ADANA

       

     Adana is one of the largest provinces of Turkey. It is located in the Mediterranean region of southern Turkey. The province has border with Mersin, Hatay, Osmaniye, Kahramanmaraş, Niğde and Kayseri. Adana has very large fertile lands thank to the rivers, Seyhan and Ceyhan, which flowing through the land of the province. Adana has a NATO headquarter that one of the biggest one in Middle East. With a population of 2.006.650, Adana is one of the largest provinces in Turkey.  

 

 

 

 

      History: I want to gıve a short ınformatıon about history of Adana.The earliest inhabitants of Adana were the Hittites, living  here during the Egyptian 18th century.Adana gets its name from Adanus, son of weather God Cronus. It was founded in 63 B.C. by the Roman statesman, Pompey the Great. During those times, the city served as a resting place for caravans. Its necessity stemmed from its strategic location,which lies  on a Roman army route to the East.After the decline of the Roman Empire in 746 AD, Adana's significance decreased until Harun al-Rashid, the caliph of Baghdad restored its former glory. After eight years of Egyptian rule, Adana came under the protection of the Turkish Empire only after 1840 

 

 

 

   

     Attraction places: Adana is a veritable paradise for the history buffs. Being situated in a fertile region of Turkey, Adana has been the seat of many a civilization and remainders of these various cultures still dot the city skyline.

 

     The entrance to Adana rises your desire for all old things. To enter the city, you should cross a beautiful bridge which was built by the Romans way back in the 2nd century A.D. as you make your way across the bridge, you have a feeling of being transported back in time. The most considerable among these is the 300-yard long stone bridge across the Seyhan River. This stone bridge or Taşköprü is the oldest bridge in the world, which is still in use. Built in 6th century A.D. during the rule of Roman emperor Hadrian and later restored by Byzantine emperor Justinian I, this bridge is considered an engineering marvel of its times.

 

 

  Turkish mosques are well-known to the world over for their grand, imposing structures, intricate and rich mosaic works in the interiors. In the 16th century, Ulu Camii (The Great Mosque), Eski Camii (The Old Mosque) were built and there are no difference between them.

 

Saat Kulesi is a grand clock tower built in 1882, which would transfer you to the splendors of a bygone era. The Ethnographical Museum houses a booty trove of carpets, swords, tombstones and manuscripts, letting you have a glimpse of Turkish life. Also, the Adana Archaeological Museum is worth a look too. There are restaurants, tea houses along the Seyhan Dam and lake which provide you to enjoy a bird's eye view of the city while the nature lovers can immerse themselves in the beauty of sunsets.

 

  

 

     Adana can be your starting point for the nearby beach towns of Karataş and Yumurtalık. The delightful fishing village of Yumurtalık boasts of a port palace and stands tall and regal in its antiquity. Also lovers can take the trip to Camlık Park, 30 kilometers southwest of Adana. You will be taken aback by the amount of detailing in it, which imparts realism to the entire work.

 

Bits and pieces of history are being found in the dilapidated remains of a hilltop fortress in Yilanlikale. History has been conserved in an almost perfect state in the Byzantine city of Dilekkaya in the form of two beautiful and gracefull mosaics and numerous architectures.

 

The summer adobe of King Asitawada, an open-air museum, Hittite tablets and Phoenician inscriptions make up the Karatepe National Park. Castabala and Toprakkale are other historical sites of renown.

If you are one of those who prefer to take it easy and just laze around while holidaying, Burucek, Tekir, Horzum, Karsan Forest and Zorkum are the places that provide you to spend time. These rolling meadows, swathed in utmost tranquility are ideal to soothe the worn tempers of travel-weary souls.

 

 

     Economical Statue Of City: It's the most developed agriculture land of Turkey and the modern agriculture machines is most used here. %39 of its area is convenient to make agriculture and very abundant. There are made several harvest in a year from its fruitful coombs by tractor,other modern agriculture machines, fertilizing,irrigation and improved seeds. It supplies the quarter of general cotton production of Turkey.(nearly 250 thousands tons).Besides this, it has a huge part on growing cereals,cantaloup, sesame,meloon,vegetables, barley,avena, legumes, sugarcane, grape, rise, earthnut,tobacco,citrus fruits. 

