GAZİANTEP PROVINCIAL DIRECTORATE OF CULTURE AND TOURISM

KARKAMIŞ

         KARKAMIŞ DISTRICT
         Karkamış, 75 kms to the city center, is in the southeast of Gaziantep and near the Syrian border. It was a town of Nizip untill 1990, then became a district of Gaziantep on 20.05.1990 by law number 3644. The area is 341 squarekilometers and the altitude is 365 m. According to the address-based population registration system of 2012, the total population of the city is 10.587, and the population of the city center is 3.034. Karkamış, one of the most important cities of the east in the ancient times, is on shores of Euphrates and in the central part of Mesopotamia. Karkamış ancient city and castle, remained from Hittite, in Roman and Hellenic period in B.C.2000, is near the border. Some parts are in Türkiye and some parts are in Syria. Due to Ottoman - German friendship, from the 19. century, a railroad was started to build. Germany, aiming to reach petrol areas, prepaired Baghdad - Hicaz railway Project and finished it succesfully. Karkamış gained importance because of its location on this railway. Baghdad railway bridge, stil used and the border between Türkiye and Syria, is the longest and technologically the best bridge of Türkiye. There are olive and pistachio trees and vineyards and a few fruit trees in the district. Lentil, barley, wheat, cotton, and vegetables are grown and a little stock raising bussiness is also in the district.