Settlement type	City
Coordinates display	inline,title
Coordinates region	TR
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision name
Timezone	EET
Utc offset	+2
Map caption	Location of Adana within Turkey.
Timezone dst	EEST
Utc offset dst	+3
Official name	Adana
Parts type	Districts
Parts style	para
P1	Seyhan
P2	Yüreğir
P3	Çukurova
P4	Sarıçam
P5	Karaisalı
Population metro	1,591,518
Population as of	2010
Population density km2	589.45
Area total km2	2700
Elevation m	23
Pushpin map	Turkey
Pushpin label position
Pushpin map caption	Location of Adana
Latns	N |longEWE |postal_code_typePostal code| postal_code 01xxx |area_code 0322 |blank_info 01|blank_nameLicence plate|
Government type	Mayor-council government
Governing body	Adana Metropolitan Municipality
Leader name	Zihni Aldırmaz (acting)
Leader title	Mayor |website http://www.adana.bel.tr |leader_title1
Leader name1	|gwebsite }}

Adana () is a city in southern Turkey and a major agricultural and commercial center, just inland from the Mediterranean coast. The city is situated on the Seyhan River, 30 kilometres inland from the Mediterranean, in south-central Anatolia. It is the administrative seat of the Adana Province and has a population of 1.6 million, making it the fifth most populous city in Turkey.

Adana-Mersin Metropolitan Area, with a population of 3 million, stretches over 100 kilometres from east to west and 25 kilometres from north to south; encompassing the cities of Mersin, Tarsus, Adana and Ceyhan. It is the fourth largest metropolitan area in Turkey and one of the country's leading centres of commerce and culture.

Adana lies in the heart of Çukurova, a geographical, economical and cultural region that covers the provinces of Mersin, Adana, Osmaniye and Hatay. Home to approximately six million people, the region is mostly a large stretch of flat, fertile land regarded as one of the most agriculturally productive areas of the world.

Etymology

According to numerous sources, the name Adana is derived from the Hittite ^URU''Adaniya'' of Kizzuwatna, while others assert that it is related to the legendary character Danaus, or to the Danaoi, a mythological Greek tribe who came from Egypt and established themselves in the Greek city Argos.The earlier Egyptian texts for a country ''Danaja'' are inscriptions from Thutmosis II (1437 BC) and Amenophis III (1390-1352 BC). After the collapse of the Mycenean civilization (1200 BC) some refugeees from the Aegean area went to the coast of Cilicia.The inhabitants ''Dananayim'' or ''Danuna'' are identified as one group of the sea-peoples who attacked Egypt on 1191 BC during the reign of Ramesses III. Denyen are identified as inhabitants of the city Adana. It is also possible that the name is connected with the PIE ''da-nu'' (river) ''Da-na-vo'' (people living by the river), Skythian nomad people, water demons in Rigveda (Danavas).

In the ''Iliad'' of Homer, the city is called ''Adana''. In Hellenistic times, it was known as ''Antiochia in Cilicia'' () or ''Antiochia ad Sarum'' (; "Antiochia on the Sarus"). The editors of ''The Helsinki Atlas'' tentatively identify Adana as ''Quwê'' (as contained in cuneiform tablets), the Neo-Assyrian capital of Quwê province. The name also appears as ''Coa'', and may be the place referred to in the Bible, where King Solomon obtained horses. (I Kings 10:28; II Chron. 1:16). The Armenian name of the city is ''Atana'' or ''Adana''.

According to an ancient Greco-Roman legend, the name has its origins in Adanus and Sarus, the two sons of Uranus, who came to a place near the Seyhan (Sarus) River, where they built Adana. An older legend relates the city's name to Adad (also known as Tesup or Ishkur), the Thunder God in the Akkadian, Sumerian, Babylonian, Assyrian and Hittite mythologies, who was believed to live in the nearby forest, and whose name was given to the region. The Hittites' names and writings have been found in the area, evidencing this possibility. The theory goes that since the Thunder God brought so much rain and this rain in turn brought such great abundance in this particular region, this god was loved and respected by its inhabitants and, in his honor, the region was called the "Uru Adaniyya"; in other words "the Region of Ada".

Adana's name has had many different versions over the centuries: Adanos, Ta Adana, Uru Adaniya, Erdene, Edene, Ezene, Batana, Atana, Azana, Addane.

Geography

Adana is located at the northeastern edge of the Mediterranean, where it serves as the gateway to the Çukurova plain, which has historically been known in the West as the Cilicia plain. This large stretch of flat, fertile land lies southeast of the Taurus Mountains.

From Adana, crossing the Çukurova westwards, the road from Tarsus enters the foothills of the Taurus Mountains. The temperature decreases with every foot of ascent, as the road reaches an altitude of nearly . It goes through the famous Cilician Gates, the rocky pass through which armies have coursed since the dawn of history, and continues to the Anatolian plain.

The north of the city is surrounded by the Seyhan reservoir and HEP, which was completed in 1956. The dam was constructed for hydroelectric power (HEP) and to irrigate the lower Çukurova plain. Two irrigation channels in the city flow to the plain, passing through the city center from east to west. There is another canal for irrigating the Yüreğir plain to the southeast of the city.

Climate

Adana has a typical Mediterranean climate. Winters are mild and wet and summers are hot and dry. The highest recorded temperature was on 8 July 1978 with . The lowest recorded temperature was on 30 January 1980 with .

History

The history of Adana goes back more than 3,000 years; archaeological finds in the region have revealed human settlements dating from the Paleolithic Age. Tepebağ Tumulus, where archaeologists found a stone wall and a city center, was built in the Neolithic Age; it is considered to be the oldest city of the Çukurova region. A place called ''Adana'' is mentioned by name in a Sumerian epic, the Epic of Gilgamesh, but the geography of this work is too imprecise to identify its location.

According to the Hittite inscription of Kava, found in Hattusa (Boğazkale), Kizzuwatna was the first kingdom that ruled Adana, under the protection of the Hittites by 1335 BC. At that time, the name of the city was ''Uru Adaniyya'', and the inhabitants were called Danuna. Beginning with the collapse of the Hittite Empire, c. 1191-1189 BC, invasions from the west caused a number of small kingdoms to take control of the plain, as follows: Kue Assyrians, 9th century BC; Persians, 6th century BC; Alexander the Great in 333 BC; Seleucids; the pirates of Cilicia; Roman statesman Pompey the Great; and the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia (Cilician Kingdom).

