AHLAT

Ahlat is a town in the province of Bitlis, on the northwest coast of Lake Van.It is limited with the towns of Bulanık and Malazgirt bound to Muş province on the north, with Muş province on the west, Lake Van on the south, Tatvan and Bitlis on the southwest, and Van Lake and Adilcevaz on the east.

Ahlatwas on the route of silk in history and is NATO road which provides western-eastern and Iran-Iraq connection nowadays. It is possible to reach Ahlat from almost every city by road. Diyarbakır-Ahlat roadcan be used when coming from the southern regions and, Muş-Ahlat road can be used while coming from other regions. In addition, the city can be reached through Van-Ahlat from abroad and from the east.There are no direct air routes to Ahlat from other cities, and it is possible to reach Ahlat via Van, Muş, Diyarbakir, Bingöl, Batman airports. There is a shuttle service to Van and Muş from Bitlis, 110 km from Mus airport and 200 km from Van airport toAhlat.

The surface shape of the circle which is spread over a 1044 km2 rural area shows differences both in physical form and in occurrence form. Nemrut, one of the few volcanoes in the world, is located to the west of Ahlat and Süphan is located to the east. These mountains have large mountain plateaus on their foothills. Nemrut is an example of volcanic mountains in this region, and it is worth noting that it is also important to take an important place in the formation of Van Lake. This mountain, which is seen as an extinct volcano in our time, ascends in the middle of a large measured pit area extending in the east-west direction. A large part of the mountainous areas in Ahlat are not very defective, and they offer a favorable environment for agricultural and animal husbandry activities. For this reason, the fact that the northern part of the Van Lake Basin, and therefore the relatively low inclination of the topography in the Ahlat region, is dominant, has laid the groundwork for human influences to reach high levels.

Terrestrial climate characteristics predominate in Ahlat District, depending on location and elevation. The fact that the province is on the shores of Van Lake has reduced the severity of discrimination to a certain extent. The average temperature in Ahlat is 8.9 degrees. The highest average temperature is 21.8 ºC in July and the lowest average temperature is -2.7 ºC in January. The highest temperature recorded in the hour is 36,5 ºC and the lowest temperature is -22.6 degrees. In Ahlat, where the average annual precipitation is 553.5 mm, 41.2% of this rainfall falls in the spring season, 28.6% in winter, 23.3% in fall and 6.9% in summer.

Whether it is on the shores of Van Lake or because of the abundance of annual rainfall, Ahlat has a greener and lush vegetation cover besides the steppe plant cover which is the general plant cover of the region.In the areas where the settlement is found, as well as poplar cultivation, fruit and vegetables are grown.

The city of Ahlat has ten neighborhoods. The distance between the easternmost Tunisian quarter and the westernmost Kırklar Mahallesi is 12 km. The settlements of the neighborhoods are disconnected from each other and there are pieces of land between them. From one end to the other, Ahlat center is 17 km. The populations of the neüghborhoods are: Kırklar neighborhood 1740, Kacer neighborhood 1066, Tahtısüleyman neighborhood 824, Harabeşehir neighborhood 211, İkikubbe neighborhood 3469, Selçuklu neighborhood 4591, Erkizan neighborhood 6015, Kale neighborhood 1477, Kulaksız neighborhood 609, Tunus district 2996.

There are also Ovakışla town with a population of 4138 and 26 villages connected to Ahlat district. Our village populations are; Çatalağzı 133, Çukurtarla 82, Yoğurtyemez 281, Yuvadamı 347, Alakır 859, Bahçe 102, Burcukaya 574, Cemalettin 551, Develik 197, Dilburnu 397, Akçaören 199, Gölgören 244, Güzelsu 1939, Birdhouse 265, Kınalıkoç 256, Kırkdönüm 127, Kırıkkaya 127, Gentile 311, Otluyazı 795, Saka 318, Serinbayir 332, Seyrantepe 286, Soganli 148, Taşharman 1126, Uludere 540, Yeniköprü 950. 59.54% of the population in the province live in Ahlat city center while the remaining population lives in rural settlements.The population living in rural settlements in Ahlat District is mainly based on agriculture and animal husbandry activities. The services and industrial sectors in the province have not developed sufficiently because the working population concentrated in the agricultural sector(69%). In Ovakışla (town), Güzelsu, Taşharman, Yeniköprü, Saka and Alakır villages where agricultural land is relatively wide and irrigable; potatoes, beans and sugar beets are cultivated. Undoubtedly agricultural production in these settlements creates employment and subsistence for a certain population. In villages close to the high mountainous areas in the region, agricultural land is small but pasture areas are widened. Therefore, people are based on livestock life in high-established villages such as Cemalettin, Yuvadamı, Kırkdönüm, Akçaören, Yoğurtyemez, Develik, Kırıkkaya, Otluyazı, Kuşhane, Çukurtarla.

