Malatya
Encyclopedia
Malatya ) is a city in southeastern Turkey and the capital of its eponymous province
.
as Melitene. The site of ancient Malatya lies a few kilometres from the modern city in what is now the village of Arslantepe and near the dependant district center of Battalgazi
(Byzantine
to Ottoman Empire
). Present-day Battalgazi was the location of the city of Malatya until the 19th century, when a gradual move of the city to the present third location began. Battalgazi's official name was Eskimalatya (Old Malatya); until recently, it was a name used locally.
, nearly 6,000 years ago. From the Bronze Age
, the site became an administrative center of a larger region in the kingdom of Isuwa. The city was heavily fortified, probably due to the Hittite
menace from the west. The Hittites conquered the city in the fourteenth century B.C. In Hittite
, melid or milit means "honey," offering a possible etymology for the name.
After the end of the Hittite empire, the city became the center of the Neo-Hittite
state of Kammanu
. The city continued old Hittite traditions and styles. Researchers have discovered a palace inside the city walls, which has statues and reliefs that are examples of the artistic works of that age. The people erected a palace, accompanied by monumental stone sculptures of lions and the ruler. Archeologists first began to excavate the site of Arslantepe in the 1930s, led by French
archaeologist Louis Delaporte.
The Assyria
n king Tiglath-Pileser I
(1115-1077 B.C.) forced the kingdom of Malatya to pay tribute to Assyria. Malatya continued to prosper until the Assyrian king Sargon II
(722-705) sacked the city in 712 BC. At the same time, the Cimmerians
and Scythians invaded Anatolia
, and the city declined. Since 1961, an Italian team of archaeologists, today led by Marcella Frangipane, have been working at the site.
Under Roman
rule, Melitene was the base camp of Legio XII Fulminata
. It was a major center in Lesser Armenia
(P'ok'r Hayk' ), remaining so until the end of the fourth century A.D. Emperor Theodosius I
divided the region into two provinces: First Armenia (Hayk'), with its capital at Sivas; and Second Armenia, with its capital at Melitene.
(527-565), new administrative reforms were carried out in this region, and Melitene became the capital of the province of Third Armenia. The city was captured by the Rashidun Caliphate
in 638 became a base for their raids further into Anatolia
, which was pursued also by the Abbasids. In the 9th century, under its semi-independent emir Umar al-Aqta
, Malatya rose to become a major opponent of the Byzantine Empire
, until Umar was defeated and killed at Lalakaon in 863. The Byzantines attacked the city many times, but did not finally take it until the campaigns of John Kourkouas
in 927-934. After successively accepting and renouncing vassal status, the city was finally taken in May 934, its Muslim inhabitants driven out or forced to convert, and replaced by Greek and Armenian settlers.
In the tenth century the Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas convinced the Jacobite Patriarch of Antioch to move many of his followers into the region of Melitene. These Syrians
set up bishoprics in Melitene as well as in many surrounding cities. In the period that followed the Turkish
advance into Anatolia after the Battle of Manzikert
, Gabriel of Melitene
, a Greek Orthodox
Armenian (see Hayhurum
) who had risen from the ranks of the Byzantine army, governed the city. From 1086 to 1100 he preserved his independence with the aid of the Beylik
of the Danishmends
and after 1100, he invested heavily on the commanders of the First Crusade
, especially Bohemond I of Antioch and Baldwin of Boulogne.
The Danishmends took over Malatya one years later in 1101 (see Battle of Melitene
). With the Anatolian Seljuk Sultanate based in Konya
taking over the Beylik
of Danishmend in late 12th century, Malatya became part of their realm. It was part of Mamluks in end of 13th century. The city became Ottoman
in 1515.
Malatya was the scene of anti-Armenian violence during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. During the Hamidian Massacres
of 1895-1896, the Armenians of Malatya unsuccessfully attempted to defend themselves against the persecutions of the Ottoman government. Over 7,500 of them were massacred, the great majority of them women, children and elderly. In the aftermath, a Red Cross team sent to Malatya and led by Julian B. Hubbell concluded that 1,500 Armenian houses had been pillaged and 375 burned to the ground.
According to the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia
, Malatya city was inhabited by 30,000 people at the time, with a clear Turkish
majority, and an Armenian population of 3,000, of whom 800 were Catholics. A more recent source, however, states that Malatya's population hovered around 40,000, of which half (20,000) were Armenian. Of the five churches in the city, three belonged to the Armenians. They were chiefly involved in commerce, silkworm cultivation and agriculture. In the spring of 1915, the Armenians of the town were rounded up by Ottoman authorities and sent on death marches
to the deserts of Syria. Those who survived the Armenian Genocide
settled in a number of different countries.
