Southeastern Anatolia Region

From Turkey Travel Guide

Southeastern Anatolia Region

[edit] Location

Southeastern Anatolia Region is located in the southeast part of Turkey, having borders with Iran, Iraq and Syria.

[edit] Provinces

• Adıyaman
• Batman
• Diyarbakır
• Gaziantep
• Kilis
• Mardin
• Siirt
• Şanlıurfa
• Şırnak

[edit] History

The Southeastern Anatolia region, which borders Syria and Iraq, has a rich cultural history which dates back to 7000 B.C.E., and continues into the 2nd and 1st centuries B.C.E.

The region circles the Firat (Euphrates) and the Dicle (Tigris) rivers, which is also known as the homeland of Abraham, the biblical prophet of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. There are claims that he was born in today's Sanli Urfa, and later moved south from the city to Harran. Today, Harran is an important Mesopotamian cultural site, housing the ruins of one of the largest and oldest Islamic madrases.

The Southeastern Anatolia Region today is an important agricultural area for the country. Products produced here include wheat, barley, and lentils. There is also large cotton production, and is known to be the best quality cotton in the region. Tobacco is also grown in the region, with companies such as Camel using the crops. Olives, grapes and pistachio nuts are also important products.

[edit] Geography

The Southeastern Anatolia is the smallest region of Turkey. The area is about 57,000 km2.

[edit] Climate

The Southeastern Anatolia Region is lays within both the continental and Mediterranean climates. The summers are long, hot and dry, while winters are cold with heavy rainfall and snowfall. Recently, the region has seen a decrease in dry weather and an increase of rainfall, which has caused flooding.

Much of the land is rich in soil and agriculture, and is vastly different from the Aegean and Black Sea regions, which are more lush green.

[edit] Places to See

The Southeastern Anatolian region is rich in historical sites and diverse cities. Places to see include:

Saniurfa-Is located about 110 miles (180 km) west of Kiziltepe. It is the Biblical birthplace of the prophet Abraham, and the local Muslim legend has it that King Nimrod had Abraham launched from a catapult from the city's citadel to fall into a pile of burning wood. However, with God's intervention, he turned the fire to water and the wood to fish. Thus today, visitors can visit the mosque surrounding Abraham's cave and The Pool of Sacred Fish (Balikligöl), with the giant slingshot represented by two Corinthian columns standing above the citadel.

Their is also the settlement of Kazane (Ugurcuk) near Sanliurfa, which dates back to 5000-3000 BCE. Discoveries of different houses, streets and other artifacts are now on exhibition.

Mardin-The city of Mardin is located on the slope facing the Mesopotamian plains, connecting to to Syria and Iraq. Dating back to the biblical time of the prophet Noah, the city lived under several empires including the Hurri-Mitani, Hittites, Surs, Babylonians, Persians, Romans, Arabs and the Seljuk Turks. Visit the sites of Kasimiye Medresse, Zinciriye Medresse and Grand Mosque, as they are important historical sites around the city. There are also the Dayrul-Zeferan Monastery and Harizm Medresse, which showcase the city's expansive history and glory.

Diyarbakir-The city holds many mosques and buildings of long historical and archaeological importance. There are four museums in the city center.The most famous structure in this city is the historical fortress. Located on a solid rock called "Fis" 100 meters high from the Tigris (Dicle) river, it is believed to be built by the Hurri civilization. Today, the citadel includes the Nasturian Church, with a a domed basilica from the 6th century, a mosque, Sahabeler tomb, and an Artuklu Palace.

There is also one of the oldest mosques in Turkey, the Ulu Mosque, and the Church of Saint Thomas, which was later converted into a mosque. Near the Ulu Mosque is the Mesudiye Medrese and Hasan Pasha Han, a caravanserai now used for carpet and souvenir sales.