Kahramanmaras
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KAHRAMANMARAŞ
Area:14.327 km²
Population: 892.952 (1990)
Traffic Code: 46
The province of Kahramanmaraş is located inside the borders of Eastern Anatolia Region. The province is famous with its peculiar ice cream. Kahramanmaraş has an important tourism potential with its caves, Külliye of Eshab-i Keyf and its plateaus.
Districts : Afşin, Andıran, Çağlayancerit, Ekinözü, Elbistan, Göksun, Nurhak, Pazarcık and Türkoğlu.
How to Get
Kahramanmaraş is located to the east of Mediterranean Region and the province at an important junction location for both highways and railway, connecting the highways coming from south and Mediterranean to eastern and northern regions.
Highway The bus station is 500 meters distant to the city center. The transportation to the bus station is possible via shared taxis and commercial taxis.
Bus station tel: (+ 90 - 344) 221 88 82
Highway The Kahramanmaraş railway station provides the connection of the city to the rest of the country.
Railway station tel: (+ 90 - 344) 214 12 04
Air transportation The Kahramanmaraş Airport is at 8 km. distance to the city center. Reaching to the airport is possible via commercial taxis and shared taxis.
Airport tel: (+ 90 - 344) 236 18 97 - 236 07 92
Where to Visit
BRIDGES AND CASTLES
KahramanmaraşCastle The castle is located at the center of the province over a piled hill. The castle was inhabited and used in the Hittite, Roman and Ottoman periods and had some restorations in various periods.
HurmanCastle The castle is located in the boundaries of the Marabiz village of the Afşin District, over a steep hill which is to the west of Hurman creek. The certain construction date is not known. But it is assumed that the castle was constructed in the Byzantine period if the construction technique is taken into account. The inner part of the castle contains a water cistern, granary, soldier barracks and a church.
CeyhanBridge The bridge is located on the old Kahramanmaraş - Göksun road over the Ceyhan River. It was assumed to be constructed in the 16th century.
KULLİYE AND MOSGUES
The most important mosques of the Kahramanmaraş Province could be counted as Ulu Mosque, Elbistan Ulu Mosque and Hatuniye Mosque. The Taş Theological School constructed by the Ulu Mosque was dedicated to the daughter of Dulkadirli Alâüddevle Bey.
Eshab-i Kehf (Seven sleepers) Külliye The building group located on a steep hill which is 8 km. west of the Afşin District is from 12th century. This group of buildings are composed of a Mosque, a caravansary, a Ribat and numerous undetermined small structures.
HIGHLANDS
Yavşan Plateau The plateau is located on the elevations which are to the south of the Sir dam lake. The plateau is a natural fauna and flora with its rich forest texture, water springs and endemic plantation. The altitude of the plateau reaches up to 1300 meters. The Yavşan plateau is an important source for camping and climate alteration cures.
Başkonuş Plateau Başkonuş plateau is located on the Kahramanmaraş - Andirin highway, in the vicinity of Yenicekale district and the region has a rich forest texture displaying the plateau characteristics. The altitude is l785 meters. There is a deer breeding farm at the Başkonuş plateau. The electric, telephone, road facilities and the environmental arrangement of the region is completed and facilities belonging to the Forest administration (accommodation, gasino and restaurants) are present in the region.
CAVES
Eshab-iKeyfCave The cave is located in the Afşin district. The cave is believed to be the cave in which seven Roman young man had slept for 200 years and than awake.
DöngelCave The cave is located on the Kahramanmaraş - Kayseri highway. The distance to the city center is 57. Km. The cave and its environ had been inhabited in the prehistoric periods. The Döngel Creek is flowing inside the Döngel cave forming a large waterfall. There is a camp belonging to the Youth and Sports City Directorate nearby the cave.
Bulut Deligi Cave The Bulut Deligi Cave is located southwest of Pazarcik district and is a cave displaying fossil properties and the development of the cave is halted. The cave contains numerous and beautiful stalagmites, stalactites and pillar damlataş formations.
THERMAL SPRINGS
Göksun Büyükkizilcik Mineral Water The mineral water spring is located at 16 km. distance to the Büyükkizilcik village of Göksun District. The mineral water is determined to cure the problems of digestion, urethra and kidney systems and also to the skin diseases by the means of bathing.
Ekinözü (Cela) Mineral Water The Ekinözü Mineral Water is 151 km. north of Kahramanmaraş Province and at 20 km. distance to the district center. The waters of the mineral water is known to cure skin, stomach and kidney diseases.
SPORTS ACTIVITIES
Hunting Grounds Hunting partridge, freckled partridge, rabbit and wild boar at the mountains surrounding the Kahramanmaraş province center and districts is possible. Hunting quail in the Kahramanmaraş plain during the suitable season is also possible. Hunting wild duck at the lakes and water sources like Gavur lake swamp and Karacasu is another alternative. Fishing trout, electric fish (yayın) and snake fish in the Aksu creek and Ceyhan rivers is possible. There are hunting societies founded at the city center and districts and these societies arrange drive hunts.
Trekking Activities The suitable courses for trekking could be counted as Ayşepinari - Karbasan, Türkmenler - Hacınınoglu, Ilıca - Suçatı, Suçatı - Bulutoglu, Engizek peak, Kahramanmaraş -Başkonuş plateau.
MUSEUMS
KahramanmaraşMuseum The museum is composed of three main sections. In the archeological findings section, various objects and tools, statuettes, cooked earth and glass pottery and jewelry from the Prehistoric, Early Bronze, Hittite, Iron Age, Roman and Byzantine periods are exhibited. In the Ethnography Section, the local traditional embroidered man and woman clothing, various jewelry, forge embroidered copper pottery, nacre embroidered wooden furniture and frames, silver - nacre embroidered wooden jewel boxes and various battle equipment is exhibited.
