Maras Houses and Tourism

Maras Houses and Tourism

Maraş has a known history dating back to 9 thousand years. Kahramanmaraş, popularly known as Maraş (formerly Germanikea – Greek: Γερμανίκεια, Armenian: Մարաշ Maraş), is a province in Turkey’s Mediterranean Region. The Red Stripe Medal of Independence was given to the city on April 5, 1925 by the Turkish Grand National Assembly for its resistance to the occupation during the War of Independence. It is surrounded by Malatya and Adıyaman in the east, Kayseri and Adana in the west, Gaziantep and Osmaniye in the south, and Sivas in the north. Its name, which was Maraş, was changed to Kahramanmaraş on 7 February 1973. He was given the title of Hero by the Turkish Grand National Assembly.

It was founded on the site of the late Hittite city of Gurgum. Although no systematic excavation was carried out, many Hittite monuments were found.

The Ottoman traveler Evliya Çelebi, in his travel book, says about the people of Maraş, “their language is Turkic and most of the time its people are Turkmen”. Although the Avşar, Bayat and Beğdili tribes of the Oghuzs are in the majority in Maraş and its surroundings, almost all 24 Oghuz tribes are present.

It became a metropolitan city with the law no. 6360 enacted in 2012. At the same time, thanks to Afşin – Elbistan A, B, C thermal power plants located within the provincial borders, Kahramanmaraş meets 14% of Turkey’s electricity needs.

Tattoo ice cream, tarhana and pepper are important registered foods of the city. By 2021, its population has increased by 1.22% to reach 1,168,163.

Etymology

It was used as a capital during the Early Iron Age and Late Hittites, and is an ancient city known as Kurkuma to the Luwians and Markas to the Assyrians.

It was conquered by the Assyrians in 711 BC and its name was officially changed to Markas. The name of Kahramanmaraş before the War of Independence was Maraş. After the War of Independence, the whole city was awarded with the Medal of Independence, and later on, on 7 February 1973, with the decision of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, it was given the title of ‘Hero’. At the same time, the name of Maraşspor was changed to Kahramanmaraşspor.

History

The finds unearthed in the caves in Tekir Valley and Döngel Village indicate that human settlement in the region began in the Upper Paleolithic Age; It shows that it continued in the Neolithic, Chalcolithic and Old Bronze Ages. During the excavations carried out in the center of Kahramanmaraş in 2009, M.S. Some mosaics belonging to the ancient city of Germanicia, which belong to 300-400 years, were found and work was started on them.

The city, named as “Markasi” or “Markas” in Assyrian inscriptions, became the capital of the Gurgum Kingdom, a Late Hittite state. When the Kingdom of Gurgum was annexed by the Assyrians in 711 BC, Markas was made the provincial center. Later, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Seljuks, Mamluks, Dulkadiroğulları and Ottomans dominated the city.

Maraş: It remained under the dominance of the Turks, who settled in Anatolia at the end of the 11th century. Maraş, which was occupied by the Mongols in 1243, became the Dulkadiroğulları during the reign of the Second Anatolian Principalities. Maraş, which came under Ottoman rule with the Battle of Turnadağ on 12 June 1515, remained under Ottoman rule between 1515-1919. It was occupied first by the British and then by the French during the Armistice Period.

Due to the resistance of the people during the War of Independence, Maraş was given the title of “Heroism” by the Turkish Grand National Assembly on 7 February 1973 and its name was changed to Kahramanmaraş.

While the historical mosques, baths, inns, mansions (stone-built ones) remained standing in Maraş, which was burned and destroyed in the 1707 earthquake, the bagdadi, that is, wooden ones, were completely burned.

Stone mansions have recently been restored by Dulkadiroğlu Municipality and Metropolitan Municipality and brought into tourism.

With its nature, greenery, water, dam lakes and natural lakes, Maraş is a city that should be visited.

Kahramanmaraş is preparing with all its might for EXPO 2023, which will be held for 6 months in April 2023.

Kahramanmaraş star will shine in tourism in 2023.

BEKİR DOĞAN

GJC Kahramanmaraş Provincial Representative