Adiyaman

Adiyaman is situated in Turkey, between Turkey (Malatya, Kahramanmaras, Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Diyarbakir). Its coordinates are 37°48′02″N 38°18′19″E.

Adıyaman is a province in south-central Turkey. The province was created in 1954 out of part of Malatya Province. Area 7,614 km². Population 590,935. The capital is Adıyaman. The area has been inhabited since the earliest times and many civilisations have settled here. There are therefore a number of places of historical interest which attract visitors. Nemrud Dağı is a major site of interest here, noted for its sanctuary of statues built by Antiochus Theos, king of Commagene. It is accessed through the town of Kâhta.

A branch of the large Atatürk reservoir lies between Adıyaman and the town of Samsat, and with more investment the irrigation this could become a rich agricultural zone. Currently it does feel impoverished and people travelling by mule or donkey are a common sight.

Capital:

Adıyaman is a city in southeastern Turkey, capital of the Adıyaman Province. It is one of the fastest-growing cities in Turkey.

The city officially had the Arabic name Hısn-ı Mansur until the year 1926, named after the fortified castle perched on a hill around which the city grew. As this name was difficult for Turks to pronounce, people were referring the city as adı yaman, which means "its name is tough" or "(the place) whose name is tough" in Turkish. In 1926, this term was adopted as the official name of the city. In present-day Turkish, the word yaman can also have a strong positive connotation, just like the English word 'terrific'.

Adıyaman has a semi-arid climate. Summers are very hot and very dry. Temperatures reach 40 °C at the height of summer for the majority of the time. The highest recorded temperature was 45.3 °C on 30 July 2000. Winters in Adıyaman are cold and quite often snowy. The lowest recorded temperature was −10 °C on 23 February 1985.

The area has been inhabited as far back as it's possible to discover. Research in the cave of Palanlı 10 km north of Adıyaman show occupation in 40,000 BC and other digs in Samsat reveal continuous occupation through the stone and Bronze Ages.

From 900BC onwards came waves of invasions from Assyrians, Persians, and Macedonians until the Commagene kingdom was founded in 69BC. This was the civilisation that built the statues on top of nearby Mount Nemrut. The capital was in Samsat but the town of Adıyaman was a walled city of the Commagenes. The city walls of Adıyaman have been restored and replaced many times since.

The Commagene kingdom lasted until the Romans came in 72AD. Yet more campaigns and invasions followed and Adıyaman was controlled by Byzantines 395-670, Ummayads from 670 and then Abbasids 758-926. Then the area returned to Byzantine control during 859-1114. The Arabs returned from 1114 to 1204 and finally came the arrival of the Turks. The Arabic name for the castle and town was Hısn-ı Mansur.

Turks moved into the area from 1114 onwards and for most of the 13th century was settled by the Selçuk Turks often disrupted by Mongol invasions. From 1298 to 1516 the town was under the control of the Mameluks. Adıyaman was brought into the Ottoman Empire by Selim I in 1516, but local power often rested with the Dulkadiroğulları tribe of Türkmen people that settled here.

The city of Adıyaman provides shops and infrastructure to an agricultural region watered by the River Euphrates. It is not an industrial city, people riding mules and donkeys are still a common sight. The Atatürk reservoir is near the city and with more investment in irrigation, this could become a richer agricultural zone. The people are religious and conservative; it is hard to find a beer in Adıyaman, or other social amenities like cafes, cinemas, and theatre. The cuisine is typical of south-east Turkey, including dishes like çiğ köfte and Maraş-style ice-cream.

The Türkmen identity persisted into the 20th century although today Adıyaman is inhabited by a cosmopolitan mixture of people from other parts of Turkey. There is a small town feel to the place far warmer than the rambling mess that has become of bigger cities like nearby Urfa.

The folk dances of Adıyaman are well-known.

Adıyamanspor is a minor league football team. There is some passing tourist trade, people coming to see Mount Nemrut usually stay here, and the countryside around is pleasant too.

The caves of Pirin are 5 km. from Adiyaman. These are a burial ground dating back thousands of years BC. The sights include the ruins of the city and burial caves carved into the rock.

No coat of arms

You can get here from London by taking a plane from London-Heathrow Airport to Ataturk International Airport then to Adiyaman Airport.