Photo: Picture taken by Marcus Cyron (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Source 11 places to visit in the İslahiye district of Gaziantep: Zincirli Mound (Sam'al), Yesemek Open-Air Museum and Amanos Mountains. Plan your trip to İslahiye with local food, practical tips and transport information.
İslahiye is a district in the south-west of Gaziantep province. Although administratively part of Gaziantep, it belongs to the Mediterranean Region, and its climate, vegetation and farming resemble those of the Mediterranean Region. The district covers 865 km², has an elevation of 538 metres and a population of 66,107.
İslahiye is one of the oldest settlement areas of Gaziantep province. Research on the mounds of İslahiye Plain shows that settlement began in the Early Chalcolithic period (5500–5000 BC). Excavations at the mounds of Tilmen, Gedikli and Zincirli show that it was an important settlement in the Late Hittite period. Around 1400 BC the Luwians and Hittites settled in Sam’al, followed by the Aramaeans, and towards the end of the 800s BC the Assyrians came to dominate. In 333 BC Alexander the Great came as far as here and founded a new city, to which the Roman commander Pompey later gave the name Nikopolis. In 1516 Yavuz Sultan Selim incorporated the region into Ottoman lands and appointed Kösebekir Bey as its governor. The expedition unit known as the Fırka-i İslahiyye (Reform Division), formed in 1864, established a new settlement here in 1866, settling tribal members brought down from the mountains.
The district’s economy is based on agriculture, livestock farming and forestry. The main crops are wheat, onions, sugar beet, cotton, barley, pulses, olives, red pepper, garlic, soya beans, maize and grapes. In the mountainous areas, cattle, sheep and goats are raised. The land contains bauxite and dolomite deposits, as well as many stone quarries and ready-mix concrete firms.
The ruins of the city of Nikopolis (İslahiye) are among the historic remains that have survived in the district. The Roman commander Pompey gave the city the name Nikopolis, which was given in memory of a military unit. According to one source, the people of İslahiye defeated the French at Güvercin Pass, and the French left the region on 13 November 1920. With the Ankara Agreement signed on 20 October 1921, the Turkish–Syrian border was redrawn and the İslahiye border was determined. The district was severely damaged by the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes.
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Photo: Picture taken by Marcus Cyron (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Source Zincirli, capital of the Late Hittite and Aramaean kingdom of Sam'al in the 10th–8th centuries BC, was excavated by German archaeologists between 1888 and 1902. The reliefs and inscriptions found are displayed in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin and the Istanbul Archaeology Museum.
View on mapYesemek, dating to the 14th–7th centuries BC, is the world's largest open-air sculpture workshop. It contains more than 300 semi-finished sphinx and lion sculptures from the Hittite period. It is on UNESCO's World Heritage Tentative List.
View on mapBuilt in the Ottoman period along the Baghdad Railway route, Fevzipaşa railway station stands out for its historic architecture. As the last Turkish stop on the railway line heading to the Syrian border, it is of strategic importance.
View on mapLocated about 5 km east of the district. According to one source, it is one of the largest mounds in the region.
View on mapFigures made of glass, ceramics and coloured stones in Boğaziçi town, said to date from the Roman Empire.
View on mapRising to the west of İslahiye, the Amanos Mountains offer routes for nature walks, with rich vegetation and wildlife. Lying in the transition zone between the Mediterranean and continental climates, the mountains are home to endemic plant species.
View on mapThe spring of fenk water in Koçcağız village and its surroundings. According to the source, the water is clean and of high quality, without sediment.
View on mapWhile you are in İslahiye, you can also see the highlights of Gaziantep province. These places are in other districts; İslahiye is about 100 km from the provincial centre.
A regional kebab made by seasoning lamb with special spices and grilling it over charcoal. It is served in İslahiye's traditional restaurants.
Prepared with chickpeas, small meatballs and pieces of dough, this traditional soup is an essential dish on İslahiye's winter tables.
Keme mushrooms gathered in spring at the foot of the Amanos Mountains around İslahiye are eaten fried in oil or cooked with eggs.
A brand product that has become well known and is exported abroad.
İslahiye is the settlement area of the Yörük Aydınlı tribe. Traditions from its nomadic past, handicrafts and oral cultural heritage make up the district's folkloric richness.
Major archaeological sites such as Zincirli and Yesemek show that İslahiye was a centre of the Hittite and Aramaean civilisations from the 2nd millennium BC onwards. This heritage makes the district an important destination for archaeology enthusiasts.
İslahiye's economy is based on agriculture and livestock farming. Olives, citrus and cereals are the main sources of income. The Fevzipaşa railway connection and proximity to the Syrian border are important for trade. Archaeological sites such as Yesemek and Zincirli offer potential for cultural tourism.
İslahiye is about 100 km from Gaziantep city centre. It lies on the D.825 state highway (Gaziantep–Antakya). There is a rail connection through Fevzipaşa station. Gaziantep Oğuzeli Airport is about 120 km away.
The 11 highlighted places in İslahiye are: Zincirli Mound (Sam'al), Yesemek Open-Air Museum, Amanos Mountains, Fevzipaşa Station, Tilmen Mound, Zincirli (Samal) Mound, Snake Castle, Örtülü Ruins, Cıncıklı Finds, Huzurlu and Karagöz Plateaus and Koçcağız Fenk Water Spring.
İslahiye Kebabı, Analı Kızlı Çorbası, Keme (earth mushroom) and İslahiye Peppers are the standout flavours on İslahiye's tables.
İslahiye is known for İslahiye Peppers and the Yörük Aydınlı Tribal Tradition. It is a product registered as a protected designation of origin with TÜRKPATENT.
İslahiye is about 100 km from Gaziantep city centre. It lies on the D.825 state highway (Gaziantep–Antakya). There is a rail connection through Fevzipaşa station. Gaziantep Oğuzeli Airport is about 120 km away.
Suggested visit length: 1-2 days. Best time to visit: spring months (March–May).