The history of Adana is intrinsically linked to the history of Tarsus; they often seem to be the same city, moving as the neighbouring Seyhan River changed its position. Their respective names also changed over the course of the centuries. Adana was of relatively minor importance during the Roman's influential period, while nearby Tarsus was the metropolis of the area. During the era of Pompey, the city was used as a prison for the pirates of Cilicia. For several centuries thereafter, it was a waystation on a Roman military road leading to the East. After the permanent split of the Roman Empire in 395 AD, the area became a part of the Byzantine Empire, and was probably developed during the time of Julian the Apostate. With the construction of large bridges, roads, government buildings, irrigation and plantation, Adana and Cilicia became the most developed and important trade centers of the region. Ayas (today Yumurtalık), and Kozan (formerly Sis) were the other major urban and administrative centers in the area, especially during the period of the Cilicians.

Middle Ages

In the mid 7th century, the city was captured by the Arabs. According to an Arab historian of that era, the name of the city was derived from Ezene, the prophet Yazene's grandson.

The Byzantines recaptured Adana in 964. After the victory of Alp Arslan at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071, the Seljuq Turks overran much of the Byzantine Empire. They had reached and captured Adana sometime before 1071 and continued to hold the place until Tancred, a leader of the First Crusade, captured the city in 1097.

In 1132, it was captured by the forces of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, under its king, Leo I. It was taken by Byzantine forces in 1137, but the Armenians regained it around 1170. In 1268, there was a terrible earthquake which destroyed much of the city. Adana was rebuilt and remained a part of the Kingdom of Cilician Armenia until 1359, when the city was ceded by Constantine III to the Mamluk Sultan of Egypt in return for obtaining a peace treaty. The Mamluks' capture of the city allowed many Turkish families to settle in it. The Ramadanids family, one of the Oghuz families brought by the Mamluks, ruled Adana until the Ottomans captured the city.

Modern era

From the end of the Renaissance to the modern era (1517–1918), the Ottoman Empire ruled the area.

In the 1830s, in order to secure Egypt's independence from the Ottoman Empire, the army of Muhammad Ali Pasha, the vali of Ottoman Egypt and Sudan, invaded Syria on two occasions, and reached the Adana plain. The soldiers of Muhammad Ali Pasha destroyed Adana Castle and the Walls, a major hit to city's history. The subsequent peace treaty secured Egypt's independence, but (at the insistence of Great Britain, Austria, Russia and Prussia) required the evacuation of all Egyptian forces from Syria, and its return to Ottoman sovereignty. In the aftermath, Adana was established as a province in its own right.

The Adana massacre occurred in the Ottoman Vilayet of Adana in April 1909. A religious-ethnic clash in the province amid governmental upheaval resulted in a series of anti-Armenian pogroms throughout the district. Reports estimated that the massacres in the entire Vilayet of Adana resulted in about 25,000 deaths. In 1915, Ottoman troops rounded up all Armenians (approx. 20,000) living in the city of Adana and marched them out into the Syrian desert in the course of the Armenian Genocide, resulting in the complete eradication of the Armenian communities in and around the city.

After World War I, the Ottoman government surrendered control of the city to French troops, and the four battalions of the French Armenian Legion were sent to occupy Adana and oversee the repatriation of Armenian refugees. The French forces were, however, spread too thinly in the region and, as they came under withering attacks by Muslim elements both opposed and loyal to Mustafa Kemal Pasha, eventually reversed their policies in the region. The Armenian Legion was gradually disbanded, the repatriation was halted, and the French ultimately abandoned all pretensions to Cilicia, which they had originally hoped to attach to their mandate over Syria. On October 20, 1921, the Treaty of Ankara was signed between France and the Turkish Grand National Assembly. Based on the terms of the agreement, France recognized the end of the Cilicia War, and French troops together with the remaining Armenian volunteers withdrew from the city on January 5, 1922.

On 30 January 1943, British prime minister Winston Churchill secretly met with Turkish president İsmet İnönü inside a train wagon at the Yenice Station, 23 kilometres outside of Adana (the so-called Adana Meeting or Adana Conference). Churchill wanted Turkey to join the Second World War on the side of the Allies; the details of which were later discussed at the Second Cairo Conference in December 1943, which was attended by İnönü, Churchill and Roosevelt.

The city was hit by a 6.2 magnitude earthquake (1998 Adana-Ceyhan earthquake) on June 27, 1998. The disaster killed 145 and left 1,500 people wounded and many thousand homeless in the city. The total economic loss was estimated about US$ 1 billion.

Chronology

Luvi Kingdom (1900 BC), Hittite Empire (1900-1200 BC), Assyrian Empire (713-663 BC), Persian Empire (550-333 BC), Hellenistic (333-323 BC), Seleucid Empire (312-133 BC), Pirates of Cilicia (178-112 BC), Romans (112-95 and 55 BC - 395 AD), Armenian Kingdom under the reign of Tigranes the Great (95-55 BC) Byzantines(395-638; 964-1071), Abbasids, Great Seljuq Sultanate, Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia (1078–1359), Mamluks, Ramadanid Principality, Ottoman Emire, Republic of Turkey.

Governance

The city of Adana is referred as the area that is within the borders of Adana Metropolitan Municipality. This area covers around the City Hall excluding the areas out of the Province. Four levels of government are involved in the administration of the city; central government, provincial administration, metropolitan municipality and the district municipalities. The central government in Ankara holds most of the power; health, education, police and many other city related services are administered by Ankara through an appointed Governor. Central government is also the law-maker, adjudicator and auditor of all the other levels of government and the neighborhood administration. Semi-democratic provincial governing body, Adana Province Special Administration has minor powers, dealing mainly with construction and maintenance of primary schools, daycares and other state buildings and some level of social services. The city is represented with 33 members, elected from its 5 metropolitan districts, at the 61-member Adana Provincial Parliament. Municipal governance has two-tier structure where the Metropolitan Municipality is the upper and the district municipalities are the lower tier. Metropolitan municipality takes care of construction and maintenance of major roads and parks, operating local transit and fire services. District municipalities are responsible from neighborhood streets, parks, operating garbage collection and cemetery services. The district municipalities are further divided into neighborhoods(mahalle), the smallest administrative units of the city.