In Ahlat, handicrafts such as cane making, wood carving, china making, carpet-kilim textile especially stone processing have been developed. Carpets and rugs are mostly hand-woven in the villages, while cane making, stone processing, wood carving and tile-ceramic production are usually performed in the district centers.

As of the end of 2016, the central population of the county is 22,998 people and it is 38,622 people together with the 1 town and the villages. From 1929 to 2016, the population of Ahlat District increased from 8357 to 38.622. So the population of the district increased by 356% (4.6 times) in 87 years. Considering that the population of the country increased by 451% in the same period, it is seen that the population increase in Ahlat is slower than the national average. Despite the high birth rate (past and present), migration is the most important reason why the population increase is slower than the national average.

In all census periods the rate of young population in Ahlat is high. As a matter of fact, the child population (0-14) constitutes approximately 36.6% of the total population. In the province, the ratio of population in working age is 58.4% while the proportion of elderly population is 5%. The proportion of the dependent population in the province where the child population and the elderly population constitute a significant proportion of the total population is quite high (71,3%). The fact that the proportion of the dependent population is high means that the burden on the working population is high.

In Turkey, the history of Ahlat, which is perhaps a unique town in terms of historical monuments, dates back to 1500 BC. The city, which is an extinct city of Assyrians, then goes to the Urartians and the name is taken during this period. Urartians, who is the oldest inhabitants of the city, referred to here as "Halads", Armenians "Chaleat", Syrians "Kelath", Arabs "Hil'at", Iranians and Turks "Ahlat".

Ahlat; On the roads extending from Asia to Anatolia, the temperate climate according to Eastern Anatolia, fertile lands, Ahlat stone which is suitable for building and water resources, attracted the attention of the great powers in the region in every period of history. For this reason, occupations and looting in the historical process have caused the destruction of historic artifacts belonging to the advanced civilizations established on the territory of Ahlat which is always important settlement.

Ahlat, a long period of history, is the most important historical witness of the Turks to settle Anatolia. Ahlat, who has been keeping the traces of that turn for a thousand years with great care, refused any wisdom as he was forgotten. "I am the most important acquaintance of Anatolian Turkish History here."

Abdurrahim Şerif Beygu, the writer of the first serious work on the history of Ahlat in the Republican Period, said: "I can say Anatolia, which has always kept this historical existence and my heritage in such rich memories and menaces, that few cities can reach Ahlat." Beygü is not able to be concerned that this reality which are worth the treasure within the Turkish History in the same work, is little known to the Turkish world until now. "He made a dedication to himself as a historian on the introduction of Ahlat, and with his work" Ahlat Books " years later the first work on Ahlat was presented to those interested in Anatolian Turkish history in this way.

There was no serious research in Ahlat about the period before the Urartians and the Urartians.; They describe the Urartians as Orarto or Lortho from Turan's Peoples, They wrote that they came from the east in 900 and ruled over Ahlat. The Urartians made the city of Tushba (Van) their capital. But; In Anatolia, we know from the Assyrians that the Urartians took control of it. For this reason, Ahlat must have pre-Urartian Assyrian sovereignty. Some of the places under the rule of weak thought in the struggle for dominance in Anatolia of Urartu State. From the 6th century onwards, it passes through the hands of the Meds. From the 6th century AD it first goes under the domination of the Med, then the Persians. Along with the Anatolian lands in the hands of Alexander the Great, who won the battle between the Persians and the Macedonian king, he also dominated Ahlat. B.C. In 328, Ahlat, who was linked to Alexander's Babel Satrab Slevkos, later passed into the hands of the Parts. After dividing the Great Roman Empire in 395, Ahlat joined the territory of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire).

