The Euphrates and Tigris basin in Turkey is a area of relatively plain territory running parallel to the border to Syria for about 400km, from Gaziantep to the east. This area has been settled since prehistoric times and it is believed that the world's first civilisations originated here and that agriculture and pottery were developed here. Over the millennia the region has been settled and ruled by a variety of empires, including the Persians, Greek, Roman, Arab and Ottoman ones.
Highlights of this region include Mt Nemrut Dagi on whose top there is an ancient temple, the ancient city of Arsameia whch was royal seat of the kingdom of Commagene, Hasankeyf, the archaeological sites of Cayönü and the adjacent Hilar cave and the Egil castle, a 12000 years old fortress on the Tigris river.
How to get to southeast Turkey
Gaziantep, Sanliurfa and Diyarbakir have airports. In addition there are good motorways and Diyarbakir and Gaziantep can be reached by train.
Accommodation
In the major cities there are countless hotels, most of them bookable via the international booking portals.
01 D875 highway 02 Ataturk dam 03 Ataturk dam 04 Ataturk dam
05 Ataturk dam monument 06 Ataturk dam 07 D875 highway
08 Nemrut Dagi visitor centre 09 Climber to Nemrut Dagi during snow storm 10 Snow covered Nemrut Dagi road
11 Snow covered Nemrut Dagi 12 Cave entrance 13 Path to Arsameia 14 King Mithridates shaking hands with Heracles
15 Arsameia 16 Wall inscription in Arsameia 17 Wall inscription in Arsameia 18 Cendere bridge 19 Severan bridge
20 Cendere stream 21 Cendere stream
22 Dog 23 Cendere bridge 24 Karakush tumulus 25 Eagle topped column in Karakush 26 Karakush tumulus
27 D955 highway to Hasankeyf 28 D955 highway to Hasankeyf 29 D955 highway to Hasankeyf 30 Tigris river in Hasankeyf
31 Hasankeyf 32 Hasankeyf
33 New Hasankeyf settlement
34 Bridge over Tigris river in Hasankeyf 35 D955 highway to Batman 36 D955 highway to Batman
37 Diyarbakir 38 Parking in Cayonu 39 Rocky landscape in Cayonu 40 Rocky landscape in Cayonu
41 Rock formations in Cayonu 42 Rocky landscape in Cayonu
43 Cayonu archaeological site 44 Cayonu archaeological site 45 Rocky landscape in Cayonu
46 Cayonu rock formation 47 Cave in Cayonu 48 Rocky landscape in Cayonu
49 Rocky landscape in Cayonu 50 Rocky landscape in Cayonu 51 Hilar caves site
52 Hilar cave 53 Pond in Hilar cave 54 Hilar cave 55 Hilar cave
56 Tourist entering Hilar cave 57 Hilar cave 58 Hilar cave
59 Egil castle 60 Tigris river in Egil 61 Egil castle 62 Tigris river in Egil
63 Tigris river in Egil 64 Boats on Tigris river 65 Egil castle
66 Egil castle 67 Egil castle
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