The Malatya region is best known for its apricot
orchards. About 50% of the fresh apricot production and 95% of the dried apricot production in Turkey, the world's leading apricot producer, is provided by Malatya and the name of the fruit is synonymous with the city. It reached its most delicious and sophisticated form in the fertile soil of Malatya, nourished from the alluvial soil of the Euphrates
. Overall, about 10-15% of the worldwide crop of fresh apricots, and about 65-80% of the worldwide production of dried apricots comes out of Malatya. Malatya apricots are often sun-dried by family-run orchards using traditional methods, before they are collected and shipped throughout the world.
Near Apricot Festivities, there are also some other annual activities on summer. Cherry Festivities at Yeşilyurt District of Malatya and Grape Festivities at Arapgir District are organized annually.
with colors red and yellow. Malatyaspor football team is currently competing in TFF Second League
. Malatyaspor's stadium is Malatya İnönü Stadium located in the city's center. Malatya's other team is Malatya Belediyespor with colors green and orange. It is currently competing in TFF Third League
.
, one of the largest universities in eastern region of Turkey, is located in Malatya. It was established in 1975 and has three institutions and nine faculties on its campus, with more than 2,500 faculty and 20,000 students. Its large campus is located in the southern part of Malatya. There are 162 High schools and some of the well-known, national high school entrance examination based high schools in Malatya are Private Rahime Batu Anatolian and Science High Schools, Private Turgut Özal Anatolian High School, Malatya Science High School
, Malatya Anatolian High School, and Turgut Özal Anatolian High School.
, Malatya is also a pole of attraction for its surrounding regions, in commercial as well as inward immigration terms. The city is at a key junction in Turkey’s road and rail network. By rail, it also serves as the junction for Aleppo
through Syria
-Samsun
line. The bus terminal
is located 5 kilometers west of the city center and there are regular intercity services to and from Ankara
, Istanbul
and Gaziantep
. The railway station lies at a distance of 3 kilometers west of the city center and daily express trains run to Elazığ
, Diyarbakır
, Istanbul and Ankara. Both these stations are easily reached by taxis and dolmuş
services.
Malatya's airport, Erhaç Airport, is 26 kilometers west of the city center and there are daily domestic flights from Istanbul
, Ankara
and Izmir
. Since 2007 there have also been international flights during the summer months. These international flights are especially from German cities to Malatya, and most of the passengers are Turkish citizens who are now living and working in German.
to date. These were;
As such, more than half of the eight decades of Republican Turkey was led or strongly influenced by sons of Malatya, as Presidents, Prime Ministers, key ministers or opposition leaders. Other notable natives of Malatya are;
Malatya Province
Malatya Province is a province of Turkey. It is part of a larger mountainous area. The capital of the province is Malatya , which has many residents. Malatya is famous for its apricots. The area of Malatya province is 12,313 km². Malatya Province has 740,643 inhabitants. The population was...
.
Overview
The city site has been occupied for thousands of years. The Assyrians called the city Meliddu. Following Roman expansion into the east, the city was renamed in LatinLatin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
as Melitene. The site of ancient Malatya lies a few kilometres from the modern city in what is now the village of Arslantepe and near the dependant district center of Battalgazi
Battalgazi
Battalgazi is a town and a district of Malatya Province of Turkey. The mayor is Selahattin Gürkan .Formerly named Eskimalatya , the center town corresponds to the previous location of Malatya city, at a distance of 20 km from the modern day urban center and provincial seat of Malatya...
(Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
to Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
). Present-day Battalgazi was the location of the city of Malatya until the 19th century, when a gradual move of the city to the present third location began. Battalgazi's official name was Eskimalatya (Old Malatya); until recently, it was a name used locally.
Aslantepe and Ancient Malatya
Arslantepe has been inhabited since the development of agriculture in the Fertile CrescentFertile Crescent
The Fertile Crescent, nicknamed "The Cradle of Civilization" for the fact the first civilizations started there, is a crescent-shaped region containing the comparatively moist and fertile land of otherwise arid and semi-arid Western Asia. The term was first used by University of Chicago...
, nearly 6,000 years ago. From the Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
, the site became an administrative center of a larger region in the kingdom of Isuwa. The city was heavily fortified, probably due to the Hittite
Hittites
The Hittites were a Bronze Age people of Anatolia.They established a kingdom centered at Hattusa in north-central Anatolia c. the 18th century BC. The Hittite empire reached its height c...
menace from the west. The Hittites conquered the city in the fourteenth century B.C. In Hittite
Hittite language
Hittite is the extinct language once spoken by the Hittites, a people who created an empire centred on Hattusa in north-central Anatolia...
