Cuisine Gaziantep is largely regarded as the city with the richest cuisine in Turkey. It was the first city in Turkey to be designated as a
City of Gastronomy by
UNESCO in 2015. In 2013, Gaziantep baklava became the first Turkish product with a European protected designation of origin and geographical indication. The cuisine of Aintab was attested to be "rich" by many travellers throughout the centuries. 19th-century British traveller noted: Types of
kofta (;
Gaziantep dialect:
küfte) include
içli küfte ( 'stuffed kofta'),
sini küfte,
yoğurtlu küfte,
yağlı küfte ( 'greasy kofta'),
tahinli küfte,
pendir ekmekli küfte ( 'kofta with bread and cheese'), and more. and
malhıtalı küfte ( 'lentil kofta'). Pilafs in the Aintab cuisine often accompany the main dish and are not the main course alone. Traditionally,
bulgur is used for the pilafs. The bulgur pilafs can include
orzo (;
Şʿāreli burgul pilov) or ground beef ( or , 'tavern pilaf'). There are several types of exclusively-Armenian soups in Aintab cuisine. These include
vardapet soup and
omız zopalı.
Dolma is a very common dish, different variants of which are cooked. One is
kış dolması ( 'winter dolma'), for which dried vegetables, such as squash, eggplants, and peppers are used. Common sweets include
bastık and
sucuk. , Gaziantep holds 107 registered geographical indications and patents granted by the
Turkish Patent and Trademark Office, most of them food-related.
BBC called pistachios "the single most important ingredient" in the cuisine of Gaziantep, remains of pistachios dating back to the
3rd millennium BC have been found in an archeological site within 50 kilometers of the city.
Local Turkish dialect The local Turkish dialect of Gaziantep is classified as a part of the Western Turkish dialects based on phonetic and grammatical similarities. The dialect carries influences mainly from
Armenian and
Arabic. The local Turkish dialect of Gaziantep is an integral part of the native identity of the city and is being preserved through often humorous plays by
theatrical troupes, such as
Çeled Uşaglar ( naughty children).
Museums and
Tethys mosaic in
Zeugma Mosaic Museum The
Gaziantep Museum of Archaeology has collections of ceramic pieces from the
Neolithic Age; various objects, figures and seals from the
Chalcolithic and
Bronze Ages; stone and bronze objects, jewellery, ceramics, coins, glass objects, mosaics and statues from the
Hittite,
Urartu, Greek
Persian,
Roman,
Commagene, and
Byzantine periods. The
Zeugma Mosaic Museum houses mosaics from
Zeugma and other mosaics, a total of . It opened to the public on 9 September 2011. The Hasan Süzer Ethnography Museum, a restored late-Ottoman stone building, has the old life style decoration and collections of various weapons, documents, instruments used in the defence of the city as well as the photographs of local resistance heroes. It was originally built in 1906 as the home of Garouj Karamanoukian. Some of the other historical remains are the Zeugma (also called
Belkıs in Turkish), and
Kargamış ruins by the town of
Nizip and slightly more to the north,
Rumkale.