Metropolitan Municipality

Adana Municipality was incorporated in 1871 though the city was continued to be governed with the muhtesip system until 1877 by the first mayor Gözlüklü Süleyman Efendi. First modern municipal governance had begun with the second mayor Kirkor Bezdikyan and the successor Sinyor Artin. The roads were widened and paved with cobblestone, drainage canals and trenches were opened, more importantly first municipal regulations were put in effect. After the foundation of the republic, major infrastructure projects were completed and first planned neighborhoods were built north of the city. Turhan Cemal Beriker served as the mayor and the governor for 12 years at this period. With the completion of Seyhan Dam in 1956, the city had seen explosive growth and seeing special interest from then prime minister Adnan Menderes who initiated large-scale infrastructure projects like citywide underground sewer systems and rezoning of residential areas into roads and public spaces. From 1984 to present, cityscape has seen revolutionary changes with the revitalization of Seyhan river and the construction of large parks and boulevards.

Metropolitan Municipality Law was introduced in 1989 and the municipal governance was split between metropolitan municipality and district municipalities. Adana Municipality then became the Metropolitan Municipality and two new district municipalities were founded; Seyhan and Yüreğir. Karaisalı was annexed to the city in 2006, Çukurova and Sarıçam districts were founded in 2008 by the partitioning of Seyhan and Yüreğir districts respectively.

Metropolitan municipality consists of three organs; Metropolitan Council, Mayor and the Encümen. Each district municipal council elects one-fifth of their members to represent the district at the metropolitan council. Thus, metropolitan council consists of 35 councillors, 10 from Seyhan district, 8 from Yüreğir, 8 from Çukurova, 6 from Sarıçam, 2 from Karaisalı and the metropolitan mayor who is elected directly by the voters. Encümen, the executive committee, consists of 10 members, 5 being metropolitan councillors and the other 5 are the directors at the metropolitan hall who are appointed to the Encümen by the metropolitan mayor.

Aytaç Durak is the mayor of Adana and the longest serving city mayor in Turkey currently at his fifth term. Following an allegation made by a metropolitan councillor against him, Durak was suspended from mayoral duties on March 28, 2010 by the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Ankara. Councillor Zihni Aldırmaz is elected by the council to serve as the Acting Mayor until the investigations are completed.

Districts

The City of Adana consists of the municipal sections of the 5 metropolitan districts; Seyhan, Yüreğir, Çukurova, Sarıçam and Karaisalı. Seyhan district is fully within the city limits whereas Yüreğir, Çukurova, Sarıçam and Karaisalı districts have rural areas outside the city.

Seyhan district, located west of Seyhan River, is the cultural and business center of the city. D-400 state road (also called Turhan Cemal Beriker Boulevard within the city limits) is like an economical border dividing the district into north and south. Seyhan's north of D-400, is economically the most developed part of the city. Along D-400, hotels, cultural centers, commercial and public buildings line up. Old town, located south of D-400, is the market place where traditional and modern shops serve the residents. South of the old town is a low-income residential area.

Çukurova district, not to be confused with the Çukurova region, is a modern residential district that lies north of the Seyhan district and south of the Seyhan Reservoir. The district was planned in mid 1980s to direct the urban sprawl to low-fertile 3,000 hectare land north of the city. Named as New Adana, the project consisted of 200,000 homes including villas along the lake shore and high-rise apartment buildings along the newly opened wide boulevards of Turgut Özal, Süleyman Demirel and Kenan Evren.

Yüreğir district, located east of the river, consists mainly of low-income residential areas and large scale industries. With the construction of new bridges on the river and the extension of metro line to the district, Yüreğir became increasingly important, Adana Court of Justice re-locating to the district and 47.5 hectare health campus planned to be built at the Kazım Karabekir neighborhood. An extensive urban redevelopment plan is under effect in the district which will convert the neighborhoods of Sinanpaşa, Yavuzlar, Köprülü and Kışla into modern residential areas.

District of Sarıçam lies north and east of Yüreğir, consisting of former municipalities that are amalgamated to the City of Adana in 2008. Some of the large institutions of the city are in Sarıçam: Çukurova University, İncirlik Air Base and the Organized Industrial Region.

Karaisalı is a small district outside the urban area, lying north of the Seyhan Reservoir. The district is largely rural, includes large recreational areas along the Seyhan river and cottage country at the high lands to the north.

Neighborhoods

Neighborhoods (Mahalle) are administrative units within the district municipalities and are administered by the muhtar and the Neighborhood Seniors Council. Although elected by the neighborhood residents, muhtar is not granted any powers, thus function as an administrator of the central government. Muhtar can voice neighborhood issues to the district municipality and do have a seat at the Adana City Assembly, an umbrella organization for the coordination of public institutions in the city. Despite the fact that neighborhood administration can not provide social services nor have funding to increase the involvement of the residents in the neighborhood issues, many residents still like to identify themselves strongly with their neighborhoods especially at the low-income areas.

There are a total of 254 neighborhoods in the city. Seyhan has 99 neighborhoods, 69 of them in the urban area and 30 are the neighborhoods of the former municipalities and the former villages that are converted into neighborhoods. Yüreğir has 99 neighborhoods, 38 in the urban area and 61 rural. There are 29 neighborhoods in Sarıçam, 16 neighborhoods in Çukurova in and 11 in Karaisalı district. Population of a neighborhood can range from 150 to 63,000 depending on if the neighborhood is in the core urban area or in the rural areas. Some neighborhoods, especially in the Çukurova district, are very large, almost at the size of a town, making residents access to muhtars difficult.

Tepebağ, Kayalıbağ, Kuruköprü, Ulucami, Sarıyakup and Alidede are the historical neighborhoods of Adana. The planned neighborhoods of the republican era, Reşatbey, Cemalpaşa, Kurtuluş and Çınarlı are the core of cultural life in the city. Güzelyalı, Karslılar and Kurttepe are the scenic neighborhoods overlooking to the Seyhan reservoir.

Economy

Adana is one of the first industrialized city and currently one of the economically developed cities of Turkey. With the construction of Seyhan Dam and improvements in agricultural techniques, there was an explosive growth in agricultural production during 1950s. Large-scale industries were built along D-400 state road and Karataş road. Service industry, especially banking, also developed during this period.

Adana is the marketing and distribution center for Çukurova agricultural region, where cotton, wheat, corn, soy bean, barley, grapes and citrus fruits are produced in great quantities. Farmers of Adana produce half of the corn and soy bean in Turkey. 34% of Turkey's peanut and 29% of Turkey's orange is harvested in Adana. Most of the farming and agricultural-based companies of the region have their offices in Adana.

