79 · City guide
Kilis
City of Mamluk and Ottoman mosques, olive groves, tava and katmer
Kilis, on the historic roads leading to Aleppo, was an important sanjak (district) center in the Mamluk and Ottoman periods; the mosques, lodges, hans and hammams commissioned by Canbolat Bey and his family in the 16th century shaped the city's present-day historic fabric. In the center, the 14th-century Ulu Mosque (Grand Mosque), the Canbolat Paşa Complex (Tekye Mosque), the Mevlevihane (Mevlevi Lodge) and the still-operating Paşa Hammam can be visited within a few minutes' walk; the Kilis Museum in the Neşet Efendi Mansion displays finds from the Oylum Höyük excavations. Ravanda Castle in Polateli looks out over the Afrin valley from its summit, reached by 255 steps. Kilis, which became a province in 1995, is also known for its olive oil, zahter (wild thyme) and its registered tava and katmer; Hisar Çamlığı Nature Park is the main green area within the province.
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Where shall we explore?
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Mosque
Akçurun Mosque
Merkez, Kilis
A historic Kilis mosque dated to the end of the Mamluk period, given as 1515 in the TDV Encyclopedia of Islam.
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Mosque
Çalık Mosque
Merkez, Kilis
A historic mosque dated 1683, one of the typical examples of Kilis's Ottoman-period neighborhood mosques.
Machine translated — This content was machine-translated and may differ from the original Turkish text.Madrasa and külliye (complex)
Canbolat Paşa Complex (Tekye Mosque)
Merkez, Kilis
A classical Ottoman complex based on the 1553 endowment deed of Canbolat Bey, sanjak governor of Kilis, with its central-plan mosque, madrasa and tomb.
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Mosque
Kadı Mosque
Merkez, Kilis
An Ottoman-period mosque near the historic bazaar, built in the 17th century and repaired in 1822.
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Faith
Kilis Mevlevi Lodge (Mevlevihane)
Merkez, Kilis
A Mevlevi lodge whose door inscription is read as 1525–1526, which also served as a way-station for travelers on the road to Syria and the Hejaz; today only its semahane stands.
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Museum
Kilis Museum
Merkez, Kilis
An archaeology and ethnography museum in the Neşet Efendi Mansion, built in 1927, with exhibits ranging from Oylum Höyük finds to ethnographic artifacts.
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Mosque
Kilis Ulu Mosque (Grand Mosque)
Merkez, Kilis
The city's oldest and largest mosque, dating from the Mamluk period; it has preserved its original architecture since the 14th century.
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Oylum Höyük
Merkez, Kilis
One of the region's largest mounds on the Kilis Plain, with a 460×320-meter base and a height of up to 37 meters; traces of settlement from the Chalcolithic to the Iron Age.
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Hammam (Turkish bath)
Paşa Hammam
Merkez, Kilis
A historic Ottoman hammam north of the Canbolat Paşa Complex, built in the second half of the 16th century and still used as a hammam.
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Castle
Ravanda Castle
Polateli, Kilis
A medieval castle on a conical hill east of the Afrin Stream, reached by 255 steps, an important base of the County of Edessa in the Crusader period.
Practical information
Machine translated — This content was machine-translated and may differ from the original Turkish text.- Note
- This is a province on the Syrian border; do not approach border areas and follow the warnings of security personnel. Check the current visiting status of historic buildings in advance
- Climate
- Transitional between Mediterranean and continental climates; summers are hot and dry, winters mild
- Best time
- March–May and October–November; the olive harvest is in October–November
- Getting there
- The nearest airport is Gaziantep (~60 km); there are regular bus and minibus services from Gaziantep
- Getting around
- The historic center is small and walkable; a car is needed for Ravanda Castle and Oylum Höyük