Yesemek Quarry and Sculpture Workshop is an
open-air museum located in the village known by the same name, south of the town of
Islahiye. It is the largest open-air sculpture workshop in the Near East and the ruins in the area date back to the
Hittites. The Gaziantep Defence Museum: before you enter the Panorama Museum located within the
Gaziantep Castle, you encounter the statues of three local heroes
Molla Mehmet Karayılan, Şehit Mehmet Kâmil and
Şahin Bey at the entrance. As you enter the museum, you hear the echoes: "I am from Antep. I am a hawk (Şahin)." The Gaziantep War Museum, in a historic Antep house (also known as the
Nakıpoğlu House) is dedicated to the memory of the 6,317 who died defending the city, becoming symbols of Turkey's national unity and resolve for
maintaining independence. The story of how the
Battle of Antep is narrated with audio devices and chronological panels. File:Gaziantep Gaziantep War Museum 1762.jpg|Gaziantep War Museum Courtyard File:Gaziantep Gaziantep War Museum 1758.jpg|Gaziantep War Museum Arms display File:Gaziantep Gaziantep War Museum 1780.jpg|Gaziantep War Museum Strategy File:Gaziantep Gaziantep War Museum 1766.jpg|Gaziantep War Museum Smithy File:Gaziantep Gaziantep War Museum 1779.jpg|Gaziantep War Museum Mining File:Gaziantep Gaziantep War Museum 1782.jpg|Gaziantep War Museum Children at war
Gaziantep Mevlevi Lodge Foundation Museum The
Antep Mevlevi Lodge in 1638 as a
Mevlevi monastery. The
dervish lodge is part of the mosque's
külliye (Islamic-Ottoman social complex centred around a mosque). It is entered via a courtyard which opens off the courtyard of the mosque. In 2007, the building was opened as the
Gaziantep Mevlevi Culture and Foundation Works Museums. File:Gaziantep Mevlevi Museum 1819.jpg|Gaziantep Mevlevi Museum Study group File:Gaziantep Mevlevi Museum 1820.jpg|Gaziantep Mevlevi Museum Whirling File:Gaziantep Mevlevi Museum 1823.jpg|Gaziantep Mevlevi Museum Musicians File:Gaziantep Mevlevi Museum 7150.jpg|Gaziantep Mevlevi Museum Graves
Emine Göğüş Cuisine Museum Gaziantep is known for its cuisine and food culture. A historical stone house built in 1904 has been restored and turned into the Emine Göğüş Cuisine Museum. The museum opened as part of the celebrations for the 87th anniversary of Gaziantep's liberation from French occupation.
Historical sites Places of worship Liberation Mosque, the former Armenian Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God (Surp Asdvadzadzin), was converted into a
mosque after the liberation of the city from the occupying French forces following the
Franco-Turkish War (1918–1921). The French forces which occupied the city between 1918 and 1921 included the
French Armenian Legion.
Boyacı Mosque, a historic mosque in the Şahinbey district, was built by Kadı Kemalettin in 1211 and completed in 1357. It has one of the world's oldest wooden
minbars which is elaborately adorned with Koranic verses, stars and geometric patterns. Its minaret is considered one of the symbols of the city.
Şirvani Mosque (Şirvani Mehmet Efendi Mosque), also called
İki Şerefeli Cami, is one of the oldest mosques of Gaziantep, located in the Seferpaşa district. It was built by Şirvani Mehmet Efendi. Ömeriye Mosque, a mosque in the Düğmeci district. Tradition states that it was first built during the period of the Islamic Caliphate under the second
Caliph,
Omar (hence its name), which would make it the oldest known mosque in Gaziantep. The modern mosque was restored at the site in 1850. It is known for its black and red marble
mihrab. Şeyh Fethullah Mosque, a historic mosque built in 1563 and located in Kepenek. It has adjoining Turkish baths and a medrese. Nuri Mehmet Pasha Mosque, a mosque in Çukur built in 1786 by nobleman Nuri Mehmet Pasha. Between 1958 and 1968, it was changed into museum but was reinstated as a mosque after an extensive restoration. Ahmet Çelebi Mosque, a mosque in Ulucanlar that was built by Hacı Osman, in 1672. It is noted for its elaborate wooden interior. Tahtani Mosque, a wooden mosque located in Şahinbey, that was built in 1557. The mosque has a unique red marble mihrab.
Alaüddevle Mosque (Ali Dola Mosque), built by Dulkadir bey Alaüddevle Bozkurt. Its construction started in 1479 and was completed in 1515. It has been restored recently with the addition of a new entrance. Ali Nacar Mosque, a mosque in Yaprak, Şehitkamil, is one of the biggest mosques in Gaziantep, originally built by Ali Nacar. It was enlarged in 1816. Eyüpoğlu Mosque, a mosque built by the local Islamic saint Eyüboğlu Ahmet during the 14th century. There has been a major restoration, so much so that the present structure hardly resembles the original building. Kendirli Church, a church that was built in 1860 by means of the assistance of French missionaries and
Napoleon III. It is a Catholic Armenian church. It has a rectangular plan and was built through white cut stones on a foundation of black cut stone within a large garden.
