The circular hilltop citadel at the heart of the old town has watched over Antep since Roman and Byzantine times, expanded by Justinian and reworked by Seljuks and Ottomans into the stout, bastioned fortress you see today. It became a symbol of the city during the fierce 1920 to 1921 siege that earned Antep the honorific Gazi, meaning war hero, and its interior long housed a museum devoted to that defense. The February 2023 earthquakes badly damaged the historic walls and bastions, and restoration has been under way since, so access can be limited or the interior closed; it is worth checking the current situation before you climb up. Even from the outside and the surrounding lanes, the castle anchors the historic quarter and gives a strong sense of the city's layered past. The streets radiating from its base lead straight into the copper bazaar and old khans, making it a natural starting point for exploring on foot.
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