Kadirli Castle
The castle on the hill above the district centre dates from the Roman period. From the castle, which was restored in the Ottoman period, there are views of the Kadirli plain and the surrounding mountains.
View on map8 places to visit in the Kadirli district of Osmaniye: Karatepe-Aslantaş, Kadirli Castle and Hemite Castle. Plan your trip to Kadirli with local food, practical tips and transport information.
Summary
Kadirli lies in the Adana section of the Mediterranean Region, east of Adana and north-west of Osmaniye, at an average height of 87 metres above sea level. Kadirli is the largest district of Osmaniye province, with an area of 1,021 km².
History
In antiquity, Kadirli was known as Flavias or Flaviopolis and was founded in Çukurova, where various civilisations have lived since very ancient times. Throughout history, the area where the district lies was ruled in turn by the Kizzuwatna Kingdom, the Hittites, the Assyrians, the Cilicians, the Romans, the Byzantines, the Anatolian Seljuks, the Dulkadirids and the Ottomans. In the Roman period, Kadirli was a magnificent city under the name Flaviopolis, and it contains a bronze statue of Emperor Hadrian and a Roman basilica dating to the 5th century AD.
Geography
Kadirli lies in north-eastern Çukurova and at the south of the Central Taurus Mountains; its average elevation above sea level is 87 metres. One third of the district’s land is mountainous and two thirds is plain. The Ceyhan River and its tributaries, the Savrun Stream, the Sumbas Stream and the Keşiş Stream, flow through the district. Kadirli has more than 40% green and forested areas, exceeding Turkish and world standards.
Economy
The livelihood of the district’s people is generally farming and livestock rearing. Wheat, maize, barley, soya, rice, cotton, watermelon, melon, turnip and peanuts are among the leading crops. The village of Göztaşı (Nürpet) is the place where the turnip originated in Türkiye, and Kadirli supplies 75% of Türkiye’s turnip needs.
History and Culture
Karatepe Castle was built as a border fortress by Asativatas in the 8th century BC. The Karatepe-Aslantaş Archaeological Site was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in 2020. Kadirli was incorporated into Ottoman territory by Yavuz Selim in 1515. Kadirli became a district in 1865, and a municipality was established in the centre in 1872. Kadirli was occupied on 14 March 1919 and liberated from enemy occupation on 7 March 1920. Many cultural and artistic figures have come from the district; its most famous artist is Âşık Feymani.
Notable Facts
Kadirli, a magnificent city under the name FLAVİOPOLİS in the Roman period, was incorporated into Ottoman territory by the Ottoman sultan Yavuz Sultan Selim in 1515. The famous writer Yaşar Kemal wrote his world-famous novel İnce Memet in Kadirli.
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