{"id":1376,"date":"2014-07-11T15:31:33","date_gmt":"2014-07-11T12:31:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.turkeytravelcentre.com\/blog\/?p=1376"},"modified":"2026-06-18T16:22:25","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T13:22:25","slug":"eastern-anatolia-region-turkey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.turkeytravelcentre.com\/blog\/eastern-anatolia-region-turkey\/","title":{"rendered":"Lure of The South – Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey"},"content":{"rendered":"

The South-Eastern Turkey Region is situated on a higher elevation than Turkey\u2019s other regions, with its average altitude reaching 2200 meters. Its geographic location leaves the region with short summers and long, colder winters. There isn\u2019t a dense population in Eastern Turkey<\/a>, which can be an advantage to tourists since there is less hustle and bustle, leaving more room for enjoyment and appreciation.<\/p>\n

There are volcanoes scattered all over, with some manifesting activity as evident in lava deposits in some areas. The Eastern Turkey Region is a beautiful tapestry of lakes, rivers, mountains, plains and plateaus. One of the most famous attractions in Eastern Turkey is Mt. Ararat, a picturesque dormant volcano.<\/p>\n

Suggestions of Places to Visit<\/h2>\n

Diyarbakir<\/h3>\n

Diyarbakir is located on the shores of the Tigris River. Because of its location, it became the capital of the Arami Bit-Zamani Kingdom.<\/p>\n

It attracted conquerors from the Medians to the Persians to the Romans to the Seljuks. Over the entire course of its history, it was given many names but Diyarbakir stuck, attributed by the abundance of copper ore that can be found in the city.<\/p>\n

Possibly the greatest pride of Diyarbakir is its city walls. A magnificent structure of black basalt walls that survived ages, most revered for being the second best-preserved city walls, coming after the Great Wall of China.<\/p>\n

Gaziantep<\/h3>\n

Food lovers will find their nirvana in Gaziantep<\/a>; you\u2019ll find plenty of eateries as you walk around its city center. Dishes you have to try are their spicy, garlicky kebabs, lahmacun<\/em> (crunchy dough topped with minced, marinated beef) and baklava<\/em> (Turkish dessert).<\/p>\n

Feast on all kinds of pistachio recipes as these nuts are among Gaziantep\u2019s main means of livelihood. The Gaziantep Kale<\/em> (Fortress) is among its most notable attractions; it is a humongous fortress of admirable architecture. There is still mystery about the Kale\u2019s history, but some accounts state that it could have been built even before 4,000 BC. Other places of interest are the Coppersmiths\u2019 Bazaar, Archeological Museum and Yesemek Open Air Museum.<\/p>\n

Mardin<\/h3>\n

The ancient town of Mardin<\/a> is beautifully situated atop a hill overlooking the vast plains of Mesopotomia. Its geographic location next to Mesopotomia made it an important center of trade from 4,000 to 700 BC. The architecture in Mardin is characterized by intricately designed stonework.<\/p>\n

The honey-colored structures are as beguiling as the Mesopotomian plains, which appear to go on and on forever. Treading the streets of Mardin gives you a feel of the town\u2019s history and its present culture. Sights that you can look forward to in Mardin are the Kirklar Kilisesi (Church of Forties), Zinciriye Medresesi (Islamic school) and the Kale (Citadel).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The South-Eastern Turkey Region is situated on a higher elevation than Turkey\u2019s other regions, with its average altitude reaching 2200 meters. Its geographic location leaves the region with short summers and long, colder winters. There isn\u2019t a dense population in Eastern Turkey, which can be an advantage to tourists since there is less hustle and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1376","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-south-east","entry"],"yoast_head":"\r\nSouth - Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The south east region of Turkey includes the areas of Gaziantep, Mardin, and Diyarbakir, to name but a few. 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