar architecture and remains of the first Muslim university should also be seen.
-GAZIANTEP-
Gaziantep waits for tourists with its unique historical buildings. As one of the first settlement places in Anatolia, Gaziantep carries traces of many civilizations from the history.
One of the major sights in the city is the ancient city of Zeugma near the Birecik Dam in the town of Nizip. The ancient city faced the threat of being buried under the waters of dam in the past. Some of the works of art including mosaics and frescoes were transferred to the Museum of Archaeology in Gaziantep.
Another ancient city, Dulut, some 10 km northwest of Gaziantep, is another place worth of seeing for the findings dated back to 500-600 thousand years.
Those who want to buy souvenirs should pay a visit to the Coppersmiths Bazaar.
A soup called "yuvalama", a meat dish known as "siveydiz" and famous Turkish sweet pastry "baklava" are among specialties of the city.
-KAHRAMANMARAS: HOME OF ICE CREAM-
Kahramanmaras, one of the oldest cities in Anatolia, is also one of the secret paradises in Turkey with its natural, historical and cultural assets. Kahramanmaras is the only city in the world which was decorated with a medal for its meritorious success in the War of Independence. It is also known as the city of ice cream.
The most-visited places in the city are ice-cream makers.
Nature-lovers should definitely visit Baskonus pasture which is known with its deers wandering around the meadow surrounded by cedar and fir trees.
Health tourism has also gained momentum in the city recently. Spas in the hamlet of Ilica became favourite destinations for many people. The tourism season begins in the hamlet in April and lasts till mid-November.
Springs in Ekinozu town are among the ten biggest springs in Turkey. Their water are used successfully in treatment of many illness.
Visitors should taste liver in Kahramanmaras which is known with its meat dishes.