Telephone of the Museum: (+ 90 - 344) 223 44 87 - 223 44 88 Open hours to visit: 07.30 - 12.00 / 13.00 - 16.30 Open days to visit: Everyday except Monday
Geography
The dominant climate in the Kahramanmaraş province could be stated as terrestrial Mediterranean climate, because of the distance from the sea and the altitude. The summer season is hot and the winter season is cold in the city.
History
The findings obtained from the excavations and researches at the caves located in the Tekir Valley, Döngel Village had stated that the foundation of settlements in the region had initiated in the Upper Paleolithic Age and continued in the Neolithic, Calcolitic and Early Bronze Ages. The city was founded by the Hittites. In the following periods, the city had entered under the dominance of Asurians, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabians, Seljukians, Memlukians, Dulkadirogullari and Ottomans.
The city of Maraş is one of the rare cities having a medal in the world. The city was awarded with a medal and the title of Heroism (Kahramanlık) by TBMM in 7 February 1973 because of the resistance of the local folk against the occupying enemy forces during the Independence War and the name of the city was altered as Kahramanmaraş after that particular day.
Where to Eat
One element of the cultural values in Kahramanmaraş is the local food and desert varieties. Tarhana (soup with dried yogurt), bulgur (boiled and pounded wheat), dögme and nişasta (starch) is prepared for the coming winter season and vegetables like pepper, aubergine, marrow, okra and bean are desiccated for preservation.
Soaps like Tarhana (soup with dried yogurt), eşkili soap (sour soap), dögmeli mercimekli soap (soap with lentil and dögme), yogurtlu dögmeli soap (soap with yogurt and dögme), Maraş paçasi (trotter soap); meatballs like simit meatball (ring shaped meatball), kisir meatball , içli köfte (meatballs stuffed with cracked wheat), sömelek meatball, suluyagli meatball, eşkili meatball (sour meatball), yogurtlu meatball (meatball with yogurt), yavan meatball, eşkili aya meatball; pilafs and pastries like keşk food (dögme food), Maraş pilaf, pilaf with chicken parts, pastry with cheese and skim - milk cheese, festival pastry are among the local food varieties.
We must not forget the famous Maraş ice cream as a desert. The other famous deserts of the region are peanut paste, flour sausage, sausage of dried fruit pulp and hapisa.
What to Buy
The local traditional souvenirs of Kahramanmaraş province could be counted as furniture crafted with the wood carving technique, forge embroidered copper objects, silver and gilt threaded works, traditional shoes and boots made from leather called yemeni. We also recommend you to buy famous Kahramanmaraş hot pepper, tarhana (soup with dried yogurt), peanut paste, flour sausage, sausage of dried fruit pulp and hand made copper crafts while your shopping in Kahramanmaraş.
You can do your shopping from the big Kapalı Shopping Center from the Ottoman period, Mazmanlar Shopping Center, Demirciler (Ironsmith) Shopping Center, Bakırcılar (Copper artisans) Shopping Center, Underground Shopping Center, Çinili (Tiled) Shopping Center and various passages.
Don't Leave Without
- Visiting Eshab-i Kehf Cave, Döngel Cave and Kahramanmaraş Castle,
- Tasting Kahramanmaraş pounded ice cream,
- Tasting Tarhana ,
- Buying silver and gilt threaded works, wooden works, hand made copper objects and hot pepper and tarhana,
- Buying and wearing Kahramanmaraş boots and yemeni
Sites
Registered Immobile Cultural and Natural Heritages in Kahramanmaraş
Sites
Archaeological Sites: 43
Urban Sites: 1
Natural Sites: -
Historical Sites: -
Other Sites
Archaeological and Natural Sites: 1
Total: 45
Cultural (at Single Construction Scale) and Natural
Heritages: 163
TOTAL: 208
Contact Information
Provincial Cultural Directorate
Tel: (344) 235 15 00 - 02 - 03
Fax: (344) 235 15 01
Cultural Centers
A hall of 300 seating capacity for theater, conference, etc. Gallery
Contact Address: Kültür Merkezi Müdürlüğü Adana Asvaltı üzeri Atatürk Parkiçi - Kahramanmaraş
Tel: (344) 223 44 84
Fax: (344) 223 44 81
State Fine Arts Gallery Directorate
Sabancı Kültür Merkezi Atatürk Parkı İçi KAHRAMANMARAŞ Tel: (0 344) 223 44 86
Fax: (0 344) 223 44 81
Museum
Kahramanmaraş Museum Address: Azerbaycan Bul. Yenişehir Sok. No: 43 - Kahramanmaraş
Tel: (344) 223 44 87
Governorship : (+90-344) 214 10 09
Municipality : (+90-344) 223 50 72
Hospital : (+90-344) 223 53 30 - 223 53 31 - 223 53 32
Police : (+90-344) 225 14 51
Gendarme : (+90-344) 225 03 88 - 225 03 89
Provincial Directorate : (+90-344) 212 65 90 - 223 03 55
LINKS
Kahramanmaraş Valiliği
Sütçü İmam Üniversitesi
Kahramanmaraş Ticaret ve Sanayi Odası
Kahramanmaraş Emniyet Müdürlüğü
Sütçü İmam Üniversitesi
Kahramanmaraş Ticaret ve Sanayi Odası
Kahramanmaraş Emniyet Müdürlüğü
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