Gaziantep Tourist Attractions

Western southeast Anatolia

Situation and Importance

On the east side of the Maras trench (the northern continuation of the Jordan trench between Antakya and Maras) a 500m/1,640ft high step fault in the form of a wall of intrusive rock with a covering layer of Tertiary limes and marls, marks the boundary of the gently undulating Gaziantep plateau.

Arkeolojik Müze

The archeological museum in Istasyon Caddesi in Gaziantep has finds excavated at Zincirli, Karkamis and Sakçaközu; also an extensive collection of Old Near Eastern cylinder and stamp seals.

Ömerije Camii

This interesting 11th century mosque is found on Öguzeli Caddesi, the road out of Gaziantep to the southwest.

Citadel

The well preserved citadel from Seljuk times in Gaziantep occupies the site of a earlier Justinian fortress (sixth century) on the northern edge of the Old City. The ancient Tell Halaf (hüyük) on which it stands is known to have been settled as early as about 3,500 B.C. The Byzantine fortress, inside the walls of which there were also houses, is said to have been built with the proceeds of sale of a valuable piece of jewelry belonging to the Emperor's sister.

Araban, Turkey

The district town of Araban, on the southern edge of the Altintas Ovasi, was earlier known as Altintas, from a village to the west, Eski Altintas, near to which (i.e. south) is located Altintas Kalesi, a medieval fortress now in very poor condition.

Doliche

About 10km/6mi northwest of Gaziantep near the village of Dülük are the sparse remains of Gaziantep's ancient rival Doliche, which until 637 far exceeded Gaziantep in importance. The site of a temple to Jupiter Dolichenus, Doliche was later made a bishopric, and gave the surrounding area its name, Teluch. After surrendering to the Arabs without a fight, and despite construction of a frontier fortress during the reign of Haroun el Rachid (786-809), the town ceded its dominancy to Ayntap further to the southeast. There are some rock tombs which are worth seeing.

Kilis, Turkey

Near the moderately-sized town of Kilis some 53km/32mi southwest of Gaziantep, stands the medieval fortress of Ravanda Kalesi. In the town itself is the Canbolat Bey Külliyesi with a mosque, türbe, old bath house and monastery.

Sakçagöz

In the vicinity of Sakçagöz, a township about 50km/30mi west of Gaziantep, there are five old settlement mounds, the smallest of which has already yielded the remains of a palace with an ante-room and defensive wall, as well as portal lions, sphinxes and stone blocks carved with reliefs (eighth century B.C.; now in Ankara). In all, twelve levels of occupation were identified, from the Stone Age to the first century. Excavation of Karahüyük, about 5km/3mi to the northeast near the village of Gedikli, has revealed a flourishing Early Bronze Age trading settlement with a wealth of finds dating back to the Chalcolithic period.

Tellbasar Kalesi

Perched on a large settlement mound about 30km/20mi southeast of Gaziantep, near the township of Til Bahram, can be seen Turbessel Fort. A gate, fragments of wall, and some fortress buildings have survived.