Adana is an industrialized city where large-scale industry is based mostly on agriculture. Textile and leather are the major industry constituting 29% of Adana's manufacturing, plant oil and processed food manufacturing plants are also numerous. As of 2008, Adana has 11 companies in Turkey's top 500 industrial firms. The largest company of Adana, Temsa Global, in automotive manufacturing, has more than 2,500 employees and manufactures 4,000 buses annually. Marsan-Adana is the largest margarine and plant oil factory in Turkey. Advansa Sasa is Europe's largest polyester manufacturer employing 2,650. Organized Industrial Region of Adana has an area of 1,225 hectar and hosts almost 300 plants, mostly medium-scale. A leading commercial center in southern Turkey, city hosts regional headquarters of many corporates and public institutions. TÜYAP Exhibition and Congress Center hosts fairs, business conferences and currently it is the main meeting point for businesses in Çukurova. Academic oriented 2000-seater Congress Center is expected to open in 2010 at Çukurova University campus. Tourism industry is developing as luxury hotels are built on the banks of Seyhan River and along D-400 state road. Hilton International, Seyhan and Sürmeli hotels are the 5-star hotels of the city. Sheraton and Türkmen hotels on the east bank of the river are currently under construction.

Media in Adana runs by national and local agencies.'' Yeni Adana'' is the oldest living newspaper in Adana dating back to 1918. ''Ekspres'', ''Toros'' and ''Bölge'' are other local newspapers who serve not only Adana, but ukurova in general. Çukurova TV is the largest broadcasting company.Kanal A, Akdeniz TV and Kent TV are the other major broadcasters. Many national newspapers have their regional publishing centers in Adana. ''Hürriyet'' publishes a supplement paper, ''Hürriyet Çukurova'', the most popular regional newspaper that has circulation of 48,000.

Traditional shops, modern shops and malls create a mixture of shopping opportunities in Adana. Çakmak Street is the traditional shopping street that is located in the old town. There are also several historical bazaars around Büyük Saat and Yağ Camii. Ziyapaşa Boulevard is the street of elegance where pricey brands are located. The streets around Ziyapaşa and the streets of northern Adana, Özal, Demirel and Evren boulevards also host high-end shops. There are four American-style shopping malls in the city; M1 and Carrefour at the west end, Galleria and Optimum Outlet on the banks of Seyhan River.

Adana was named among the 25 ''European Regions of the Future'' for 2006/2007 by ''Foreign Direct Investment'' magazine. Chosen alongside Kocaeli for Turkey, Adana scored the highest points for cost effectiveness against Kocaeli's points for infrastructure development, while Adana and Kocaeli tied on points for the categories of human resources and quality of life.

Demographics

In 2008, the borders were expanded by addition of rural Karaisalı district and the rural areas of Çukurova (district), Yüreğir and Sarıçam. Thus, the population of the metropolitan Adana as of December, 2010 is 1,591,518. Adana is made up of the municipal populations of the five metropolitan districts; Seyhan, Çukurova, Yüreğir, Sarıçam and Karaisalı. Municipal populations of the metropolitan districts of Adana since 2008 are:

District	Metropolitan Population
	2008	2009	2010
Seyhan	752,308	722,852	723,277
Yüreğir	411,299	415,047	417,693
	267,453	327,460	343,770
Sarıçam	86,727	90,879	99,313
Karaisalı	7,328	7,307	7,465
Total	1,525,115	1,563,545	1,591,518

Two-thirds of the residents of Adana live on the west bank of Seyhan River on where the city was first founded. In 2009, 3 neighborhoods of Seyhan district were ceded to Çukurova district, causing Seyhan population to decrease. Seyhan is the most diverse district. Çukurova district has a good community of seniors from all over Turkey who prefer to enjoy their retirement in the warm climate of Çukurova region.

The major ethnic groups in Adana are the Turks, Arabs and Kurds. New generations of Arabs do not speak Arabic as they are mostly assimilated into Turkish culture. Arab community is concentrated in Yüreğir on the east bank of Seyhan River. Kurds, once a small community in Adana, with the massive migration during 1990s, now form almost a third of Adana. Kurds mostly live in southern neighborhoods of the city. Conos, a tribe of Roma people of Romania, settled in Adana during Balkan Wars. Conos mainly live around Sinanpaşa neighborhood. Around eight-thousand Romani people live in Adana Province including Conos. There's also a sizeable community of migrants from Balkans and Caucasia who also settled in Adana during Balkan Wars and before.

Adana is home to a community of around two-thousand British and Americans serving to the Incirlik NATO Air Base; some of them residing at the base, many of them residing in the city. Before 2003, the community numbered up to 22,000, but declined after, when many troops stationed to Iraq.

The majority of Adana residents adhere to Sunni Islam. The majority of Turks, most of the Kurds and some of the Arabs are Sunni Muslim. Adana is also a stronghold of Alevi community, many Alevis moving to the city from Kahramanmaraş after the incidents in 1978. Arabs of Adana are mostly Alawi which is often confused with Alevis. Nusayri and ''Fellah'' terms are also used for Alawi Arabs who are currently the oldest community of Adana. Arabs that migrate to Adana from Şanlıurfa Province are Sunni Muslims. There is a tiny community of Roman Catholics and few Jewish families.

Cityscape

Architecture

The golden age for the architecture of Adana was the late 15th and the 16th century when Ramadanid principality chose Adana as their capital. City grow rapidly during that period with many new neighborhoods had been built. Most of the historical landmarks of Adana are built during this period, thus Mamluk and Seljuqid architecture are dominant in Adana's architectural history. Taşköprü is the only remaining landmark from Roman-Byzantine era, and few public buildings were built during the Ottoman rule.

The first traces of settlement in the quarter of Tepebağ, can be traced to be the neolithic age. The quarter is next to the Taşköprü stone bridge, situated on a hill which gives its name Tepebağ (Garden on the hill). The city administration has launched campaign to preserve the heritage of this area, particularly the Ottoman houses. Ataturk stayed in one of these houses on Seyhan Caddesi which now houses the Atatürk Museum.

Several bridges cross the Seyhan river within the city, the most notable being the Taşköprü, a 4th century Roman bridge. Currently used by pedestrians and cyclists, it was the oldest bridge in the world to be open to motorized vehicles until 2007. Demirköprü is a railway bridge that was built in 1912 in part of the Berlin-Baghdad Railway project. Regülatör bridge, at the southern section of the city, is a road bridge as well as a regulator for the river water. There are also three footbridges, Seyhan and Mustafakemalpaşa road bridges, the bridge of the metro and the bridge of the motorway spanning the river.

