Turkey is a wonderful place with sheer scenic beauty and culture. Millions of tourists visit Turkey's major attractions and cities every year, but rarely anyone explores the far south-east of the country and even fewer can say that they have visited one of Turkey's most historic places, the Gaziantep province. It is considered among the oldest inhabited cities in the world.
The city stands between the South-eastern Anatolia and the Mediterranean, close to the border of Turkey with Syria. The location of Gaziantep is such that it bears the influence of many civilizations.
To you, Gaziantep may appear to be a large, industrial and modern city but its heritage dates back over thousands of years. During the ancient times, Gaziantep was known as Ayintap. It was a significant settlement during the Babylonian, Hittite, Roman, Persian, Byzantine and Ottoman empires. Gaziantep is a friendly and vibrant modern city. It is perfectly constructed with stone houses and sheltered markets. It is bordered by olive and nut groves, vineyards and gardens. Gaziantep has separated the industrial zone of the city by a forest belt.
Attractions in Gaziantep
Gaziantep's old city center is popular for its traditional stone houses with unique architectural features of Southeastern Anatolia and Syria. You can visit the center of the city where there is a huge sixth-century Gaziantep Fortress and Ravanda citadel. There are also several small palaces, mosques, a bath house and the Mehmet Gazali Tomb.
The city's Archaeological Museum, Mosaic Museum, is famous for housing a collection from the Neolithic and Hittite periods as well as Roman relics. From Gaziantep, you can start off for day trips to Mount Nemrut, famous for its monolithic sculptural remains.
The Hasan Suzer Ethnography Museum displays articles that are of great importance in historical, archaeological and sociological way.
The Yesemek Open-Air Museum is basically a school and sculpture workshop providing students an indepth knowledge of sculpting.
You should also visit the Rumkale settlement, dating back to 840 BC. It was built by the Hittites. It is located at the meeting point of Merziman brook and the Euphrates River.
Gaziantep is well known for its pistachio. Hence, do not forget to buy some for your family and friends.
Dulluk in Gaziantep is a quiet place where you can unite with nature and spend good time.
There are two main markets, namely, Zincirli Bazaar and Kemikli. Zincirli Bazaar, also known as “black steps bazaar,” has 80 shops and five gates; the other is the 19th century Kemikli, a building made of cut stone.
How to Reach Gaziantep
You can reach Gaziantep by the Gaziantep-Oguzeli International Airport which is accessible via regular Turkish Airlines flights from Ankara and Istanbul. Non-stop flights operate during the summer months from Hamburg, Munich and Berlin to Gaziantep. You can also reach the destination by buses as well from major centers like Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir.
Hotels and Accommodations in Gaziantep
Gaziantep offers you some of the best hotels where you can enjoy your stay in luxury and comfort. Given below are the list of few hotels and accommodations:
- Grand Hotel
- Tugcan Hotel
- Ravanda Hotel
- Tilmen Hotel
- Yesemek Hotel
- Kaleli Hotel
- The Anatolian Hotel
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