 

     Animal breeding is not as important as agriculture. There are few forages and cattle ranches. It's seen in the skirt of Taurus Mountains.Sheep, hair goat,cattle ,horse and camel are bred. Also, you can see apiculture. 

 

     Most of forests are in the braes of mountains that see Mediterranean Sea. There are lots of foresty in Karaisalı,Saimbeyli and Kozan. Every year, more than 150 thousands tons burgeons and nearly 370 thousands of firing wood are acquired from forests.

 

     In 1960, in the Bulgar Mountain,which is in the north of Adana, there was found petrol. There are lignite,amianthus,zinc,chrome mines in Karaisali and lignite mines in Kozan and Osmaniye.

 

     There are hydroelectric and thermic power plants such as; Seyhan, Aslantaş, Kadıncık I ve II hydroelectric power plants and Mersin thermic power plant. Their annual production is 7.5 million kwh.

 

     It's the fourth industrially developed province of Turkey. With the contexture,court fabric,cotton,herbal oil, flour, soap, leather, tobacco, cement, macaroni, board, conserve, chemical agents, gum, machines of agriculture, machines of architecture, carrying tools, auxiliary equipment, air conditioner devices, Dmt-parent material of artificial fiber- and nourishment factories; it's one of the most important industrial provinces of ours. 

 

     Istanbul-Bağdat railway passes through Adana. It is connected to Middle Anatolia with motorway , to South-East Anatolia over G.Antep and to East Anatolia over Malatya. Aydın, Isparta,Antalya are connected to Adana with E-24 motorway. By the harbors of Iskenderun , Mersin and Karataş Dock it is convenient to sea transportation. There are 2 airports in Adana: Adana and Incirli(martial). 

 

 

     Climate: Adana has Mediterranean climate’s characters. Summers are hot and dry while winters are warm and rainy. Rains that occur in the region are usually formed by orographic rains and meeting of mobile air mass’. Its average rainfall is 625 mm. Approximately 74 days in a year are rainy. 51% of  rain occurs in winter, 26% of them occurs in spring, 18% of them occurs in autumn and 5% of them occurs in summer. Although the air is full of moisture in summer, there is no rain in some years. There is an air current from seas and Toros to Cukurova which is a cyclone in summer. Therefore, an anticyclone reason of which is dynamic occurs. Moisture increases because of humid air which comes from sea and on the other hand dams and irrigation of plains. The air which is heated by effects of climate and latitude can’t rise since it becomes heavier owing to accumulation and it can’t reach to the saturation point. As a result, air is hot and full of moisture in summer. Average relative humidity is 66%; however, it is over 90% in summer. Adana’s average temperature is 18,7C. Its coldest month is January and hottest month is August. January’s average temperature is 9C and August’s average temperature is 28C. Even though plain is hot, climate conditions change very much according to altitude and surface features. Also there are changes in rains. In mountainous terrain, rains are naturally more ( In Feke 930.5 mm, in Saimbeyli 805 mm. ). Snow, which is seen rarely in plains, begins early in mountains and it sometimes remains for months. In Adana, year’s 195.6 days are summer days. 134.4 of these days are stated as tropic days. 

 

Cultural features 

 

Language(Dialets,accent and riches of words) 

 

There is not only one accent in the city that has very large place and intensive population. In its towns that are very far from the centre the accents has so much difference. These accents bear the stamp of the other cities’ accents. From Adana’s accents Pozantı Tufanbeyli Feke accents are used extensively. 

 

Words and sonics features; 

 

Examples: 

 

 In vowels                                    In Consonants     

 

  

Gece- Ver- geç                          Domuz- donuz

  

 

Cahil- cahal                                 Kuzu- guzu 

 

Kıymetli- gıymatlı                    Koyun- goyun 

 

Gazete- gazata                          Tatlı- datlı 

 

Karpuz- garpız                           Sabah- zabah 

 

Çamur- çamır                             Köfte- köhte

 

    Aşık and Tekke Literature:  Folk  literature  and aşık tradition has continued  for centuries in Çukurova. Many stories, legends,anectodes, laments etc. have been collected with the research that was made on all these. From these Aşık tradition is the most guarded one. In Adana there are two types of Aşıks: Aşıks with instrument and Aşıks without instrument. Karacaoğlan and Dadaloğlu are the most famous Aşıks. Apart from them in the region there are Aşık Yusuf, Deli Boran, Feymani, Osman Eyyubi, Aşık Abdullah, Gündeşlioğlu, Aşık Karalı, Aşık Fidani, Aşık Ömer, Aşık Ali… There are also folk  poetess. From these the most famous ones are Durdu, Nazlı Gelin, Sinem Kız, Hasibe Hatun and Hasibe Ramazanoğlu. 

