Adıyaman () is a city in southeastern

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

. It is the administrative centre of Adıyaman Province and Adıyaman District. Its population is 267,131 (2021). The inhabitants of the city are mostly Turkish and Kurdish. The city was one of the worst affected by the February 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquakes. Many buildings were destroyed and many lives lost in part because bad weather and damage to the transport infrastructure delayed the arrival of rescue teams.

Etymology

An unverified theory is that the former name of the city, ''Hisn-Mansur'' derives from the name of the

Umayyad The Umayyad Caliphate or Umayyad Empire (, ; ) was the second caliphate established after the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty. Uthman ibn Affan, the third of the Rashidun caliphs, was also a membe ...

Emir Mansur ibn Jawana who was killed by the

Abbasid The Abbasid Caliphate or Abbasid Empire (; ) was the third caliphate to succeed the prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib (566–653 C ...

Caliph A caliphate ( ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with Khalifa, the title of caliph (; , ), a person considered a political–religious successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a leader of ...

Al-Mansur Abū Jaʿfar ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad al-Manṣūr (; ‎; 714 – 6 October 775) usually known simply as by his laqab al-Manṣūr () was the second Abbasid caliph, reigning from 754 to 775 succeeding his brother al-Saffah (). He is known ...

in this region in 758. Because of the difficulty among the locals in pronouncing ''Hisn-Mansur,'' the corruption ''Semsur'' emerged. Various unverifiable theories exist for the name. Yenipinar Mosque 02

History

The first settlement on the site of the city was the ancient town of Perrhe, part of the kingdom of Commagene before it became part of the Roman and later

Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...

. It was then captured by the Arabs and became known as Hisn Mansur. It became a contested border town between the

Abbasid caliphate The Abbasid Caliphate or Abbasid Empire (; ) was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib (566–653 CE), from whom the dynasty takes ...

and the Byzantines and was therefore well protected; a wall with three gates and a ditch guarded the town while in its middle stood a fortress with double walls. In the early eleventh century, the town formed part of the Byzantine defences in the Euphrates region together with

Edessa Edessa (; ) was an ancient city (''polis'') in Upper Mesopotamia, in what is now Urfa or Şanlıurfa, Turkey. It was founded during the Hellenistic period by Macedonian general and self proclaimed king Seleucus I Nicator (), founder of the Sel ...

, Gargar, Samosata and Chasanara. In 1066/1067, the region around the town was ravaged by a Turkish emir called Gümüshtekīn who took booty and captives. By the end of the eleventh century, the Byzantines had lost control of the town and it was now in possession of the Armenian local ruler Kogh Vasil.

Places of interest

There is some passing tourist trade, the main tourist attraction being

Mount Nemrut Mount Nemrut or Nemrud (; ; ; Greek language, Greek: Όρος Νεμρούτ) is a mountain in southeastern Turkey, notable for the summit where a number of large statues are erected around what is assumed to be a royal tomb from the 1st century ...

. *The caves of Pirin (ancient city of Perre) are . from Adıyaman. These have been used as a burial ground for thousands of years. The sights include the ruins of the city and burial caves carved into the rock. * The only active church in Adıyaman Province is located here, where it is the center of the

Syriac Orthodox The Syriac Orthodox Church (), also informally known as the Jacobite Church, is an Oriental Orthodox denomination that originates from the Church of Antioch. The church currently has around 4-5 million followers. The church upholds the Mia ...

patriarchal vicarate of Adıyaman. It was renovated and reopened in 2012.

Climate

Adıyaman has a hot summer

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...

(Csa) under both the

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

and Trewartha classifications, with some continental characteristics. Summers are very hot and very dry. Temperatures often reach at the height of summer. The highest recorded temperature was on 30 July 2000. Winters in Adıyaman are cool to cold with heavy precipitation. Due to its inland location and relatively high altitude, frost and snow are common. The lowest recorded temperature was on 24 January 1972.

Neighbourhoods

The city has 33 quarters, including Esentepe.Mahalle
Turkey Civil Administration Departments Inventory. Retrieved 15 January 2023.

References

Sources

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Adiyaman Ancient Greek archaeological sites in Turkey Roman sites in Turkey Populated places in Adıyaman Province Adıyaman District Provincial municipalities in Turkey Turkish Kurdistan Kurdish settlements in Adıyaman Province