, melid or milit means "honey," offering a possible etymology for the name.
After the end of the Hittite empire, the city became the center of the Neo-Hittite
Neo-Hittite
The states that are called Neo-Hittite, or more recently Syro-Hittite, were Luwian, Aramaic and Phoenician-speaking political entities of the Iron Age northern Syria and southern Anatolia that arose following the collapse of the Hittite Empire around 1180 BC and lasted until roughly 700 BC...
state of Kammanu
Kammanu
thumb|200px|right|Historical map of the Neo-Hittite states, ca. 800 BC, showing the location of Kammanu with Melid.Kammanu was a Luwian speaking Neo-Hittite state in South Central Anatolia in the late 2nd millennium BC, formed from part of Kizzuwatna after the collapse of the Hittite Empire. Its...
. The city continued old Hittite traditions and styles. Researchers have discovered a palace inside the city walls, which has statues and reliefs that are examples of the artistic works of that age. The people erected a palace, accompanied by monumental stone sculptures of lions and the ruler. Archeologists first began to excavate the site of Arslantepe in the 1930s, led by French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
archaeologist Louis Delaporte.
The Assyria
Assyria
Assyria was a Semitic Akkadian kingdom, extant as a nation state from the mid–23rd century BC to 608 BC centred on the Upper Tigris river, in northern Mesopotamia , that came to rule regional empires a number of times through history. It was named for its original capital, the ancient city of Assur...
n king Tiglath-Pileser I
Tiglath-Pileser I
Tiglath-Pileser I was a king of Assyria during the Middle Assyrian period . According to Georges Roux, Tiglath-Pileser was "one of the two or three great Assyrian monarchs since the days of Shamshi-Adad I"...
(1115-1077 B.C.) forced the kingdom of Malatya to pay tribute to Assyria. Malatya continued to prosper until the Assyrian king Sargon II
Sargon II
Sargon II was an Assyrian king. Sargon II became co-regent with Shalmaneser V in 722 BC, and became the sole ruler of the kingdom of Assyria in 722 BC after the death of Shalmaneser V. It is not clear whether he was the son of Tiglath-Pileser III or a usurper unrelated to the royal family...
(722-705) sacked the city in 712 BC. At the same time, the Cimmerians
Cimmerians
The Cimmerians or Kimmerians were ancient equestrian nomads of Indo-European origin.According to the Greek historian Herodotus, of the 5th century BC, the Cimmerians inhabited the region north of the Caucasus and the Black Sea during the 8th and 7th centuries BC, in what is now Ukraine and Russia...
and Scythians invaded Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
, and the city declined. Since 1961, an Italian team of archaeologists, today led by Marcella Frangipane, have been working at the site.
Under Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
rule, Melitene was the base camp of Legio XII Fulminata
Legio XII Fulminata
Legio duodecima Fulminata , also known as Paterna, Victrix, Antiqua, Certa Constans, and Galliena, was a Roman legion, levied by Julius Caesar in 58 BC and which accompanied him during the Gallic wars until 49 BC. The unit was still guarding the Euphrates River crossing near Melitene at the...
. It was a major center in Lesser Armenia
Lesser Armenia
Lesser Armenia , also known as Armenia Minor and Armenia Inferior, refers to the Armenian populated regions, primarily to the West and North-West of the ancient Armenian Kingdom...
(P'ok'r Hayk
Theodosius I
Theodosius I , also known as Theodosius the Great, was Roman Emperor from 379 to 395. Theodosius was the last emperor to rule over both the eastern and the western halves of the Roman Empire. During his reign, the Goths secured control of Illyricum after the Gothic War, establishing their homeland...
divided the region into two provinces: First Armenia (Hayk'), with its capital at Sivas; and Second Armenia, with its capital at Melitene.
Middle Ages
During the reign of the Emperor Justinian IJustinian I
Justinian I ; , ; 483– 13 or 14 November 565), commonly known as Justinian the Great, was Byzantine Emperor from 527 to 565. During his reign, Justinian sought to revive the Empire's greatness and reconquer the lost western half of the classical Roman Empire.One of the most important figures of...
