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Adana History, Turkey

Adana is considered as one of the oldest cities in Turkey. It is also regarded as the fourth largest city in the country. It is blessed with a lot of natural resources coupled with a very temperate weather ideal for travelers. Its position in Turkey’s map was brought about by a very remarkable history. One of the traces left is the fact that Alexander the Great used Adana’s roads in taking his trip to the Indian soil.

Early Records

Hittite records were said to be the first ones to mention Adana. This was tracked at around 1,600 BC. It was said that the said inhabitants were settling on the grounds of the city since 15th Century BC.

The name Adana was actually coined from the two sons of Uranus. Adanus, one of the two, was said to be contributory to the name Adana. The city’s famous Seyhan river got its name from the second son named Seyhanus.

Several Invasions

Adana had several colonization. It started from 6th Century BC when the Persians occupied the area. It took around three centuries before Alexander the Great conquered the Persians and established his flock in the area in 333 BC. The death of the said warrior led to the Selucid occupation.

This was not yet the end for all invasions in the place. The Selucids had to give up their settlement to the Roman Empire which was headed by Pompei. Islamic regime invaded the area in 11th century. After one century, it finally landed on the hands of the so-called Selijuk Turks.

More Settlements

Despite being handed-over to the rule of the Turks, there were other armies who possessed this land for their own vested interests. In 1517, under the rule of Sultan Selim, Adana became a captive again and formed part of the Ottoman Empire. After the wretchedness left by the First World War, it was found under the leadership of the French Empire. Their rule lasted until 1922 when Adana gained its own liberty from these various invasions.

After Liberation

There were a lot of formidable marks left by the various settlements in Adana. However, the place was strong enough to rise up and gain a name for itself. Much more to the advantage of the people, it has now become independent from all the warfare it had encountered.

Adana was not shattered by the wars of its past. The several conquests have led it to modernization. Now, it has a lot of shopping centers which are said to be very competitive not just in Turkey but in the whole of Europe. It also houses a lot of establishments from movie houses to restaurants. Now, a visit to this place is said to be worth every vacationer’s penny. You could enjoy its sceneries from the lakes and other infrastructures left by tradition.

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Petrus Grotto at Antakya
travel tip by Wazling posted more then 30 days ago
If you want to see one of the oldest churches of cristianity, then you should visit the church of the holy Petrus at Antakya. This place is about 196 Kilometers away from Adana, and in medieval times it was called Antiochia. All three...