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Malatya (Old
Malatya), 12km north of the modern city, which is a ruined Roman
town with remains of some old city walls, mosques and caravanserais.
Districts : Malatya (center), Akçadağ, Arapkir, Arguvan,
Battalgazi, Darende, Doğanşehir, Doğanyol, Hekimhan, Kale, Kuluncak,
Pötürge, Yazıhan, Yeşilyurt.
The summer seasons
are hot and dry while winters are cold and mostly snowy. However
after the recent construction of Karakaya and other dams, the climate
has softened and occasionally shown characteristics of a Mediterranean
climate. The wettest months are during the Spring and Autumn. At
the junction of the East and West civilisations, Nemrut Dagi (Mount
Nemrut) is one of the most astounding sites in Turkey: A collection
of colossal statues on a remote mountain 2150m high, adorning the
temple and tomb of King Antiochus. Unknown until 1881 when an Ottoman
geologist discovered these 10 metre-high stone heads, archaeological
work began in 1953 to uncover their history.
Nemrut
Mountain : Nemrut Dağı has since been a significant attraction,
with thousands coming at sunrise and sunset to see the stones in
the best possible light. It has been designated a World Cultural
Heritage site by UNESCO, and is one of the most important National
Parks in the country. In addition to the statues, the entire site
includes art from the Commagene civilisation, the Eskikale (Old
Castle), Yenikale (New Castle), Karakus Hill and Cendere Bridge.
Most people use the nearby towns of Malatya, Kahta or Adıyaman as
a base, and the road to the summit is only open from mid-April to
mid-October because of heavy snow the rest of the year.
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