Büyük Saat (''The Great Clock Tower''), built by the local governor of Adana in 1882, is the tallest clock tower in Turkey rising high. It was damaged during French occupation, but was rebuilt in 1935, and its image can be found in the city's coat of arms. Kazancılar Çarşısı (Bazaar of Kazancilar), founded around the ''Büyük Saat''.

Ramazanoğlu Hall was built in 1495 during the reign of Halil Bey. A three-storey building, made of stone and brick, it is one of the oldest sample of a house in Turkey. This hall is the Harem section, where the Ramadanid family lived. Selamlık section, where the government offices were, do not exist today.

Çarşı Hamam (''Turkish bath of the Bazaar'') was built in 1529 by Ramazanoğlu Piri Pasha and it is the largest hamam in Adana. It is built with five domes and inside is covered with marbles. During the time it was built, water was brought from Seyhan River by water wheels and canals.

Irmak Hamam (''Turkish bath of the River''), located next to Seyhan District Hall, was built in 1494 by Ramazanoğlu Halil Bey on the ruins of an ancient Roman bath. Its water comes from the river. Other historical hamams in the city are Mestenzade Bath and Yeni Bath.

''Mosques'' Sabancı Merkez Camii, though not being historical, is the most visited mosque in Adana, as it is one of the largest mosques in the Middle East. Built in loyalty to Ottoman Architecture, the mosque was opened to service in 1998 to a capacity of 28,500 prayers. The mosque possesses six minarets, four of them having height of 99 meters. Dome has a diameter of 32 meters and it is 54 meters high from praying area. It is located on the west bank of Seyhan River at the corner of Seyhan Bridge and can be seen from a wide area.

Ulu Cami, a külliye built in 1541 during Ramadanid era, is the most interesting medieval structure of Adana with its mosque, madrasah and türbe. The mosque has black and white marble with decorative window surrounds and it is famous for the 16th century Iznik tiling used in its inner space. The minaret is a unique sample with the Mamluk effects it bears and with its orthogonal plan scheme.

Yağ Camii was originally built as Church of St. James, then converted into a mosque by Ramazanoğlu Halil Bey in 1501. Later, his successor Piri Mehmet Paşa added its minaret in 1525 and its madrasah in 1558. It is in the Seljuqid Grand Mosque style and has an attractive gate made of yellow stone.

Yeni Camii (New Mosque) was built in 1724 by Abdülrezzak Antaki, and still known as Antaki Mosque by some. The influence of Mamluk architecture is visible. It is built in rectangular order and has an interesting stonework on south walls. Alemdar Mescidi, Şeyh Zülfi Mescidi, Kızıldağ Ramazanoğlu Mosque, Hasan Aga Camii (16th Century wooden architecture constructed without nails) are some other mosques with historical value.

''Churches''

In the 19th century, the city had four churches; 2 Armenian, 1 Greek and 1 Latin. Saint Paul Catholic Church (''Bebekli Kilise'') was built in 1870 and used as an Armenian Church until 1915. It is currently serving to the Roman Catholic community of the city. It is located in the old town, close to 5 Ocak Square. On Abidinpaşa Street, there used to stand a larger Armenian Church. During the republic period, the church was demolished and Central Bank (Merkez Bankası) regional headquarters was built instead. Latin Church was built in 1845 at Kuruköprü area and converted into a museum in 1924.

Parks and gardens

Adana has plenty of parks and gardens, mostly well maintained. Owing to the warm climate, parks and gardens are open all year long without the need of winter maintenance.

Recreational pathways on both banks of Seyhan river cross the entire city from south end to Seyhan Reservoir. Pathway then connects to Adnan Menderes Boulevard which goes all the way along the southern shores of Seyhan Reservoir, and the wide sidewalks of the boulevard extend the pathway to the west end of the reservoir. Dilberler Sekisi is the most scenic part of the pathway which is along the west bank, in between the old and the new dam.Recreational pathway along the north side of the irrigation canal goes from east end to west end of the city, crossing Seyhan river from old dam's pathway. Some sections of this pathway has not completed yet. Once completed, within the city there will be almost 30 km of continuous recreational pathway connecting several parks along.

Merkez Park (Central Park) is a 33-hectare urban park that is located on both banks of Seyhan river, just north of Sabancı Mosque. It has an interesting landscaping, carrying wide variety of trees and plants in an open concept. With a 2,100-seater amphitheatre, a Chinese Garden, and two cafes, it is the main recreational area of the city. In the park, there is a Rowing Club which serves recreational rowers.

Atatürk Park is a 4.7-hectare city park built during the first years of Republic. It is centrally located at the commercial district. The park holds a statue of Atatürk and hosts Public Ceremonies.

Süleyman Demirel Arboretum is a large botanical garden containing living collections of woody plants intended partly for the scientific study of Çukurova University researchers. The arboretum is also used for educational and recreational purposes by city residents. 512 species of plants exists in the arboretum.

İnönü Botanical Garden exhibits the rich variety of Çukurova flowers, located next to Adana Court of Justice.

Çobandede Park is a 16.5-hectare park at the west shore of Seyhan Reservoir. It is situated on a hill and has a nice scenery of Reservoir and around. The park hosts the tomb of Çoban Dede, a wiseman from Karslı Village. Many people visit the tomb every year to pray and wish for him.

Yaşar Kemal Woods is a hiking area on the east bank of Seyhan river across Dilberler Sekisi. It is dedicated to Çukurova native writer Yaşar Kemal.

Çatalan Woods is a large recreational area in between Çatalan and Seyhan Reservoirs, north of the city, in the Karaisalı district.

Society and culture

Performing arts

Çukurova State Symphony Orchestra performed its first concert in 1992 and since then, the orchestra is performing twice a week from October to May at the Metropolitan Theater Hall. The orchestra consists of 39 musicians and conduct regular tours in Turkey and abroad.

Adana State Theater opened its stage in 1981 at the Sabancı Cultural Center. It performs regularly from October to May.

Adana Town Theater was founded in 1880 to be the first theater in Adana by governor Ziya Paşa. In 1926, the theater moved to the newly built Community Center. Town Theater currently performs weekly at the Metropolitan Theater Hall which also hosts Town Chorus and community theater, folklor and concert performances.