 

Plays and Sport:  

    Spectacle Plays: There are spectacle plays such as Pempe Nine play, Kına Gecesi play, Alaydan Malaydan play, Karşılama Play, Kartal Play, Serçe Play, Yaş Play, Bacadan Çıkma Play, Yumurta play, Sevme İsteme Play, Nazlanma Play, Kuboru Play, Hüsoyla Hasso and Sinsin Play, Kız Kaçırma play and Tilki Play.

 

      Sport:Karaisalı Kızıldağ plateau Karakucak wrestling is celebrated on 30 August every year. Mini Futball Tournament  is organized  between 21 May and 16 June  every year by Yüreğir Municipality.   

 

  

     Folk Dances:“Halay” is the traditional folk dance of Adana. It is played with drum and clarion by repaeted figures three times. The other folk dances are Ağırtma, Çifte telli, Adanalı, Hoş bilezik, Orke, Şirvanı, Gelgel, Acem kız oyunu, Sinsin, Cirit(with horse), Mantufar(in Hıdırellez).

         

 

  

Traditional Handcrafts and Presents:

       

 

 

      Common handcrafts have lost their previous importance with the improvement of the technology in 20. Century. However, in villages and town centres there are still peolpe who work on textile industr and mini handcrafts. Majors of these are carpet, rug, gunny, sack, saddlebag, bag, socks etc. Moreover, chest, cupboard, breadboard, roller are used in Pozantı, Aladağ and Karaisalı.

 

       Music Culture: In Adana and its towns Uzun melodies  are more popular than Kırık melodies. In Kozan and İmamoğlu regions Karacaoğlan’s  and  Dadaloğlu’s melodies  are sung mostly. In Feke, Saimbeyli and  Tufanbeyli Regions Kayseri’s and Middle East’s effects are seen on their own melody.

 

  

     Kırık Melodies in Karaisalı, Aladağ,Pozantı are known as Topuk Melody and Henk Melody. Topuk Melodies are known as active and playful melodies, Henk Melodies are known as the melody that women play in weddings with the tool “leğençe”. Yeşilim ve Gide Gide Bir Söğüde Dayandım is the most common one.

  

 

     In Ceyhan, Yumurtalık and Karataş Bozlak, Kırık and Uzun Melodies are common. 

 

  

     In Adana  Centre immigrations provided  it a cosmopolitan culture. Thus, It has become the centre of the region folk songs. Moreover, laments have an important place in Adana’s culture and they are sung for war, drought and the lovers  that are divorced from each other.

  

 

  

     “Ne Karaymış Şu Alnımın Yazısı “, “Karabahtım Kem Talihim”, “Şu Dünyada Üç Şeyden Korkarım”, “Yalandır Şu Dünyanın Ötesi”, “Yalan” and “Ala Geyik Gibi Boyun Sallarsın” are the important folk songs.

 

The Traditional Flavors of Adana (Gastronomy)

Adana has a variety of flavor. The reason of it is that it has been  on the impact of several cultures. The main feature of Adana cousine is the usage of spices, flour, meat and cereals. Also, milk, yoghurt, cheese is used a lot. One of the most famous meal in Adana is Adana Kebab. People usually drink şalgam juice or ayran, and eat salat, foliage or ''ezme''. Its famous soups are Kesme, Düğün, Ring or Dough Soup.Its main meals are Süllüm, Mercimekli Ispanak Başı, Kabak Çintmesi, Ekşili Topalak, Sarmısaklı Köfte, İçli köfte, Sakatat dolması, Adana kebabı, etc. Its main beverages are Şalgam or Meyan kökü. Its famous deserts are Karakuş,Taş Kadayıfı and Halka Tatlısı.