Gaziantep National Struggle Nature Park

Overview

Guide

Gaziantep Milli Mücadele Tabiat Parkı covers 29.6 hectares at the Dokurcum mill site, just west of the Şahin Bey monument on the Gaziantep–Kilis road; the Directorate gives the declaration date as 12 September 2019 in its record and 7 June 2018 in its text. The park was established to keep the memory of the National Struggle alive.

What happened here gives the park its name. Şahin Bey, the hero of the defence of Antep, was killed on 28 March 1920 at the Elmalı bridge on the Gaziantep–Kilis road. On the same day fourteen children who had been carrying food to Şahin Bey and his companions hid at the Dokurcum mill, west of that bridge, were caught by French troops advancing on Antep, and were killed. The monument raised in Şahin Bey's memory, the Elmalı bridge where he died, and the mill where the children died all stand close to the park.

The ground is largely natural. Calabrian pine and cypress were planted in the eastern part of the site, but because the planting was confined to a limited area most of the park keeps its natural character, which the Directorate says is evident in its plant life. Sparrow, crow, hare, fox and mice are found here, along with buzzards and falcons in small numbers.

Facilities are a special project area, picnic units, the monument, a ceremonial ground, open exhibition areas and information panels. The park stands at the 28th kilometre of the Gaziantep–Kilis road, 25 kilometres from the city by that route, or 18 by the Bağlarbaşı road running north from the Zeytinli neighbourhood.