Columbia Encyclopedia entry: Malatya
Malatyamälät'yä, city (1990 pop. 276,666), capital of Malatya prov., E central Turkey, in the E Taurus Mts. It is the commercial center for a rich farm region that produces apricots, grapes, and grains. Manufactures of the city include cement, cotton textiles, and sugar. Situated at a strategic crossroads in ancient times, the city was the capital of a small Hittite kingdom c.1100 B.C.; it was then known as Milidia. In Roman times it was called Melitene and was a military headquarters. An important city of Cappadocia, it became a metropolitan see in early Christian times. The city frequently suffered from attack and changed hands many times. In 1516 it was annexed by the Ottoman Empire. In 1895, Christians were massacred in Malatya.
The Columbia Encyclopedia. Copyright © 2001-09 Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
Wikipedia search results for: Malatya
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Malatya is a city and a province in middle eastern Turkey.
In ancient times, it was also known by its older name of Melitene, dating back to the Roman period. An even older name was Melid. Ancient Malatya lies a few kilometres from the modern city in what is now the village of Arslantepe and near the dependant district center of Battalgazi. The town of Battalgazi was the location of the Malatya city until the 19th century, when a gradual move to the present third location was started. Battalgazi's official name was Eskimalatya until recently, a name that is still used locally.
The Malatya region is best known for its apricot orchards. About...more »