(527-565), new administrative reforms were carried out in this region, and Melitene became the capital of the province of Third Armenia. The city was captured by the Rashidun Caliphate
Rashidun Caliphate
The Rashidun Caliphate , comprising the first four caliphs in Islam's history, was founded after Muhammad's death in 632, Year 10 A.H.. At its height, the Caliphate extended from the Arabian Peninsula, to the Levant, Caucasus and North Africa in the west, to the Iranian highlands and Central Asia...
in 638 became a base for their raids further into Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
, which was pursued also by the Abbasids. In the 9th century, under its semi-independent emir Umar al-Aqta
Umar al-Aqta
‘Umar ibn ‘Abdallah ibn Marwan , surnamed al-Aqta’, "the one-handed", and found as Amer or Ambros in Byzantine sources, was the Arab emir of Malatya from the 830s until his death in battle in 863...
, Malatya rose to become a major opponent of the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
, until Umar was defeated and killed at Lalakaon in 863. The Byzantines attacked the city many times, but did not finally take it until the campaigns of John Kourkouas
John Kourkouas
John Kourkouas , also transliterated as Kurkuas or Curcuas, was one of the most important generals of the Byzantine Empire. His successes in battle against the Muslim states in the East definitively reversed the course of the centuries-long Byzantine–Arab Wars and began Byzantium's 10th-century...
in 927-934. After successively accepting and renouncing vassal status, the city was finally taken in May 934, its Muslim inhabitants driven out or forced to convert, and replaced by Greek and Armenian settlers.
In the tenth century the Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas convinced the Jacobite Patriarch of Antioch to move many of his followers into the region of Melitene. These Syrians
Demographics of Syria
Syrians today are an overall indigenous Levantine people. While modern-day Syrians are commonly described as Arabs by virtue of their modern-day language and bonds to Arab culture and history...
set up bishoprics in Melitene as well as in many surrounding cities. In the period that followed the Turkish
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
advance into Anatolia after the Battle of Manzikert
Battle of Manzikert
The Battle of Manzikert , was fought between the Byzantine Empire and Seljuq Turks led by Alp Arslan on August 26, 1071 near Manzikert...
, Gabriel of Melitene
Gabriel of Melitene
Gabriel of Melitene was the ruler of Melitene . Along with Thoros of Edessa, Gabriel was a former officer of Philaretos Brachamios. Philaretos had installed Gabriel as the ruler of Melitene. Following the death of Philaretos in 1086 Melitene became completely independent of Byzantine control with...
, a Greek Orthodox
Greek Orthodox Church
The Greek Orthodox Church is the body of several churches within the larger communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity sharing a common cultural tradition whose liturgy is also traditionally conducted in Koine Greek, the original language of the New Testament...
Armenian (see Hayhurum
Hayhurum
Hayhurum is the name given to Armenian-speaking Christians who are members of the Greek Orthodox Church. Their exact ethnicity was a source of debate. Some of these Armenian speakers, purportedly living in the vicinity of the town of Eğin till the 16th century, were of Orthodox faith...
) who had risen from the ranks of the Byzantine army, governed the city. From 1086 to 1100 he preserved his independence with the aid of the Beylik
Anatolian Turkish Beyliks
thumb|350px|Anatolian Turkish Beyliks map.Anatolian beyliks, Turkish beyliks or Turkmen beyliks were small Turkish Muslim emirates or principalities governed by Beys, which were founded across Anatolia at the end of the 11th century in a first period, and more extensively during the decline of the...
of the Danishmends
Danishmends
The Danishmend dynasty was a Turcoman dynasty that ruled in north-central and eastern Anatolia in the 11th and 12th centuries. The centered originally around Sivas, Tokat, and Niksar in central-northeastern Anatolia, they extended as far west as Ankara and Kastamonu for a time, and as far south as...
and after 1100, he invested heavily on the commanders of the First Crusade
First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
, especially Bohemond I of Antioch and Baldwin of Boulogne.
The Danishmends took over Malatya one years later in 1101 (see Battle of Melitene
Battle of Melitene
In the Battle of Melitene in 1100, a Crusader force led by Bohemond I of Antioch was defeated by Danishmend Turks commanded by Malik Ghazi Gumushtekin.After acquiring the Principality of Antioch in 1098, Bohemond allied himself with the Armenians of Cilicia...
). With the Anatolian Seljuk Sultanate based in Konya
Konya
Konya is a city in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey. The metropolitan area in the entire Konya Province had a population of 1,036,027 as of 2010, making the city seventh most populous in Turkey.-Etymology:...
taking over the Beylik
Anatolian Turkish Beyliks
thumb|350px|Anatolian Turkish Beyliks map.Anatolian beyliks, Turkish beyliks or Turkmen beyliks were small Turkish Muslim emirates or principalities governed by Beys, which were founded across Anatolia at the end of the 11th century in a first period, and more extensively during the decline of the...
of Danishmend in late 12th century, Malatya became part of their realm. It was part of Mamluks in end of 13th century. The city became Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
in 1515.
