"Kahramanmaras is
a city with a population of 300,000 founded on
the southern slopes and valley of Ahir Mountain,
rising to 2,300 mt. (7,600 ft.) and connected to
the Taurus. Approximately 700 mt. (2,300 ft.)
above sea level the plains extending before Maras
are sown with cotton, wheat, rice, lentils, chick
peas, pepper and sugar beet. In recent years
industrialization has led to rapid development in
the city. New factories are being built and the
latest technology is used, especially in the
textile world. The industrialization of the city
has also attracted migration from the villages.Cotton is one of
Kahramanmaras' main agricultural products. Around
13,500 hectares of cotton are sown yielding
35,000 tons per year and processed into a quarter
of Turkey's cotton yarn and make up a quarter of
the nation's textile exports. There are many
green valleys in the province of Kahramanmaras
located among the mountains linked to the
south-eastern Taurus and covered over one third
of its land by forest." (Atlas Magazine '96
December)
Many more things
can be said about the city. For the remaining
description of Kahramanmaras, you have to go and
stay there for a while. Once you have visited the
city, sampled the delicious food and enjoyed the
friendship and hospitality of the people, you are
sure to return again and again, each time making
new discoveries and new friends.
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Pictures
of Kahramanmaras
One thing is true
when we consider some of the descriptions of
Kahramanmaras. It truly is a city where the
western culture meets the eastern culture. Of
course, there is no fine line separating the two
cultures, but the mixture is definitively there.
To eat Maras Ice-Cream, you have
to use a knife!!!
Kahramanmaras is
very well noted for its delicious ice-cream made
with goat milk and orchid roots picked up from
the pine forests in the region. The ice-cream is
different because it is so hard to melt in your
mouth and you definitely need a knife to eat if
you do not want to wait for hours. Yasar
Patisserie shop make it possible using a special
technique for you to take away as much ice-cream
as you want with you for any location and
distance in the world.
In the city's
copper market, you see copper containers made
with traditional techniques. All the windows are
decorated with copper cups with handles, pans,
large dishes with lids and buckets.
One of the city's
most important crafts is wood-carving. All the
patterns are carved by hand in oak, hornbeam and
walnut.
In Kahramanmaras,
you come across many shops with colorful displays
of dried pepper, eggplants and zucchini, spices,
sauces and molasses.
Kilavuzlu Ceyhan
Bridge was built between the 14th and 16th
centuries and situated on the old road between
Kahramanmaras and Goksun.
Menzelet
Reservoir is a wonderful piece of nature which is
only 26 km. Away from the city.
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