In Adıyaman; Hittites, Asurians, Hurris, Phyrigians, Persians, Macedonians, Commagenes, Romans and Byzantines had lived through the history.The city was founded by an Emevi Commander Masur İbni Caneve in 8th Century. After Emevi’s dominance came to an end Abbasi, Eyyübi, Seljuk, Mamluks and Ottomans took control of the city respectively. In 1923 it was a district dependent to Malatya, finally after 1954 it became a province.
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İznik
İznik, with its thousand of years cultural heritage, occupied an important place in history. Having been the capital of four empires, it is one of the remarkable settlement places.
History
There are traces of a civilisation dates back to 2500 BC in Karadin, Çiçekli, Yüğücek and Çakırca Mounds near İznik. The settlemen (more…)
Don’t Leave Without
Visiting Beldibi Cavern, Faselis and Olympos antic city,
Staying in wooden houses in Olympos,
Seeing the fire burning for centuries in Çıralı,
Participating t (more…)
Aksaray is placed on intersection point of road ways lies between east to west and north to south, and at the entrance place of Capadocia.
İznik tiles reached their heyday in the 16th century, and the masterpieces produced at that time are regarded as the most valuable specimens of the art of ceramics by the leading museums of the world.
İznik Kiln excavations, carried out for more than 20 years by the Istanbul University Department of Archaeology and History of Art, give us clues as to the types of kilns and ceramics used in the Art of İznik tile making. In the İznik Tiles Atelier opened in mid 1996, following the opening of the İznik Foundatin in 1993 and the Tile and Ceramic Research Centre in 1995, it is now possible to produce tile nearly equalling the quality of those of the 16th century.
Obviously, to reach this point, many experiments were made and everything about İznik tiles was investigated, since the old masters took the secrets to their graves, with the result that even the slightest clue to their manufacture lay concealed for centuries.
The composition of the tiles and the percentage of the components within the microstructure of the material are carefully studied. The availability of these materials and reserves within the region are considered.
Following the excavations, it is observed that İznik tile production was fire high on wastage owing to the large proportion of quartz in the ceramic. Similarly, a number of experiments with the minerals in the area were carried on in the course of which thousands of experimental plates were produced only to be broken and thrown away. The most unfortunate setback the Foundation has had to face has been the absolute lack of documentation regarding the process. Not even the names of the towns and villages where the materials originated were known.
Thus, the conclusion was arrived at that only through the most meticulous scientific research could unified İznik tile concept be formed.
In its efforts, the İznik Foundation has received the support of scientific foundations and NGO’ s such as TÜBİTAK, M.A.M. (Marmara Research Center), İ.T.Ü. (Istanbul Technical University), İ.Ü. (Istanbul University), in Turkey, and Princeton and M.I.T. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) in the United States in a vast range of analysis.
The production of handmade tiles of the desired quality in this era of speed and automation is a particularly difficult task.
Today, İznik tiles are used as an architectural element in old and modern buildings by the discriminating decorator and art-lover alike.
Archeological Sites: 113
Urban Sites: 1
Natural Sites: 16
Historical Sites: 6
Other Sites
Archeological and Natural Sites: 26
Archeological and Urban Sites: 1
Historical and Urban Sites: 1
Total: 164
Cultural (at Single Construction Scale) and Natural
Heritages: 675
TOTAL: 839
Don’t Leave Without
Visiting the ancient cities of Myra and Andrake, and the Church of St.Nicholas. (more…)
Because of the great amount of stockbreeding in the region there is a considerable consuption of meat and animal products. There are fish and local restaurants around the cute Balık gölü (fish lake) .
Orhan Gazi (1326-1362) is known to be the founder of the first “medrese” (theological college) in the Ottoman Empire.
He established “medreses” in İznik, Bursa, Akçaova, Sapanca and İzmit to which the most renowned scholars or “müderris” of the period were appointed. This led to the creation of other education centers in the Ottoman Period.
The conquest of İznik in 1331 was followed by the opening of the first medrese and the mosque in the city. Davudu Kayseri was appointed to the position of “müderris” at the aforementioned institution in 1333. This was followed by the Süleyman Paşa Medresesi, which was built before 1357 and still survives in its original state and by the Hayrettin Paşa Medresesi the portico columns of which can be seen on the north of the Green Mosque in Bursa.
The İznik Foundation aims at restoring the site to its former importance as a cultural centre by the establishment of a university in İznik.