Located at the intersection of Mesopotamia, one of the first settlements in Anatolia, and the Mediterranean region, Gaziantep has preserved its importance throughout history. Located adjacent to Syria, Kilis, Sanliurfa, Hatay, Kahramanmaras, Osmaniye and Adiyaman, Gaziantep has become a center of attraction where different civilizations, cultures and beliefs have been blended throughout history.
Having witnessed Chalcolithic, Paleolithic, Neolithic, Hittite, Mitani, Assyrian, Persian, Alexander the Great, Seleucids, Roman, Byzantine, Islam, Turkish-Islamic, Ottoman periods as one of the first settlements in Anatolia, Gaziantep has enabled the works belonging to these periods to survive until today. As it was located between Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean, where the first civilizations were born, at the intersection of the roads from south and Mediterranean to east, north and west, on the historical Silk Road, it has had a great role on the civilization history and present time, and has also maintained to become a cultural and commercial center in all periods.
Gaziantep and surrounding areas are located between Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean, where the first civilizations were born. For this reason, Gaziantep has become a settlement and area where people have resided since prehistoric times. The old Gaziantep was located in Duluk village, 12 km northwest of today's Gaziantep. As the remains belonging to the stone, chalcolithic and copper periods were found in the archaeological researches, this shows that the region is one of the first settlements of Anatolia. Gaziantep, which was occupied by Babylonian Empire for a while, then became a city of Hittite State in B.C. 1700. “Duluk” city has an important significance as it was an important religious center of Hittites.
Remains of many ancient settlements such as Belkıs/Zeugma from the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods have also survived until today. Many mosques, madrasahs, inns and baths were built during the Seljuks, Mamluks and Ottomans periods, and the city also developed regarding production, trade and handicrafts. These inns and baths are still active today, continue to operate as places where trade and especially rich handicrafts are kept alive. The religious places of those periods still survive with their glory, and are used by people for prayer purposes.
Occupied by England and French after World War 1, Gaziantep and surrounding evoked admiration across the world with mind-boggling defense and unique heroism. Grand National Assembly of Turkey has granted the title of “GAZI (VETERAN)” for this success of Antep on February 8, 1921. The traces of that period can still be observed.
Gaziantep, which is the center of GAP project due to its industry, trade volume and being the entrance gate of GAP project, has an effect on surrounding cities in terms of economy. Gaziantep, which consists of arable plains and partly irrigated by the waters of the Euphrates, is a rich agricultural region with industrial plants having high economic value such as pistachio, olive, cotton, grapes, red pepper, flax as well as grain products such as lentil, wheat and barley. What is more, Gaziantep is an industrial and commercial center where all products of the Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia region are processed and then sent to domestic and foreign markets. It has a significant importance in terms of economy and industry with its four organized industrial sites, many industrial areas, small industrial sites and free zone.
The city has an extensive transportation network with its international airports, railways and highways connected to motorways. Being an important center in the trade of Turkey with the Middle East and functioning as an industrial city with its unique industrialization model, potentials it has created and increasing investments, Gaziantep has become a leading touristic destination with its increasing cultural and touristic investments in recent years.
Gaziantep has become one of the important touristic destinations in recent years due to the memories of the War of Independence, rich historical and cultural environment, highway put into service, international airport meeting the need of region, gate of GAP project, train station that still preserve its importance, delicious food, rich handicrafts, mosaics, mosques, castles, ancient cities, ruins, inns, baths, castells, tombs, churches, plateaus, plains, travel and recreation areas, baklava and pistachio named by its name, industrial facilities, commercial activity and other aspects.