Seyhan Town Theater and Seyhan Folkloric Dances stage weekly at the Theater Hall of Seyhan Cultural Center.

Amphitheaters in Adana host performances from April to November. Mimar Sinan Amphitheater, the largest in Adana, can accommodate 8,000 guests and hosts concerts and movies. It is located at the west bank of the Seyhan River. 2,100-seater Merkez Park Amphitheater, 3,000-seater Çukurova University Amphitheater and Doğal Park Amphitheater in Çukurova District also hosts theaters, concerts and cinemas.

Recently, historical buildings are restored and converted into cultural centers. 515 year old Ramazanoğlu Hall and 130 year old former high school for girls (now called the Adana Center for Arts and Culture) serve as cultural centers hosting art exhibitions and cultural events.

Museums & art galleries

Adana Archaeological Museum was opened in 1924 as one of the oldest ten museums in Turkey. It moved to its current location at the west corner of Seyhan Bridge in 1972. The museum exhibits archeological works from all over Çukurova. Notable works are the two Augustus statues from Hittites, Achilles Sarcophagus depicting Trojan War and statues from Magarsus and Augusta ancient cities.

Adana Ethnography Museum was opened in 1983 after Archeological Museum moved to its new location. At the front and back yard there are epitaph and gravestones of Adana's leading figures of 17th century. On the west yard, there are inscriptions of Taşköprü, Misis Bridge, old City Hall and Bahripaşa Fountain. Inside, there are clothings, jewellery and weaponry of Yörük villagemen.

Atatürk Museum exhibits War of Independence and first years of Republic at the mansion, Atatürk stayed during his trips to Adana.

Misis Mosaic Museum, located on city's far east end at the west bank of Ceyhan river, exhibits mosaics that were on the floor of a 4th century temple in the ancient city of Misis. Mosaic depicts Noah and 23 birds and poultry that he took to his ship during the flood. The museum also exhibits the works that were excavated from Misis Tumulus.

State Fine Arts Gallery was opened in Sabancı Cultural Center in 1982. It carries 59 plastic pieces of art. 75.Yıl Art Gallery in Atatürk Park, Adana City Hall Art Gallery and Art Gallery in Seyhan Cultural Center are the other public art galleries.

Festivals

Altın Koza International Film Festival is one of the top film festivals in Turkey, taking place since 1969. During the Altın Koza of 2009, 212 international films were shown in 11 movie theatres across the city. Long Film Contest, International Student Film Contest and Mediterrenean Cultures Film Contest are held during the festival.

International Sabancı Theater Festival is held every year in April since 1999. At the festival in 2011, 461 artists from 17 ensembles (10 local and 7 international) performed plays that took stage at the Sabancı Cultural Center. The festival started with an astounding opening show staged on the Seyhan River and Taşköprü by Italian ensemble Studio Festi. "Water Symphony" show was greeted by thousands of people with great enthusiasm.

International Çukurova Instrumental Music Festival is a 2-week long festival held annually in Adana, Antakya and Gaziantep. In 2009, the festival took place for the 5th time with an opening concert from Çukurova State Symphony Orchestra. Bariton Marcin Bronikowski, pianist Vania Batchvarova, guitarist Peter Finger, cello Ozan Tunca and pianist Zöhrap Adıgüzelzade were some of the musicians performed at the festival.

Çukurova Art Days is a regional festival that takes place every April since 2007. 115 poets, painters, musicians and caricaturists from 10 different countries attended festival in 2009, which took place in Adana, Mersin, Gaziantep, Antakya, İskenderun, Tarsus and Aleppo. 77 talks, 13 concerts, 13 exhibitions, 4 panels and 23 film showing were held during the 4 days of the festival.

13 Kare Arts Festival began in 1999 as a festival of photography dedicated to 13 photographers of Adana who died in an accident during an AFAD (Adana Photography Amateurs Association) trip. Festival then extended to other arts. During the festival, exhibitions of nature, under-sea and architecture photography, puppet shows, shadow theater and several concerts are held. Festival takes place every December.

Adana Literature Festival held every April at Adana Center for Arts & Culture. Around 100 writers, poets and critics attend the festival and performing several talks, panels and presentations.

Ramadan Fest is a month long festival that takes place during the month of Ramadan. During the festival, theater plays, sufi music concerts, folkloric dances and children shows held at the festival area next to the Galleria Mall.

Sports

Football (soccer) is the most popular sports in Adana. Adanaspor and Adanademirspor are the two well-known clubs of Adana that appear in Turkish Professional Football League. Both clubs performed at the top division (now called Super Lig), from late 1960s to mid 1990s, but relegated to lower divisions since then. Adanaspor was the runner up at the top division in 1980-81 season and competed there for 21 years. Adanaspor also performed at the UEFA Cup for three years. Adanademirspor was the runner up at the Turkish Cup in 1977-1978 season and performed at the top division for 17 years. Both teams have almost equal number of passionate fans in every district of the city, creating an archrival atmosphere second to İstanbul. Both teams share 5 Ocak Stadium as their venue.

Basketball is also popular in Adana as Botaşspor being one of the top clubs in Women's Pro-Basketball, currently performing at the top division. The team has won the Turkish Women's Basketball League(TBBL) top division title in 2000-01 and 2002–03 and the Turkish Cup title in 2001-02 and 2002-03. Botaşspor was the runner up at the Euro Cup Women in 2000-01 season and played the quarter final in 1999-00. The venue of Botaşspor is Adnan Menderes Sports Hall.

Rowing became a popular sports in Adana in the last 20 years. Rowing competitions are held all year long on Seyhan River and Seyhan Reservoir. Adana Metropolitan Municipality Rowing Club and Çukurova University Rowing Club compete at the national and international level. Sailing competitions are also held at Seyhan Reservoir all year long. Recreational sailors and sailing competitions can be watched all along the shores of the reservoir, from parks, cafes and buildings around. Adana Sailing & Watersports Club is the only sailing club of Adana.

Water polo team of Adanademirspor is a legend in the watersports community of Turkey. The team has the record 22 years of straight championship title in Turkish Men's Waterpolo League, 17 years of it without losing a game and thus given the name "''Unbeatables''". Adanademirspor joined Waterpolo league in 1942 after the modernest watersports complex of Turkey opened in Adana in 1938. The team had total of 29 championship titles.