From 639 - 640, Caliph Hz.Omerwho wanted to take control of the region to the Muslim Arab Empire, The commander of the al-Ghazi of Umar, Iyaz Bin Ganem, sends his commander, Halit Bin Velid, to this area. Ahlat is conquered in this way. The city is again under the influence of the Eastern Roman Empire when the administration of the Abkhazians is weakened. Tuğrul Bey and Abraham Yinal, the grandchildren of Seljuk Bey, who provided the establishment of the Great Seljuk State from 1040, captured Azerbaijan and its air, while the rest of the same forces captured Ahlat. Ahlat, who changed hands between Eastern Rome and the Islamic Empire from time to time, was conquered by the Turks who migrated from Asia to Anatolia and wanted to get a new home from 1061, even though they were conquered by the Mervans, who founded a seat in South East Anatolia.

These Turkic forces, who wanted to make Anatolia a dormant place, established hemselves in Ahlat and moved to other parts of Anatolia by making use of the garrison they built. These developments in the Anatolian Turks disturbed the Eastern Roman Empire and these two great powers within the domination struggle in Anatolia 1071 They fought in. Then Ahlat was linked to the Diyarbakir orders of the Seljuks. Upon these orders to persecute them, Alp Arslan's uncle, Merent Emiri Ismail asked for help. Ismail gave orders to Ahlat from Sokman, one of the viziers famous for his justice and power. In this way, Ahlat Shahlar (Sökmen Şahlar, also called Yada Ermen Şahlar) was founded by Sokman - Sökmen - Sekmen in Seljuks in Ahlat since 1100.

The Malazgirt victory and the Ahlat Shahls era, which was established shortly afterwards, make the "golden age" of Ahlat live. In this period, Ahlat dominates Diyarbakir in the west and Erzurum in the east. The city is adorned with rare works of Turkish culture. These days, the Abri village of the town of Fulonik is the science of Ahlat. Scientists who grow up in Abir and Ahlat's science nets introduce the name of Ahlat to the whole world. Along with Ahlat, Belh and Buhara, the Kubbet'ül is called Islam. At that time the population was around 300.000.

Ahlat, after the Shahs, the city passes through the Eyyubis. Ahlat, the occupation of Harzem Shah, and then the invasion and plunder of Sukal Buğa, commander of the Mongol ruler Hülagü, in 1258, can not go back to those old good days in history. It remains a small Anatolian Turkish town. Akkoyunlu Uzun Hasan's son Maksut revived Ahlat again during the reigns of his son Rüstem and Rüstem's son Emir Bayındır, and was decorated with the mausoleums of the Turkish history. Ahlatians who came to him from Yavuz Sultan Selim in Tercan near Çaldıran Expedition wanted to build a castle in Ahlat, where "the tombs of ancestors were found". Yavuz Sultan Selim gave this command to Ahlat to build a fortress by finding this request positive. At the time of the Irakeyn campaign of Sultan Ahmed the Magnificent (1533), Ahlat Kanuni Suleiman, who was also handed over to the Iranian governments, was again bound to the Ottomans. After the Treaty of Kasr-i Şirin made in Iran in 1639, the eastern borders were not changed for a long time, Although it is far from its splendor, it has always remained under Ottoman rule. He was rescued from the Russian occupation in 1914 on 21 February 1916.

During the Republican Revolution Administrative Taxation, it was attached to Van Province in 1929 and since 1936 it became a district center of Bitlis Province. Ahlat, an important base for the Turkish invasions in Anatolia and a very important task in the formation of Anatolian Eternal Turkish Dormitory, has many historical artifacts in its essence.In Ahlat there are individual works dated to the Paleozoic Bronze Age. This period has not been studied in a scientific way. The knowledge that the father of Süleyman Şah's Kaya Alp is in Ahlat is found in the history books and there is also the Kayı Cemetery of this painting in Ahlat. Ahlat is the place where Fityan (Fütwan) organization, the forerunner of the Ahilik organization, founded and gave its first works. In the Turkization and Islamization of Anatolia, the spiritual world of the Anatolian people at that time, and the actual wars, the Seljuks and the 74 of the anatolian marriages were in Ahlat. The Seljuklu Square Cemetery, where the tombstone of the 8203 monument to the first Turkish entity in Anatolia belongs to the sultan who made Anatolia the homeland of many of us, is called Orhun Abideli of Anatolia, which is registered to UNESCO's Temporary List of World Cultural Heritage.

