Kahramanmaras City Guide

Kahramanmaras City Guide

Located at the point where Mediterranean, Eastern Anatolia and Southeast Anatolia Regions converge, Kahramanmaras is the 11th largest city of Turkey with an area of 14.327 km². While the name of city was Maras, Grand National Assembly of Turkey added Kahraman meaning ‘hero’ to the name in 1973 as a consequence of the great accomplishment shown by the city during the Independence War. The city has a country-wide reputation for its ice cream.

Tourist Attractions

Being a tourism city via its caves, plateaus, rivers and natural spring waters, Kahramanmaras becomes important through its flora.

Eshab-ı Kehf, Kahramanmaras Castle and Dongel Cave are the important structures available within the borders of the city that you should certainly see.

Eshab-ı Kehf placed at Afsin district is a historical artifact remaining from 13th century. It is consisted of mosque, caravansary and many small constructions.

Dongel Cave on the way to Kayseri and Bulut Deligi Cave at Pazarcik are fossil caves that you should absolutely see.


The plateaus of the city are famous with their flora. Baskonus, Yavsan and Tekir Plateaus are the unprecedented examples from all over the world. You should live nature at these plateaus.

Zeytun, Ekinozu and Goksun Spring Resorts are some of the main natural water resources making the city a potential tourist destination. Kahramanmaras Museums, Yassi Tumulus, Kasanli Village Tumulus and Pazarcik Ruins are the other places that you should not miss.

Culture & Entertainment

Handicrafts and folk music are the basic parts of the genuine culture of the city.


Copper working, simsirma (a kind of handicraft peculiar to the city) embroidery, woodcarving and wood embroidery are the leading examples from the local handicraft.

Living in plateaus of the city is one of the fabulous summer activities. These plateaus are famous with their clean air, cold water and festivals held by local people. You will like living a certain period of time at these plateaus.

Sir Dam Lake is convenient for bicycle tours. Also, Gavur Lake is a significant bird paradise admired in Turkey.

Food & Drink

Meat foods and sweets highly contribute to the city culture. Mainly, meat and wheat are the basic ingredients of a great deal of dishes of the city cuisine. Paprika is used in every food. Aubergine, pepper, zucchini and such vegetables are drained for winter. You should anyhow eat Kahramanmaras ice cream.

Meat foods: Sac kavurma (roasted meat and vegetables), yahni, kulbasti, meat past...
Breads: Bazlama, sepit, bezdirme, bukme, yufka...
Soups: Tirsik soup, eksili soup, dovmeli lentil soup, maras soup, yogurt soup...
Kofte: Kofte, suluyagli, icli, kisir, somelek, yavan, eskili aya...
Pastries: Cheese pastry, cokelek, bayram patty
Sweets: Ice cream, harmanda baklava, fistik ezme (pistachio), pestil faggot, flour faggot, culama, hapisa, ilende, bastik, ravanda...

Shopping

Xylography, copper makings, simsirma goods, leather shoes and half boots are the authentic commodities.

Ottoman Covered Bazaar, Mezmanlar Market, Demirciler (blacksmith) Bazaar, Bakircilar (coppersmith) Bazaar, Cinli Shopping Place and different kinds of passages are available for shopping. You can buy local goods and more from these locations.