Modern
The current city of Malatya was founded in 1838, with the old site of Mitilene now designated as Old Malatya.Malatya was the scene of anti-Armenian violence during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. During the Hamidian Massacres
Hamidian massacres
The Hamidian massacres , also referred to as the Armenian Massacres of 1894–1896, refers to the massacring of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire, with estimates of the dead ranging from anywhere between 80,000 to 300,000, and at least 50,000 orphans as a result...
of 1895-1896, the Armenians of Malatya unsuccessfully attempted to defend themselves against the persecutions of the Ottoman government. Over 7,500 of them were massacred, the great majority of them women, children and elderly. In the aftermath, a Red Cross team sent to Malatya and led by Julian B. Hubbell concluded that 1,500 Armenian houses had been pillaged and 375 burned to the ground.
According to the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia
Catholic Encyclopedia
The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia and the Original Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in the United States. The first volume appeared in March 1907 and the last three volumes appeared in 1912, followed by a master index...
, Malatya city was inhabited by 30,000 people at the time, with a clear Turkish
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
majority, and an Armenian population of 3,000, of whom 800 were Catholics. A more recent source, however, states that Malatya's population hovered around 40,000, of which half (20,000) were Armenian. Of the five churches in the city, three belonged to the Armenians. They were chiefly involved in commerce, silkworm cultivation and agriculture. In the spring of 1915, the Armenians of the town were rounded up by Ottoman authorities and sent on death marches
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
to the deserts of Syria. Those who survived the Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
settled in a number of different countries.
Climate
Malatya has a semi-arid climate with hot and dry summers and cold and snowy winters. The highest recorded temperature was 42.2 °C (108.0 °F) on 31 July 2000. The lowest recorded temperature was -19 °C (-2.2 °F) on 27 December 2002.Cuisine
Meatballs (köfte) have a special place in the cuisine as do apricots, which are used in many meals from kebabs (meat broiled or roasted in small pieces) to desserts. There are over seventy kinds of köfte (meatballs) usually made with wheat and other ingredients mixed in. "Kagit Kebabi" is one of the most important local specialities. "Kagit Kebabi" is a dish made of lamb and vegetables broiled in a wrapper, which is usually oily paper.The Malatya region is best known for its apricot
Apricot
The apricot, Prunus armeniaca, is a species of Prunus, classified with the plum in the subgenus Prunus. The native range is somewhat uncertain due to its extensive prehistoric cultivation.- Description :...
orchards. About 50% of the fresh apricot production and 95% of the dried apricot production in Turkey, the world's leading apricot producer, is provided by Malatya and the name of the fruit is synonymous with the city. It reached its most delicious and sophisticated form in the fertile soil of Malatya, nourished from the alluvial soil of the Euphrates
Euphrates
The Euphrates is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia...
. Overall, about 10-15% of the worldwide crop of fresh apricots, and about 65-80% of the worldwide production of dried apricots comes out of Malatya. Malatya apricots are often sun-dried by family-run orchards using traditional methods, before they are collected and shipped throughout the world.
Festivals
Malatya Fair and Apricot Festivities has been held since 1978, every year in July, to promote Malatya and apricots and to convene the producers to meet one another. During the festivities, various sports activities, concerts and apricot contests are organized.Near Apricot Festivities, there are also some other annual activities on summer. Cherry Festivities at Yeşilyurt District of Malatya and Grape Festivities at Arapgir District are organized annually.
Sports
Malatya's official team is MalatyasporMalatyaspor
Malatya SK is a Turkish sports club based in Malatya, mainly concentrated on football. Malatyaspor are currently playing in the TFF Third League. Previously their colors were yellow and black . They played in First League for 11 seasons. They are the first and only team located in Eastern Anatolia...
with colors red and yellow. Malatyaspor football team is currently competing in TFF Second League
TFF Second League
TFF Second League or TFF 2. Lig , is the third level in the Turkish football league system. It was founded in 2001-02 season with the name of "Turkish Second League Category B" as a continuation of then second level division Turkish Second Football League. In 2005–06 the name of the league was...
. Malatyaspor's stadium is Malatya İnönü Stadium located in the city's center. Malatya's other team is Malatya Belediyespor with colors green and orange. It is currently competing in TFF Third League
TFF Third League
TFF Third League or TFF 3. Lig , is the fourth level in the Turkish football league system. It was founded in 2001-02 season as a continuation of then third level division Turkish Third Football League. 2010–11 is the 10th season of the league...
.
Education
Inonu UniversityInönü University
İnönü University is a university in Malatya, Turkey, founded in 28 February 1975.it is one of the biggest university of eastern part of Turkey.-External links:*...