Again, Ahlat Harabeşehir Kaya Constructions, Ahlat Coastal Castle, Anonymous I Kumbet, Anonymous II Kumbet, Usta Şagirt (Ulu) Kumbet, Dede Maksut Shrine, Keşiş Kumbet, Hüseyin Timur Kumbet, Double (Boğatay Aka - Şirin Hatun)Kumbet , Emir Ali Kumbet, Ahlat Ulu Mosque, Emir Bayindir Kumbet, Hasan Padişah Kumbet, Alimoglu (Half Kumbet) Kumbet, Erzen Hatun Kumbet, Kadi Mahmut Mosque, Iskender Pasha Complex, Zaviye (Center), Abdurrahman Gazi Shrine, Emir Bayindir Bridge, Sultan Havai Fountain, Drum House, Streams, Hammam Structures, Palace Buildings, Ahlat Castle, Ahlat Old Inner Fortress (Harabeşehir), Madavans Valley. When we look at the distribution of the population working in Ahlat District by economic activity branches, it is seen that the population in question is concentrated in agriculture sector. Approximately 69% of the working population is employed in agricultural activities while 22.2% is employed in the service sector and 8.5% is employed in the industrial sector. In other words, about seven out of ten people working in the county are employed in agricultural activities, while two work in service jobs. Workers in the manufacturing sector do not even match one-tenth of the working population. An important rural population in Ahlat is the most important reason why the working population is concentrated in the agricultural sector.

In the province of Ahlat, 2959 agricultural enterprises carry out agricultural activities in the field of 362,000 decares. This area is used for dry farming with a value of 267000 and watery agriculture with a value of 95000. There are also 278600 decares meadow-pasture, 18490 decares forest and shrubbery. In Ahlat there are 35000 decare potatoes, 135200 decares inland wheat, 1000 decares inland rye, 55,000 decares inland grassland, 10000 decares inland candy beet, 55500 decares inland clover, 500 decares inland silage corn, 20000 decares inland beans, 50000 decare perilla cherry, 500 decare perilla cherry, 500 decare perilla walnut, 500 decare perilla chickpea, 10000 decare field mixed fruit, 5000 decare perilla mixed vegetables, 1,500 decares of field tomato agriculture is done. The presence of Ahlat City in the administrative area of the Ahlat District has also led to the fact that those working in service and industry activities have reached a certain level within the total working population.

The second major business area in Ahlat, where employment is intensified after agricultural activities, is the services sector. While some of the employees in the services sector are employed in trade activities, some work in the transportation sector and others work in some other jobs. The presence of a large number of public service institutions in Ahlat City caused the services sector to be represented by management and social purpose employees. It is seen that in Ahlat District, the ratio of employees in industrial activities is 8.5%, which is lower than other sectors. While most of the workers in the industrial sector work in the construction sector, the proportion of those who work in manufacturing activities is low.

The absence of an important industrial facility within the county boundaries has led to a small share of employees in industry and total employment in Ahlat. Ahlat is an important destination for alternative tourism such as history, culture, faith and nature tourism. According to the records of the Ahlat museum and other findings, there are about 50000 tourists entering the city annually. 90% of these tourists are made up of local tourists coming from the neighboring cities, and foreign tourists visiting the region in touristic tours. There are 80 beds in Selçuklu Hotel, 60 beds in Metropol Apart Hotel, 30beds in Ahlat Teachers' House and 25 beds in Municipality Guesthouse. There are 7 workshops in Ahlat town that perform traditional production in the field of stone processing, cane making, wood carving, tile-ceramic, carpet-kilim weaving, copper processing.

There are also small-scale producers in the field of handicrafts mentioned in the houses. There are 2 restaurants serving local food that are operated by women in our district. There is also one regional product market belonging to Municipality where our regional products can be marketed. Local foods such as liver pate, sauerkraut meal, halise meal, gari meal, büryan, mixed herb meals, helis, jağ, thistle pickles, cheese with sirmo, ayran meal, fishy chile are made as local products in our province. Ahlat Stone processing, cane making, wooden carving, tile-ceramics, carpet-kilim weaving, copper processing aredone as handicrafts. The other places like the Uludere canyon, Madavans valley, Harabeshir caves, castle district, inner fortress, Çarho promenade area, Dam lake, Buhbucuk promenade area, Bird's paradise, Nazik lake, Nemrut crater lake, Seljuklu Square Cemetery, Kumbets are suitable for Cittaslow philosophy values.