Adiyaman
General Information
Other Name: Hisn-i Mansur ("Castle of Mansur"), District: Adiyaman, State: Southeastern Anatolia Region, Turkey
Area: 7614 km²
Languages Spoken: Turkish
Long Distance Code: (+90) 0416
Best Time to Visit: May to August
International Access: Gaziantep Oguzeli International Airport (GZT)
Description
Etymology The city officially had the name Hisn-i Mansur ("Castle of 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 the locals to pronounce, people were referring the city as adi 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'. History The area has been inhabited as far back as it's possible to discover. Research in the cave of Palanli 10 km north of Adiyaman 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 (Samosata) but the town of Adiyaman was a walled city of the Commagenes. The city walls of Adiyaman 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 Adiyaman 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 Hisn-i Mansur[citation needed]. Turks moved into the area from 1114 onwards and for most of the 13th century was settled by the Selcuk Turks often disrupted by Mongol invasions. From 1298 to 1516 the town was under the control of the Mameluks. Adiyaman was brought into the Ottoman Empire by Selim I in 1516, but local power often rested with the Dulkadirogullari tribe of Türkmen people that settled here.Location
Adiyaman is a city in southeastern Turkey, capital of the Adiyaman Province. It is one of the fastest-growing cities in Turkey. The population rose from 100,045 (1990) to 202,735 (2010 census figures).Climate
The Anti-Taurus Mountains cut through Adıyaman from west to east, creating completely different climates in the northern and southern regions of the province. The mountainous north has dry, cool summers and wet, cold winters, while the south enjoys dry, w