422... 44... 853,658... 12,313... 38 E 19 - 38 N 21...

Malatya... Malatya is situated at the foot of the Anti-Taurus Mountains, and is an agricultural, industrial and stockbreeding center of Eastern Anatolia. The fertile plain is famous for its apricot growing and many delicious confections are made from it. This province was called "Maldiya" in ancient times, taking its name from the Hittite language. It is located 670 km east of Ankara, and the two small towns outside the city constitute the most important sites for visiting. Aslantepe, at a distance of 7 kms, was once the capital of a Hittite state and dates back to the first millenium BC. It is the city carrying the old Hittite traditions and styles, and inside the city walls a palace has been found, with statues and reliefs, which are examples of the artistic works of that age. Battalgazi, 9 km from Malatya, is an ancient city of the Byzantine period, known as "Melitene" in those times. The city walls of this medieval center were constructed by the Byzantines. Inside the town, there is the Ulu Mosque of 1247 which was built by the Seljuks, reflecting their distinct architectural style. The archaeological finds from Malatya are housed in the city museum, including new artifacts found in the lower Euphrates region, dating to the Neolithic and Calcholithic Ages. Next to this museum, there is a nice and original bazaar. Copper objects are sold along an entire street here, and it is a nice shopping place which will add color to your holiday. Malatya is ranged along its main street for many km. Everything you will want is in the centre, near the main square with its statue of Atatürk and "Vilayet" Building, and the neighbouring City Hall. The "otogar" and train station are on the outskirts of town, several km from the centre. It is a busy city situated on a fertile plain at the foot of the Anti-Taurus Mountains. The archaeological museum houses new finds from the Lower Firat region that date from the Neolithic and Chalcolithic ages. Next to the city museum, you can shop in the bazaar where an entire passage way of shops is given over to copper wares. In Malatya, the apricot-growing center of Türkiye, it is possible to sample many delicious apricot confections as well as other fresh and dried fruits. The two small towns which pre-date the establishment of present-day Malatya are easy expeditions. Aslantepe, 7 km away, was the capital of a Hittite state in the first millennium BC, and Battalgazi, 9 km away, was once the ancient city of Melitene. At the latter stand the ruins of a Byzantine enclosure, and in the center of town the 13th century Ulu Mosque is an excellent example of Seljuk architecture.