Nizip is a city in Southeastern Anatolia, 50 km east of Gaziantep. Together with its outlying towns such as Birecik it had a population of 150,000 in 2023. Its chief attraction is the Roman site of Zeugma 7 km away, where brilliant mosaics have been found.
Understand
[edit]The Euphrates and the Tigris are two great rivers flowing out of the mountains of Turkey to irrigate what would otherwise be arid plains. They made possible the ancient civilisations of Mesopotamia, and created a fertile crescent bridging the desert between Persia and the Levant. In modern times they've been dammed for irrigation and hydroelectricity, especially in Turkey which controls their headwaters. The Southeastern Anatolia Project (in Turkish Güneydoğu Anadolu Projesi, GAP) is so big, it even has its own TV channel.
Nizip (Nisibis in antiquity) is near the Euphrates and has always been an agricultural town, surrounded by olive and pistachio plantations. It stands at 531 m elevation so it's spared the climate extremes of the higher cities of this region.
Get in
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Nizip is on Highway D-400, which spans the width of Turkey from Bodrum along the Med coast to Adana then inland via Gaziantep (the nearest airport) all the way east to the border with Iran.
D-400 is flanked by motorway O-52, which connects with O-21 from Ankara, so driving time from the west is much reduced. The downside is that long distance buses nowadays fly past on O-52 and don't call at Nizip. You need to change to a local bus or dolmuş, at Gaziantep coming from the west or at Urfa coming from the east.
1 Nizip Otogar is where the bus will bring you, at the intersection of D-400 and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Blv.
This region is cut off from the mainline railway network because of interminable track works around Adana. One regional train per day sets off from Nizip early morning and runs to Gaziantep, taking 50 min via Taslica. The return sets off to Nizip around 17:30. The Gaziray suburban railway only reaches as far as Taslica.
2 Nizip railway station is consequently a very quiet place.
Get around
[edit]Dolmuşes and city buses run along the main streets. You need your own wheels for Zeugma.
A dozen taxi firms ply in city centre.
See
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- 1 Pistachio Statue (Fıstık Heykeli) marks city centre, at the intersection of Atatürk Blv, Mustafa Kökmen Blv, Birecik Cd and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Blv. Well almost the centre, as pride of place must go to the statue of Atatürk.
- Metin Özmen Mosque is by the Pistachio Statue on Atatürk Blv. It was built in 1977 in retro Ottoman style and is named for a local philanthropist.
- Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami) is on Yeni Cami Sk, 500 m west of the Pistachio Statue. It was re-built in 1960 and is drab and functional.
- Bazaar Mosque (Merkezi Çarşı Cami) is on Atatürk Blv opposite Yıldız Oteli. It was built in 1904 AD / 1326 AH.
- 2 Nizip Church (Fevkani Kilisesi), Bahçe Sk. Closed. This was probably built in the 12th century, the Byzantine era. It was later an inn then a mosque but is now disused and closed.
- 3 Zeugma, Belkıs (7 km northeast of the city). Daily 08:30-17:00. Zeugma means a junction or binding together, and refers to the pontoon bridge across the Euphrates. The Romans built a garrison town here and the senior officers owned fine villas decorated with mosaics. Zeugma was abandoned in the 7th century AD and almost forgotten, until the 2000 construction of the Birecik dam prompted emergency archaeological excavation. The mosaics were taken to Gaziantep and the best are still there, but some have been returned to this museum. Adult €5.
- Birecik Dam is 1 km downstream from Zeugma, and the barrage lake is 1.5 km wide at this point. Its hydroelectric power station is a "run-of-the-river" design, supplied by the flow rather than a great impounded lake. That's possible because of the Atatürk dam and vast barrage lake upstream, which evens out seasonal variation in the rainfall and sends a steady volume down the Euphrates to Birecik.
Do
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- Sports centre: a dozen around the city margins, but Kapalı Spor Salonu is central on Mustafa Kökmen Blv.
- Football: Nizipspor play soccer down in the amateur leagues.
Buy
[edit]Lots of small stores along the main streets, usually open daily 09:00-21:30.
Eat
[edit]Eating places are strung along Atatürk Blv east of the Pistachio Statue and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Blv going south.
Drink
[edit]Some cafes serve alcohol. There are no free-standing bars.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Yıldız Oteli, Atatürk Blv, ☏ +90 507 630 2777. Budget place on the main thoroughfare.
- 2 Beğer Otel, Cumhuriyet Cd 76, ☏ +90 342 517 5450. Boxy business hotel with pool near the railway station.
- 3 Nizip Uygulama Oteli, Mehmet Kaz Sk 2/1, ☏ +90 342 517 4646. Edge of town, handy for motorists.
Connect
[edit]As of April 2026, Nizip and its approach roads have 4G from all Turkish carriers. In city centre you might get 5G from Vodafone.
Go next
[edit]- Gaziantep 50 km west has the best of the mosaics from Zeugma.
- Birecik on the Euphrates 17 km east is a sizable town but has nothing much to see.
- Urfa 110 km east is a major city with a "holy pool" surrounded by mosques.
- Karkamış 35 km south is the border with Syria. Here was the battle of Carchemish in 605 BC, when the Assyrians defeated the Egyptians.
- Halfeti 54 km northeast is a pretty riverside old town, with boat trips to an ancient castle.
| Routes through Nizip |
| Adana ← Gaziantep ← | W  E
|
→ Şanlıurfa → Hakkari |
| Adana ← Gaziantep ← | W   E
|
→ Şanlıurfa →  Habur
|