Things to Do in Oğuzeli: 3 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Oğuzeli

• 1 Historic
• 1 Nature
• 1 Attraction

1 📸 Attraction

Gaziantep Oğuzeli Airport Area

Gaziantep Oğuzeli International Airport, opened in 1976, lies within the district boundaries. The flat land and farmland around the airport reflect the steppe character of the region.

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i Photo: Ygmr01 (CC BY 4.0) · Source

2 🌳 Nature

Barak Plain

The Barak Plain, which covers Oğuzeli's wide flatlands, is fertile farmland where the Turkmen Barak tribe has lived for centuries. The plain is particularly known for pistachio and cotton farming.

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3 🏛️ Historic

Oğuzeli Mounds

Various mounds within the district boundaries show that the region has been settled since the Neolithic period. Devehöyük and Şatırhöyük are the best-known archaeological sites.

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While you are in Oğuzeli, you can also see the highlights of Gaziantep province. These places are in other districts; Oğuzeli is about 20 km from the provincial centre.

• Zeugma Mosaic Museum — Opened in 2011 and displaying about 1,700 m² of mosaics, this is one of the largest mosaic museums in the world.
• Zeugma Ancient City — A bridgehead city on the Euphrates at Nizip, founded by Seleucus I, a general of Alexander the Great, and estimated to have reached a population of 70,000–80,000 in the Roman period.
• Gaziantep Castle — A castle with 12 towers and a circumference of 1,200 metres on a hill in the middle of the city; it is thought to have served as a lookout since the Hittite period and to have taken its present form through Byzantine, Ayyubid and Mamluk repairs.
• Rumkale — A castle on sheer rocks at the confluence of the Euphrates and the Merzimen Stream, turned into a peninsula by the reservoir; with the Church of St Nerses, the Barsauma Monastery and its cisterns, it bears traces of the Late Roman and medieval periods.
• Yesemek Open-Air Museum — At İslahiye, used in the Hittite and Late Hittite periods, this is the largest known quarry and sculpture workshop of the ancient Near East, covering about 100,000 m²; unfinished lion, sphinx and mountain-god sculptures stand on the slopes.
• Zincirli Höyük (Sam'al) — North of İslahiye, this was the capital of the Late Hittite kingdom whose Aramaic name was Sam'al; the lion sculptures and orthostats excavated in the 19th century are now in the museums of Berlin and Istanbul.

Practical Information for Visiting Oğuzeli

Suggested time

Half a day

Best time to visit

Spring and autumn (April-May, September-October)

Places to visit

3 places

• 🍖

  Barak Kebabı

  The traditional kebab of the Barak Turkmen, made by preparing lamb with special spices and cooking it over charcoal. It is served with onions and sumac.

• 🫓

  Lahmacun

  Minced meat, onion and spices spread on thin dough and baked in a stone oven. Oğuzeli lahmacun is one of the best-loved dishes of Gaziantep cuisine.

• 🥣

  Yuvalama (chickpea and yoghurt dish)

  A traditional Gaziantep dish made with chickpeas, small meatballs and yoghurt. It is a regular feature on tables in Oğuzeli, especially in the winter months.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Oğuzeli

• 🎭

  Barak Turkmen Culture

  Oğuzeli is one of the places where the Barak Turkmen tribe lives in greatest numbers. Barak folk literature, songs and traditional wedding customs define the district's cultural identity.

• 🎵

  Abdal Maya Sekenler Tradition

  The Abdal Maya Sekenler community living in Oğuzeli contributes to the region's folk richness with its traditional music and oral cultural heritage.

Local Products

• Gaziantep Oğuzeli Narı / Antep Oğuzeli Narı (Oğuzeli pomegranates) — A product registered with TÜRKPATENT as a protected designation of origin.
• Oğuzeli Kurutmalığı — A product registered with TÜRKPATENT as a protected geographical indication.
• Oğuzeli Nar Ekşisi (pomegranate molasses) — A product registered with TÜRKPATENT as a protected geographical indication.

Economy

Oğuzeli's economy rests largely on agriculture. Pistachio, cotton and cereal production are the main sources of income. The location of Gaziantep Oğuzeli International Airport within the district boundaries contributes to the development of logistics and the service sector.

How to Get to Oğuzeli

Oğuzeli is 20 km from Gaziantep city centre. Gaziantep Oğuzeli International Airport lies within the district boundaries and is the easiest transport point to the city. Regular minibus services run to Gaziantep.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Gaziantep

Oğuzeli: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

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

Other Districts of Gaziantep

• Araban 13 places Euphrates River Valley, Araban Castle and Araban Historic Bazaar
• İslahiye 11 places Zincirli Mound (Sam'al), Yesemek Open-Air Museum and Amanos Mountains
• Karkamış 5 places Euphrates Riverbank, Karkamış (Kargamış) Ancient City and Historic Euphrates Railway Bridge
• Nizip 7 places Zeugma Ancient City (Belkıs), Rumkale (Hromgla) and Nizip Fevkani Church
• Nurdağı 6 places Sakçagözü Mound, Gedikli Mound and Amanos Mountains Passes
• Şahinbey 7 places Zeugma Mosaic Museum, Historic Gümrük Han and Gaziantep Defence and Heroism Panorama Museum
• Şehitkamil 5 places Gaziantep Castle, Dülük Ancient City (Doliche) and Gaziantep University Campus
• Yavuzeli 5 places Rumkale (Hromgla), Halfeti Sunken Town View and Kasaba Village