, one of the largest universities in eastern region of Turkey, is located in Malatya. It was established in 1975 and has three institutions and nine faculties on its campus, with more than 2,500 faculty and 20,000 students. Its large campus is located in the southern part of Malatya. There are 162 High schools and some of the well-known, national high school entrance examination based high schools in Malatya are Private Rahime Batu Anatolian and Science High Schools, Private Turgut Özal Anatolian High School, Malatya Science High School
Malatya Science High School
Malatya Science High School is a public boarding school located in Malatya, Turkey. It was established in 1986 by Yahya Ozkan with the approbation of Ministry of National Education. The school has a curriculum concentrated on natural sciences and mathematics...
, Malatya Anatolian High School, and Turgut Özal Anatolian High School.
Transportation
By its relative advance in industrial growthIndustry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
, Malatya is also a pole of attraction for its surrounding regions, in commercial as well as inward immigration terms. The city is at a key junction in Turkey’s road and rail network. By rail, it also serves as the junction for Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
through Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
-Samsun
Samsun
Samsun is a city of about half a million people on the north coast of Turkey. It is the provincial capital of Samsun Province and a major Black Sea port.-Name:...
line. The bus terminal
Bus station
A bus station is a structure where city or intercity buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. It is larger than a bus stop, which is usually simply a place on the roadside, where buses can stop...
is located 5 kilometers west of the city center and there are regular intercity services to and from Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
, Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
and Gaziantep
Gaziantep
Gaziantep , Ottoman Turkish: Ayintab) previously and still informally called Antep; ʻayn tāb is a city in southeast Turkey and amongst the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. The city is located 185 kilometres northeast of Adana and 127 kilometres by road north of Aleppo, Syria...
. The railway station lies at a distance of 3 kilometers west of the city center and daily express trains run to Elazığ
Elazig
Elâzığ is a city in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey and the seat of Elâzığ Province. It has a population of331,479 according to the 2010 census, and the plain on which the city extends has an altitude of 1067 metres....
, Diyarbakır
Diyarbakır
Diyarbakır is one of the largest cities in southeastern Turkey...
, Istanbul and Ankara. Both these stations are easily reached by taxis and dolmuş
Dolmuş
In Turkey and Turkish controlled Northern Cyprus, dolmuş are share taxis that run set routes within and between cities.Departing from the terminal only when a sufficient amount of passengers have boarded, their name is derived from Turkish for "apparently stuffed" for this reason.In some cities...
services.
Malatya's airport, Erhaç Airport, is 26 kilometers west of the city center and there are daily domestic flights from Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
and Izmir
Izmir
Izmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
. Since 2007 there have also been international flights during the summer months. These international flights are especially from German cities to Malatya, and most of the passengers are Turkish citizens who are now living and working in German.
Notable natives
Malatya prides itself for having raised two out of the ten Presidents of TurkeyPresident of Turkey
The President of Turkey is the head of state of the Republic of Turkey. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office but has some important functions...
to date. These were;
- İsmet İnönüIsmet InönüMustafa İsmet İnönü was a Turkish Army General, Prime Minister and the second President of Turkey. In 1938, the Republican People's Party gave him the title of "Milli Şef" .-Family and early life:...
- 2nd President of Turkey, Prime Minister in ten governments and commander during the Turkish War of IndependenceTurkish War of IndependenceThe Turkish War of Independence was a war of independence waged by Turkish nationalists against the Allies, after the country was partitioned by the Allies following the Ottoman Empire's defeat in World War I...
, and, - Turgut ÖzalTurgut ÖzalHalil Turgut Özal was Prime Minister of Turkey and President of Turkey . As Prime Minister, he transformed the economy of Turkey by paving the way for the privatization of many state enterprises.-Early life and career:...
- 8th President of Turkey, Prime Minister between 1983–1989
As such, more than half of the eight decades of Republican Turkey was led or strongly influenced by sons of Malatya, as Presidents, Prime Ministers, key ministers or opposition leaders. Other notable natives of Malatya are;
- Gökhan SakiGökhan SakiGökhan Saki is a Turkish-Dutch heavyweight kickboxer, fighting out of Golden Glory Gym in Breda, Netherlands...
- K1 - Fighter - Ahmet KayaAhmet KayaAhmet Kaya was a celebrated Turkish-Kurdish singer who died on November 16, 2000 in exile in Paris. He formerly sang in Turkish...
- singer - Ahmet Kayhan DedeAhmet Kayhan DedeAhmet Kayhan Dede was a Turkish Sufi master of the 20th century and an important figure in Islamic Mysticism.-Early history:...