Swimming has been recreationally and competitively the traditional sports of Adana. Erdal Acet of Adanademirspor is one of the top figures in Adana's swimming history, who broke the record of swimming Canal La Manche (English Channel) in 9 hours and 2 minutes in 1976. Recreationally, the lack of swimming pools made Seyhan River and the irrigation canals attractive for swimmers who want to chill out from the hot and humid summers. Due to almost 100 people suffocating every year, the Metropolitan Municipality built 35 public swimming pools, mostly at the low-income neighborhoods.

Adana is one of the cities of Turkey where Horse racing is highly popular. Adana Hippodrome is traditionally one of the four hippodromes of Turkey, hosting Horse racing competitions from October to May.

Cuisine

Cuisine of Adana is influenced by the various cultures that have passed through the region and the city kept to its traditions tightly. Spicy, sour and fatty dishes made of meat (usually lamb) and bulghur are common. Bulghur and flour are found at all the kitchens in Çukurova. In almost every home, red pepper, spices, tahini, chopping block and pastry board can be found. The bulghur used in cooking is specific to Adana, made from dark colored hard wheat species. Bulghur that is made of other species of wheat is not used in area, because of the missing flavor.

Adana Kebab, called "Kebap" locally, is a kebab made from minced meat. Since it can be found at all kebab restaurants in Turkey and at most Turkish restaurants around the world, Adana name still bears kebab to many people. Adana Kebab is the most popular dining choice in Adana, although foods from other cultures are getting increasingly popular. Besides many kebab restaurants, there are also many kebab serving vendors on the older streets of Adana.

Adana Kebab is usually served with onion salad, green salad or with well-chopped tomato salad. Rakı and Şalgam are usually accompanied with it as drinks. There are many varieties of salads typical to the city. Radish salad with tahini is popular and it is found only in the Çukurova region. Şalgam and pickle juice are the drinks of the winter and aşlama (licorice juice) is the choice of drink in summer.

Vegetable dishes are also popular in the city. Besides the tomato paste, pepper paste is used in almost every dish. The city is also famous for its ''Şırdan'' a kind of home-made sausage stuffed with rice, and eaten with cumin; ''paça'', boiled sheep's feet; ''bicibici'' (pronounced as bee-jee-bee-jee) made from diced semolina, rose water and sugar, and served with crushed ice, consumed especially in summer time. Furthermore, the city has a number of famous desserts, such as ''Halka Tatlı'', a round-shaped dessert, and ''Taş Kadayıf'', a bow-shaped dessert. Several types of fruit, including the apricot, are native to this area.

Education

Public, private and not-for profit foundation institutions conduct education in Adana. There are 282 public and 12 private primary schools which pupils attend from grade 1 to 8. From grade 9 to 11, pupils go to one of the 85 public and 26 private high schools. Notable high schools of the city that require examination to enter are; Adana Fen Lisesi (Lycee for Science), Adana Anadolu Lisesi (Anatolian Lycee),Gündoğdu Lisesi(Private) and Bilfen Lisesi (Private). There are also 6 public and 6 private schools for pupils with special needs. 9 Community Training Centers serve adult residents to improve their skills. There are two state universities in the city and one university just outside.

Çukurova University is a state university located at the east shores of Seyhan Reservoir. In 2008, with 3 faculties, it is placed among the top 500 universities of the world at a research conducted by Blackwell Publishing, Quacquarelli Symonds and The Times. The university was founded in 1973 with the union of the colleges of Agriculture and Medicine. It has a beautiful campus overlooking to the reservoir with many cultural, social and athletic facilities, currently holding 40,000 students. Çağ University is a not-for-profit tuition-based university founded in 1997. The university is located just outside of the city, midway to Tarsus. University holds around 2500 students, most of them commuting from Adana, Tarsus and Mersin. Faculty of Management is the most popular school in the university.

Adana University for Science and Technology is a recently founded state university that is planned to have ten faculties, two institutions and a college. It will accommodate 1,700 academic, 470 administrative staff, and it is expected to enroll students by 2012.

Healthcare

Adana is a major health center to a wide region from Mediterrenean to Southeastern Anatolia. There are 4 university hospitals, 8 state hospitals and 7 private hospitals in the city. Balcalı Hospital of the Çukurova University is one of the major hospitals of Turkey.

Transportation

As being on the major route that is connecting Europe to Middle East, Adana is well served by many forms of transportation. Until the 16th century, Adana was a port city where ships could navigate on Seyhan River to the port just south of Taşköprü.

Direct flights to Düsseldorf, Hanover and Nicosia (TRNC) from Adana Şakirpaşa Airport run by Germania and Cyprus Turkish Airlines. Mersin-Aleppo Train connects Adana and the rest of Çukurova region to Aleppo, the largest metropolitan area of Syria. This train service started in 2008, but did not get popular, as the ride from Adana to Aleppo takes 8 hours. Hatay-based buses take this distance in 3-3.5 hours.

Turkish Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, Atlas Jet Airways, Anadolu Jet Airlines, Onur Air and SunExpress provide daily flights to Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Antalya, Trabzon, Diyarbakır and Van from Adana Şakirpaşa Airport. Turkish State Railways(TCDD) provides trips to most of the cities in Turkey from the Adana Railway Station. The railway line was built during 1910s by the Ottoman-German co-operation and the bridges, tunnels that were built along the Taurus Mountains were the engineering wonders of their time. Numerous bus companies provide service to almost all the cities in Turkey. Although lost its popularity as private airlines introduced inexpensive flights to major cities, bus is still the major form of transportation to and from Adana. Adana has two intercity bus terminals. Bus companies that serve transportation to cities west of Adana, departs from Central Bus Terminal, whereas the buses that serve to cities east of Adana depart from Yüreğir Bus Terminal. There is shuttle service between two terminals.

Adana-Mersin Railway Line runs like a commuter train serving every 20 minutes between Mersin, Tarsus and Adana. With the new railbuses, train trip between Adana and Mersin takes 45 minutes. Train service from Adana to Ceyhan, Osmaniye and Islahiye run three times per day. Regional bus services from Adana to other places in Çukurova are plentiful and carried by bus and minibus co-operatives. Seasonal Bus Services to high plains of Tekir, Bürücek and Kızıldag run in summer, due to high demand of Adana residents escaping the heat.

There is an extensive motorway network (O50-O59) in the region, connecting Adana to as far as Erdemli at the west, Niğde at the north, Şanlıurfa at the east and Iskenderun at the south. Traffic runs smooth at anytime of the day, driving can take as short as 40 minutes to Mersin and 2 hours to Gaziantep.

