Adıyaman Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Adıyaman

Municipality

Atatürk Boulevard in Adıyaman

Logo

Adıyaman

Location in Turkey

Country

Turkey

Province

Adıyaman

District

Adıyaman

Population

(2021)

267,131

Time zone

TRT (UTC+3)

Adıyaman (Kurdish: Semsûr) is a city in southeastern Turkey. It is the main city of Adıyaman Province and Adıyaman District. In 2021, about 267,131 people lived there. Most of the people in the city are Kurdish.

The city was badly affected by the strong earthquakes in February 2023. Many buildings were destroyed. Many lives were lost. Bad weather and damaged roads made it hard for rescue teams to arrive quickly.

What's in a Name?
A Look at History
Fun Places to Visit
Weather in Adıyaman
City Areas
Images for kids
See also

What's in a Name?

One idea about the city's old name, Hisn-Mansur, comes from an Umayyad leader named Mansur ibn Jawana. He was killed in this area in 758. People found it hard to say Hisn-Mansur. So, the name changed to Semsur.

There are other ideas about where the name comes from. But we don't know for sure if they are true.

A Look at History

The first settlement in this area was an old town called Perrhe. It was part of the kingdom of Commagene. Later, it became part of the Roman and then the Byzantine Empire.

Then, Arab armies took control. The town became known as Hisn Mansur. It was an important border town. It stood between the Abbasid caliphate and the Byzantines. Because of this, it was very well protected. It had a wall with three gates and a ditch. In the middle, there was a strong fort with double walls.

In the early 1000s, the town was part of the Byzantine defenses. These defenses were in the Euphrates region. Other towns like Edessa, Gargar, Samosata, and Chasanara were also part of this defense. Around 1066 or 1067, a Turkish leader named Gümüshtekīn attacked the area. He took many valuable things and people.

By the end of the 1000s, the Byzantines no longer controlled the town. An Armenian ruler named Kogh Vasil took over.

Fun Places to Visit

Adıyaman has some interesting places for visitors. The most famous place is Mount Nemrut.

The caves of Pirin are about 5 kilometers (3 miles) from Adıyaman. Pirin was an ancient city called Perre. These caves have been used as a burial place for thousands of years. You can see the ruins of the old city there. You can also explore burial caves carved right into the rock.
The only active church in Adıyaman Province is in the city. It is the center for the Syriac Orthodox church in the area. It was fixed up and opened again in 2012.

Weather in Adıyaman

Adıyaman has a hot summer Mediterranean climate. This means summers are very hot and very dry. Temperatures often reach 40°C (104°F) in the middle of summer. The hottest temperature ever recorded was 45.3°C (113.5°F) on July 30, 2000.

Winters in Adıyaman are cool to cold. They also get a lot of rain. Because the city is inland and quite high up, frost and snow are common. The coldest temperature ever recorded was −14.4°C (6.1°F) on January 24, 1972.