Elbistan

Elbistan ( 1ca, Ablasta, Ablastayn, Ablastin, Ablistan;Aksüt, Ali
"''On the Alevism of Elbistan, Nurhak, Ekinozu and Afsin - Elbistan Nurhak Ekinözü Afşin Aleviliği Üzerine - Zum Alevitentum in Elbistan, Nurhak, Ekinözü und Afşin''"
- Alevilik-Bektaşilik Araştırmaları Dergisi 2017 (No.15), pp.264-265, 27
doi:10.24082/abked.2017.15.011
/ref> ku, Elbistan; ar, البستان) is a district in Kahramanmaraş Province in southern Turkey. Its population is 142,548 (2019) and it is the most populous district of Kahramanmaraş province. It is also the largest district of the province by area and it has the fourth largest plain in the country.

Demographics

Evliya Çelebi noted that the majority of the town's population was Turkoman in his seyahatname. Currently, the majority of the population of the district is Sunni Turkish with a significant Alevi and Sunni Kurdish population. Turkish Alevis are also present. The Turkmen Alevism of the region is historically rooted in the Alevi Turcoman Beylik of Dulkadir in the 14th century.Aksüt, Ali
"''On the Alevism of Elbistan, Nurhak, Ekinozu and Afsin - Elbistan Nurhak Ekinözü Afşin Aleviliği Üzerine - Zum Alevitentum in Elbistan, Nurhak, Ekinözü und Afşin''"
- Alevilik-Bektaşilik Araştırmaları Dergisi 2017 (No.15), pp.264-265, 27
doi:10.24082/abked.2017.15.011
/ref>38>Aras, Bahtiyar Murat; Gökhan, İlyas
"''Pazarcık Türkmen Alevileri''"
- Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Bölümleri 38 pp.18, 30, 78, 94, 110-111, 156, 433, 439, 443-444,

History

Evliya Çelebi's Seyahatnâme gives information about the region that in the mountains and towns mostly reside Turkmens who originally migrated from Bukhara. Elbistan was known as " vilayet-i Türkmân" in the Ottoman documents.

The city used to be the capital city of the Dulkadirids after capturing from Eretnids in 1337. In 1277 the Mamluks led by Sultan Baibars defeated a Mongol army in the Battle of Elbistan. The region was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire shortly before the campaign against the Mameluks of Egypt in 1512, although some local chiefdoms were given varying degrees of autonomy, notably around the localities of Haticepınar and Kasanlı.

Etymology

The name "Elbistan" was pronounced similarly in Byzantine and Islamic sources. Elbistan was known as ''Ablasta'' ( hy, Աբլաստա) according to Armenian historians in the early 11th century. According to Baldric of Dol the city was known as ''"Ablistan"'' till 15th century. Egyptian-Mamluk historian Muhammad ibn Iyas wrote the city's name as ''"Albistan"''. Alaüddevle Bozkurt Bey from Dulkadirids used the name ''"Elbistan"'' in the official documents. After Dulkadirids decided to join the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century, the current name became prevalent. Among the rural people of Elbistan it is pronounced as ''"Albıstan"''. Albistan means "the orchard" in Arabic.

Climate

Economy

Coal mining

The Elbistan coalfield supplies lignite to the nearby Afşin-Elbistan power stations in Afşin.

Environment

It is said that air pollution in Turkey from the nearby coal-fired power stations also affects Elbistan, as well as smoke from landfill. In late 2020 the oldest plant Afşin-Elbistan A, was said by opposition MP Ali Öztunç to be still operating without filters.

Population

Notable people

*Mazlum Çimen, ballet dancer, award-winning film score composer and folk singer
* Fidan Doğan
* Kemal Gözükara, mathematician, businessman and president of the Istanbul Arel University

See also

* İğde – a belde administered by Elbistan

References

External links

Municipality's official website

District Governor's official website

Elbistan Araç Kiralama

{{Authority control

Populated places in Kahramanmaraş Province
Districts of Kahramanmaraş Province
Towns in Turkey