- Sufi master - Bar-HebraeusBar-HebraeusGregory Bar Hebraeus was a catholicos of the Syriac Orthodox Church in the 13th century...
- 13th century Syriac polymathPolymathA polymath is a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas. In less formal terms, a polymath may simply be someone who is very knowledgeable...
. - Battal GaziBattal GaziBattal Gazi or Seyyid Battal Ghazi was an Arab Muslim, saintly figure and warrior based in Anatolia during the late Umayyad period whose attributed legends, which also form the bulk of the information available on the historic personality, later became an important part in Turkish...
- 8th century MuslimMuslimA Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
warrior and a legendary figure in Turkish folk literatureTurkish folk literatureTurkish folk literature is an oral tradition deeply rooted, in its form, in Central Asian nomadic traditions. However, in its themes, Turkish folk literature reflects the problems peculiar to a settling people who have abandoned the nomadic lifestyle...
. - Belkıs AkkaleBelkis AkkaleBelkis Akkale is a distinguished Turkish singer of Turkish folk music.She was born in 1956 in Malatya, Turkey.-References:...
- singer - Bülent KorkmazBülent KorkmazBülent Korkmaz is a retired Turkish football centre back and manager of Karabükspor. He played for Galatasaray for his whole career , where fans nicknamed him Büyük Kaptan ....
- former football player - Çetin AlpÇetin AlpÇetin Alp was a Turkish pop music singer.Çetin Alp & The Short Waves performed Turkey's entry, Opera, in the Eurovision Song Contest 1983 in Munich, West Germany. Alp came joint last, alongside Spain's Remedios Amaya, scoring nul points...
- singer and performer of Turkey's entry in the European Song Contest 1983 - Emine Sevgi ÖzdamarEmine Sevgi ÖzdamarEmine Sevgi Özdamar , is a Turkish-German actress, director and author.Özdamar has received a lot of recognition for her work. A lover of poetry, she found great inspiration in the works of Heinrich Heine and Bertolt Brecht, especially from an album of the latter's songs which she had bought in the...
- Turkish-German actress and author - Hamit AltıntopHamit AltintopHamit Altıntop is a German-born Turkish professional footballer who plays for Real Madrid in La Liga. He is a versatile midfielder who can play either in a defending or attacking role and on both flanks. He is well known for his flair of long-shot ability, as shown when he played for Schalke 04...
- football player - Halil AltıntopHalil AltintopHalil Altıntop is a German-born Turkish national footballer. He currently plays for Trabzonspor. He is the identical twin brother of Hamit Altıntop who plays for Real Madrid.-Career:...
- football player - Hrant DinkHrant DinkHrant Dink or Հրանտ Դինք ) was a Turkish citizen of Armenian descent editor, journalist and columnist....
- assassinated journalist of Armenian origin - İlyas Salman - actor
- Kemal SunalKemal SunalKemal Sunal was a master of comedy in the Turkish history of cinema. Famed for his parts as "İnek Şaban", "Tosun Paşa", "Kibar Feyzo", "Süt Kardeşler"...
- notable actor - Kenan IşıkKenan IşıkKenan Işık is a Turkish actor and host.- Biography :Son of a retired Turkish State Railways officer, he always been interested in theater starting from shows in primary school although there was no one in his family interested in any sort of art. He read poems, took the lead in the plays...
- actor - Kadir Kartal - Production
- Mehmet Ali AğcaMehmet Ali AgcaMehmet Ali Ağca is a Turkish assassin who murdered left-wing journalist Abdi İpekçi on February 1, 1979 and later shot and wounded Pope John Paul II on May 13, 1981, after escaping from a Turkish prison. After serving 19 years of imprisonment in Italy, he was deported to Turkey, where he served a...
- assassin of the journalist Abdi İpekçi (murdered); also wounded Pope John Paul II in an assassination attempt - Mehmet GüvenMehmet GüvenMehmet Güven is a Turkish football midfielder.-Career:Güven currently plays for Manisaspor. He joined the senior squad in 2005/06, and made his debut on February 2, 2006 in a cup match at home against Giresunspor....
- football player
- Michael the SyrianMichael the SyrianMichael the Syrian , also known as Michael the Great or Michael Syrus or Michael the Elder, to distinguish him from his nephew, was a patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church from 1166 to 1199. He is best known today as the author of the largest medieval Chronicle, which he composed in Syriac...
