Karkamış Voyage Tips and guide

Contents

Karkamış is a small border town in Southeastern Anatolia, noted for being the site of the ancient city of Carchemish.

As of 2022, due to the ongoing Civil War in Syria, literally just a stones throw from the town, there might be restrictions on travelling here. Karkamış was a station along the Berlin–Baghdad railway, but there has not been any trains operating here since 2011.

Map of Karkamış

• 36.82972238.0151 Carchemish. Ruins of an important ancient capital. At times during its history the city was independent, but it was also part of the Mitanni, Hittite and Neo-Assyrian Empires. In about 605 BC, a rump Assyrian army fled here, then under the rule of their Egyptian allies. A battle, mentioned in the Bible (Jer. 46:2), ensued between them and the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar who overran the Assyrian Empire. (updated Nov 2022)
• 36.830138.02462 Karkamış Bridge (Karkamış Köprüsü). Historic truss bridge carrying the Baghdad Railway across the Euphrates. When completed in 1913, it was the second longest bridge in Turkey at 870 m (2,850 ft), after the Long Bridge (incidentally also in the borderlands, but far to the west). (updated Nov 2022)
• 36.830837.99973 Karkamış railway station (Karkamış Gar). The small and quaint railway station built in 1913. (updated Nov 2022)

• Jarabulus — the twin town to the south across the border, but it will likely be a long time before it will be safe enough again for a visit.