Things to Do in Çelikhan: 4 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Çelikhan

• 3 Nature
• 1 Other

1 🌳 Nature

Abdulharap Stream and Çat Dam

Çat Dam was built on the Abdulharap Stream, the district's main watercourse.

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2 🌳 Nature

Akdağ

Akdağ, the highest mountain in the district, approaches 2,700 metres and defines Çelikhan's skyline. In summer, roads climb to its highland pastures, offering cool air and wide valley views.

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3 🌳 Nature

Çelikhan Highland Pastures

Thanks to its high altitude, the land around Çelikhan stays green all summer, ringed by highland pastures. Where livestock grazing continues, these areas are ideal for a cool day away from the heat of Adıyaman.

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4 📍 Other

Çat Dam

Dam built on the Abdulharap Stream.

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While you are in Çelikhan, you can also see the highlights of Adıyaman province. These places are in other districts; Çelikhan is about 56 km from the provincial centre.

• Mount Nemrut — On a 2,150-metre summit at Kâhta, the tomb-sanctuary built by Antiochus I of Commagene in 62 BC, with its giant tumulus of crushed stone and the statues of gods on its east and west terraces, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987. The lion horoscope on the west terrace is considered the oldest known horoscope; sunrise is watched from the east terrace and sunset from the west.
• Arsameia (Old Castle) — On the east bank of the Kâhta Stream, 63 km from Adıyaman, Arsameia was one of the important centres of the Commagene royal family.
• Kâhta Castle (New Castle) — Rising on the rocky hill opposite Arsameia, the castle was taken from the Byzantines by the Seljuks in 1085 and changed hands often during the Mamluk–Mongol wars.
• Cendere Bridge — Built over the Cendere Stream in the name of the Roman emperor Septimius Severus (193–211), his wife and his sons, the bridge is known as the widest arch bridge built by the Romans, with an arch span of 34.2 metres.
• Karakuş Tumulus — This monumental tomb on Gösterge Hill, 12 km north of Kâhta, was built for Isias, the mother of King Mithridates II, and for the women of the royal family.
• Sesönk Tumulus — Standing on a high rock at Besni, this tumulus, about 2,060 years old, is a Commagene monumental tomb similar to Karakuş.

Practical Information for Visiting Çelikhan

Suggested time

Half a day

Best time to visit

June–September

Places to visit

4 places

• 🌶️

  Adıyaman Çiğ Köftesi (raw kofte of fine bulgur)

  The emblematic raw kofte of Adıyaman, made by kneading fine bulgur with pepper paste and spices for a long time. It is also a common dish on Çelikhan tables.

• 🥘

  Keşkek (wheat and meat porridge)

  Keşkek, made by slow-cooking pounded wheat with meat, is an essential dish at weddings and religious holiday feasts.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Çelikhan

• 🏔️

  Highland culture

  The tradition of moving up to the highland pastures in summer is a way of life that still survives in Çelikhan's villages.

Local Products

• Çelikhan Tobacco — Çelikhan Tobacco was registered as a protected designation of origin on 29 May 2005 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 66). Product group: tobacco. Registered by: Çelikhan Village Services Union.
• Livestock products — Milk, cheese and butter from highland livestock farming are the district's main local products.

Economy

The district's economy rests largely on agriculture and livestock farming.

How to Get to Çelikhan

Çelikhan is 56 km from Adıyaman city centre. Located on the Malatya–Adıyaman highway, the district is about 60 km from Malatya.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Adıyaman

Çelikhan: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in Çelikhan Famous dishes and local products →
• 🗺️ Things to Do in Adıyaman The province's 14 best places and all its districts →

Other Districts of Adıyaman

• Adıyaman Central District 7 places Adıyaman Castle (Hısn-ı Mansur), Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami) and Adıyaman Museum
• Besni 6 places Besni Castle, Old Besni (Eski Kahta) Ruins and Besni Grand Mosque
• Gerger 5 places Roman Settlement Area, Euphrates River Banks and Gerger Rock Tombs
• Gölbaşı 9 places Azaplı Lake, Gölbaşı Lake (İnekli Lake) and Gölbaşı Castle
• Kahta 9 places Mount Nemrut, Cendere Bridge and Karakuş Tumulus
• Samsat 6 places View of Atatürk Dam Lake, Ruins of the Ancient City of Samosata and New Samsat Settlement
• Sincik 5 places Sincik Castle, Sincik Highland Pastures and Rock Tombs
• Tut 5 places Tut Castle, Tut Rock Tombs and Tut Valley