- patriarchPatriarchOriginally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
of the Syrian Orthodox Church from 1166–1199, and best known as the author of the largest medieval Chronicle. - NalanNalanNalan may refer to:*Nalan Xingde, a poet*Nalan Ramazanoğlu, a Turkish basketball player*Nalan , a Turkish singer*Nalan Mingzhu, an official of the Qing Dynasty*Nalan Minghui, a character in Qijian Xia Tianshan...
- pop singer - Nehir ErdoganNehir Erdogan-Biography:In 2005 she became famous in both Turkey and Greece for starring in the TV mini series Yabancı Damat , concerning the problems encountered in an intercultural marriage between a Greek man and a Turkish girl.She also starred in various Turkish movies, including Okul and Hababam Sınıfı...
- female actor - Oktay KaynarcaOktay KaynarcaOktay Kaynarca Oktay Kaynarca Oktay Kaynarca (27 January 1965, Malatya Turkish actor, being a TV and movie star in his country. He is better known for his role in the cult TV series Kurtlar Vadisi (Valley of the Wolves).He currently plays in a film called "Adanali". He is one of the main characters...
- actor - Osman Hulusi Ateş Efendi - poet and Sufi master
- Recai KutanRecai KutanMehmet Recai Kutan is a Turkish politician and the former leader of Felicity Party .-Biography:Kutan graduated from Istanbul Technical University, Department of Civil Engineering in 1952. Until 1973, he worked as an engineer in various projects including the Southeastern Anatolia Project...
- politician, leader of Felicity Party - Yonca EvcimikYonca EvcimikYonca Evcimik is a Turkish pop singer and actress.-Biography:Evcimik studied dance and ballet at the academy of music at Mimar Sinan University. In an interview she revealed that she worked as a sales agent for a life insurance company before starting her career. After graduation she worked at...
- Turkish pop singer - Zafer ŞakarZafer SakarZafer Şakar is a Turkish football midfielder who plays for Boluspor in the Bank Asya 1. Lig.Şakar previously played for Galatasaray, Denizlispor and Samsunspor. Zafer is a product of the Galatasaray Youth Team....
- football player, currently playing for Galatasaray S.K. - Zerrin ÖzerZerrin ÖzerZerrin Özer is a famous Turkish pop singer. She is called as Turkey's Janis Joplin by several fans. She has very famous hits such as "Gönül" , "Dayanamıyorum" , "Dünya Tatlısı" and "Paşa Gönlüm" -Biography:She was born in 1957 in Ankara, Turkey...
- singer - KutsiKutsiAhmet Kutsi Karadoğan is a composer, pop music singer and song writer often known as Kutsi. His first two names have been given to him from the poet Ahmet Kutsi Tecer.- Biography:...
- singer - Sabri Ozel - businessman
- Sahin Ozer - businessman
- Sebahat TuncelSebahat TuncelSebahat Tuncel is a Kurdish politician, women’s rights advocate, former nurse and member of Parliament in Turkey.She was born in Malatya and studied Cartography and Land Surveying in Mersin University and began her political career through the Women’s Branch of the Party of People’s Democracy in...
- DTP Member of Parliament for Istanbul - Sedef AvciSedef AvciSedef Avci is a Turkish model and actress. She won Elite Model Look Turkey in 1997. She represented Turkey at Miss Universe contestant in 2001.She is married to model and actor Kıvanç Kasabalı.-Acting career:...
- female actor, Turkey's Miss Universe contestant in 2001 - Selcuk Ural - actor
- Sumer TilmacSümer TilmaçSümer Tilmaç is a Turkish actor. He started his theatre and film acting career in 1962 and took part in many theater plays. He acted in various films and television series. He also worked in Antalya State Theatre for three years....
- actor - Mehmet TopalMehmet TopalMehmet Topal is a Turkish footballer who plays for Valencia CF in the Spanish La liga. He is a defensive midfielder and has the nickname of Örümcek , due to his ability to use his long legs to win loose balls or cut out passes.-Galatasaray:He joined Galatasaray in September 2006 at the age of 20,...
- football player - Atılgan Yılmaz - scientist
- Zafer Isleyen - Anadolu Rock Singer
Further reading
Alboyajian, Arshag. Պատմութիւն Մալաթիոյ հայոց (The History of Armenian Malatya). Beirut, 1961.External links
- Malatya Malatya RSS
- Arslantepe University of Rome's English and Italian webpages on the excavations
- Malatya Sivil Toplum Örgütleri Birliği Malatya Sivil Toplum Örgütleri Birliği
- Malatyam.com Malatya Haber Portalı - Malatya'nın Güncel Haberleri
- Malatya 3d Malatya - 360 derece malatya - malatya sanal tur
- Malatya Park Malatya Park Alışveriş Merkezi
- Malatya Malatya