Bazaars Zincirli Bedesten is the
Ottoman-era
covered bazaar of Gaziantep and was built in 1781 by Hüseyin Pasha of Darende. From records, it is known that there was formerly an epigraph on the south gate written by Kusuri; however, this inscription is not in place today. This bazaar was used as a wholesale market hall for meat, fruit and vegetables. Bakırcılar çarşısi is the coppersmith bazaar of Gaziantep. This trade has existed in the region for over 500 years. The bazaar is part of the official culture route designed to help visitors discover the traditions and culture of the city.
Inns Anatolia Inn The exact date of the inn's (
caravanserai) construction is unknown, but it is estimated to have been built in the early 19th century. It is a two-storey building with two courtyards. It is said to have been built by Muhsinzade Hadji Mehmet Bey in 1892. The inn was repaired in 1985 and parts of the top floor were rebuilt. Kürkçü Inn Classic Ottoman Inn in Boyacı built in 1890. Old Wheat Inn The original building was constructed by Mustafa Ağa in 1640 to provide an income for the dervish lodge, but was completely destroyed in a fire. The exact construction date of the present building is unknown; however the architectural style suggests the 19th century. Şire Inn The building is built on a rectangular plan and contains many motifs of classical Ottoman inn architecture. It was built with evenly cut stones and the pitched roof is covered by tiles. Tobacco Inn This inn has no epigraph showing the dates of construction or renovation, but according to historical data, the estimated date of construction is the late 17th century. Ownership was passed to Hüseyin Ağa, son of Nur Ali Ağa, in the early 19th century. Yüzükçü Inn The construction date of this inn is unknown. The epigraph on the main gate of the inn is dated 1800, but the building apparently had been built earlier and was repaired at this date. The first owners of the inn were Asiye, the daughter of Battal Bey and Emine Hatun, the daughter of Hadji Osman Bey.
Other assembled in Aintab. Signed by Ali bin Mustafa, known as Baqan Al-yajizadeh, who was a student of Muhammad Efendi Dallakzadeh, dated 23 March 1857.
Zeugma is an ancient city which was established at the shallowest passable part of the river
Euphrates, within the boundaries of the present-day Belkıs village in Gaziantep Province. Due to the strategic character of the region in terms of military and commerce since antiquity (Zeugma was the headquarters of an important
Roman legion, the
Legio IV Scythica, near the border with
Parthia) the city has maintained its importance for centuries, also during the
Byzantine period.
Gaziantep Castle, also known as
Gala ( 'the castle'), located in the centre of the city displays the historic past and architectural style of the city. Although the history of castle is not fully known, as a result of the excavations conducted there, Bronze Age settlement layers are thought to exist under the section existing on the surface of the soil. Pişirici Kastel, a "kastel" (fountain) which used to be a part of a bigger group of buildings, is thought to have been built in 1282. "Kastels" are water fountains built below ground, and they are structures peculiar to Gaziantep. They are places for ablution, prayer, washing and relaxation. Old houses of Gaziantep, the traditional houses that are located in the old city: Eyüboğlu, Türktepe, Tepebaşı, Bostancı, Kozluca, Şehreküstü and Kale. They are made of locally found keymik rock and have an inner courtyard called the
hayat, which is the focal point of the house. Tahmis Coffee House, a
coffee house that was built by Mustafa Ağa Bin Yusuf, a
Turkmen ağa and
flag officer, in 1635–1638, in order to provide an income for the
dervish lodge. The building suffered two big fires in 1901 and 1903. ==Transportation==