Gaziantep Castle, with no information about when and by whom it was constructed, is located on the southern bank of Alleben Creek, on a hill at a height of approximately 25-30 meters.

Figure of a woman (Gaia) wearing a mysterious expression in a mosaic discovered in 1992, during the little publicized Zeugma excavations. This figure has become a favored symbol of Zeugma.

BOARDING PASS

You can notice Gaziantep’s uniqueness beginning with breakfast. A classic breakfast consisting of cheese and olives served with tea is accompanied by katmer, which is the locals’ “must-have for Sunday breakfast” pastry, right from the oven. Actually, katmer is a kind of dessert, lavishly sprinkled with crushed pistachio--which is most certainly grown in Antep--and served with cream. A sweet beginning to the day.

Those who plan to get acquainted with Gaziantep in two days firstly should start their tour from the old city center. The first spot is the Ethnography Museum. The museum, established in a restored Antep stone house in 1985, contains several sections including Haremlik, Selamlik, Mutfak and Mahzen with mannequins wearing traditional garments. This three-storey building, constructed in the beginning of the 20th century, demonstrates the lifestyle of the period to the visitors. Do not leave the museum without enjoying an incredible view from the terrace. When after leaving the museum you arrive in the Kayacık district, you will see the historical Eyüboğlu Mosque. The railed mihrab of the mosque is worth seeing. If you are one of those who say “I can find a mosque of the Ottoman period anywhere,” then you should immediately change your course to the City Museum. The museum, exhibiting a selection of mosaics found in the Ancient City of Zaugma, is certainly a must-see place. And as for the meals, there are plenty of choices. You can choose İmam Çağdaş, a favorite spot whose name and fame has already grown beyond the boundaries of Gaziantep. Would you prefer Alinazik or an eggplant kebab? Should it be topped with baklava or carrot slices? I wish all dilemmas of life were as tasty as this one. For those who might get have difficulty deciding, the İmam Çağdaş staff can offer you a little bit of everything.

IF YOU THINK SO MUCH HISTORY IS OVERWHELMING

You can choose to go to the Ahmet Çelebi Mosque in the city center, built in 1672 with quite distinctive woodwork, to Gaziantep’s oldest, Boyacı Mosque, richly decorated with marble and porcelain, followed by the Antep Castle of the Roman period. But if you think that so much history is overwhelming, you can have a more peaceful afternoon in the Bakırcılar Market among colorful herbs, dried eggplants and peppers and distinctive aromas. Gaziantep is an ideal place for purchasing souvenirs that will make your loved ones happy. Here you can find all kinds of copper utensils ranging from coffee pots to sahan. For those who are interested in woodwork there are also traditional chest makers at the market.

Of course, it is not possible to visit all historical and popular places within a restricted period of time. Now it is time to have dinner with a variety of traditional dishes; will you have Alaca soup followed by küşneme, onion kebab or beyti? Stew with greengage plums is also delicious… The choice is yours.

Kendirli Church, constructed in 1860 with the assistance of French missionaries and Napoleon III, is a structure made of white cut stones with a foundation of black cut stones and located in a spacious garden.	It was believed that all rivers and streams in the world originated from Oceanos and Tethys, featured in this mosaic, unearthed during the Zeugma excavations and which formed the base of a pool. Oceanos and Tethys are featured as surrounded by sea creatures.
Nowadays this village is under the waters of the reservoir on the Euphrates River.

ZEUGMA WITH ITS MOZAICS AND SEAL IMPRINTS

On Sundays in Gaziantep everyone enjoys a barbecue at the Dülükbaba forest just beside the city. Afterward it is time visit the ancient city of Zeugma. Zeugma is situated 50 km. from the Gaziantep city center and 10 km. from Nizip county located to the east. There is a public transportation service that can take you from the city to Nizip in five minutes.

Discoveries from the ancient city, which remains under the waters of the Ilısu reservoir located within the GAP region, are now exhibited at museums in Gaziantep, Ankara, Istanbul, Paris and Berlin. But even a small portion of the remains of Zeugma - one of the four largest cities of the Kommagene Kingdom - which was not submerged is truly worth seeing. The city, which existed under different names through various stages of history, grew rapidly due to its location on the shallowest part of the Euphrates. With a population of 80,000 inhabitants it became one of the largest cities of the period. Remains from the Hittite, Assyrian, Roman, Byzantine and Islamic periods make Zeugma one of the rare places that in the best way can recite history. Surely the city has a great number of features that are worth the books written or to be written in the future. But two of them in particular make Zeugma more special. They are the most valuable examples of mosaic art, mentioned every time the city is recalled, and seals called “bulla, exhibited in the Gaziantep Archeological Museum.” So far, the number of bullas found during excavations exceeds 100,000, meaning that this is the largest collection of bullas kept in the records of one museum. These bullas are made of terra-cotta and with extremely expressive images; they provide a wealth of information on Zeugma’s relations with other ancient cities as well as the economic, social and religious life of the period.

It is an incomparable delight to breathe in the history of the region while walking in the land where these significant findings were made; wander among the remains of Roman roads, graveyards and bridges and take our share from this oldest cultural heritage of the region we are living in. Of course, it is impossible to witness thousands of years in a few hours. After visiting Zeugma you can finalize your tour by enjoying Gaziantep’s famous yuvalama soup, stuffed meatballs and dry baklava served without syrup, though it might be a bit stodgy.

When we were leaving Gaziantep we had a kind of poignant feeling. The thought of the décor on the walls and windows of Rumkale, Kurtuluş Mosque, Şirvan Mosque and Saint Bedros Church blend with those delicious Antep flavors to create a lingering aftereffect.