Local transport

Local transport in Adana is provided by the Metropolitan Municipality (through buses and the metro) and by dolmuş (minibus) and bus co-operatives.

Adana Metro is a rail rapid transit system which fully opened to service on May 14, 2010. It is 14 km long and has 13 stations. The system can transport 21,600 passengers per hour one-way, a complete journey taking 21 minutes. The second line of the metro will run from Akıncılar to Çukurova University in the Sarıçam District. It will be 9.5 km long and will have 7 stations. The project is contracted in January 2010 and the construction is expected to start after an agreement is made with the Çukurova University. Adana Metro will then extend to 23.5 km. serving at 20 stations.

Adana Metropolitan Municipality Bus Department (ABBO) serves the city with 229 buses, 8 of them designed specifically for disabled users. Payments are collected by Kentkart Smartcard system; one of the most advanced in Turkey. 6 Bus Co-operatives (known as Can buses) serve the city with 411 buses. Kentkart and cash are accepted at these buses. 18 Dolmuş Co-operatives, with total of 1,086 minibuses, provide service even to secondary streets. The only form of payment is by cash.

Notable natives

See List of people from Adana

International relations

Twin towns — sister cities

Adana is twinned with:

	Córdoba, Spain>Córdoba, Spain	* Beer Sheba, Israel	* Shymkent, Kazakhstan		* Famagusta, Cyprus	* Bremerhaven, Germany	* Skopje, Republic of Macedonia		* Saint Petersburg, Russia	* Livorno, Italy	* Ulan Bator, Mongolia

References

;Notes

Further reading

External links

Governorship of Adana

Adana Metropolitan Municipality

Adana Trade and Industry Chamber

Adana Virtual Tour

Adana News Portal

Adana pictures Chamber

Adana Image Gallery with a Sub-gallery for the fine Ulu Camii

Adana Entertainment & Magazine

Adana City Portal

Category:Çukurova Category:Adana Province Category:Cilicia Category:Archaeological sites in Turkey Category:Populated places along the Silk Road Category:Ancient Greek sites in Turkey Category:Ancient Greek cities Category:Hellenistic colonies Category:Hittite cities Category:Roman sites in Turkey Category:Populated places in Adana Province Category:Thughur

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Daniel Decker is a Puerto Rican - American composer, singer and recording artist known for his unique blending of musical influences from around the globe and infusing them into his own works.

Born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, raised in Solvay, New York, trained at the Crane School of Music in New York, he has incorporated many diverse musical elements he has encountered along the way. He incorporates classical, jazz, pop and world music influences into his music.

He has received critical acclaim for his collaborations with Armenian composer Ara Gevorgian. “Noah’s Prayer” (originally entitled “Mush”) chronicles Noah’s journey to Mount Ararat. “Noah’s Prayer” was debuted in 2002 in Sardarapat, Armenia to celebrate Armenian Independence day. In attendance were Armenian President Robert Kocharyan, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians (head of the Armenian Apostolic Church), as well as ambassadors from countries around the world. The concert, which was broadcast live on Armenian television, and via satellite to over 30 nations, has catapulted Decker to celebrity status in Armenia.

The day after the 2002 concert, he heard Gevorgian’s composition entitled “Adana” and felt it was the perfect vehicle to tell the story of the Armenian Genocide, an issue that moved him deeply. Thus, a second collaboration was born. Named after the city where one of the first massacres of the Armenian people took place, “Adana” tells the story of the Armenian Genocide, during which soldiers of the Ottoman Empire forced 1.5 million Armenians into starvation, torture and extermination because they would not renounce their Christian faith. As with their first collaboration, Decker wrote the song’s epic lyrics to complement the musical landscape of Ara Gevorgian. “I wrote ”Adana” not only as a way to draw international attention to a terrible tragedy, but as a source of healing to the Armenian people,” explains Decker. "Daniel has done a great thing for the people of Armenia,” says Gevorgian. Cross Rhythms, Europe’s leading religious magazine and web portal said of “Adana”, “seldom has a disaster of untold suffering produced such a magnificent piece of art..”

He was officially invited by the Armenian government to sing “Adana” at a special concert in Yerevan, Armenia on April 24, 2005 to commemorate the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, which was broadcast live on Armenian television, and featured on BBC news and CNN throughout the world. To date, “Adana” has been translated into 17 languages and recorded by singers and musicians around the world.

While Decker sings across the globe, he has found a special place in his heart for the Armenian people. He has been working with relief organizations to bring aid to the poorest regions and to those that have been hit the hardest, children and the elderly.

His latest CD, “My Offering”, is a clear example of his approach to composing. Engaging pop with exotic instrumentation like flamenco guitars and Armenian duduk and kanun are particular highlights. In Decker’s words, “from classical tradition, to Latin jazz and pop, to modern spiritual songs and Brazilian samba, I applaud what makes each of us unique.”

In addition to “Noah’s Prayer and “Adana”, both of which feature the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra, the disc features eight additional tracks including, “My Offering”, Decker’s contribution to the world of modern worship songs. In the tradition of Passion and Hillsongs, “My Offering" is a concert favorite and seems destined for modern worship songbooks worldwide. “There Is A Place” is a spirited Brazilian samba that makes you get on your feet and move. Infectious melody and rich arrangement, with luscious vocals and powerful horns, Latin guitars and percussion. “Dust in the Wind” is a rare cover version of the Kansas original that moves the song into fresh territory with an inventive rearrangement by Decker. The final track “And So It Goes” is a fitting conclusion to such a rich musical palette. It is an intimate piano ballad reflecting back on the brevity of life, yet looking optimistically towards the future.

References

External links

Daniel Decker's website

Daniel Decker Youtube channel

Daniel Decker Myspace page

Category:American composers Category:American male singers Category:Living people Category:Crane School of Music alumni

name	Zaruhi Babayan Заруи Бабаян
birth date	December 27, 1975
birthplace	Yerevan, Armenia
occupation	Singer
genre	jazz, pop
years active	1986–present
spouse	Hovhannes Poghosyan
children	Sofia Poghosyan, born on January 01, 2000Georgy Poghosyan, born on September 30, 2004
cooperation with	Sofi Devoyan
website
background	solo_singer }}

Zaruhi Babayan was born on December 27, 1975 in Yerevan, capital of Armenia. In 1989 Zaruhi finished number 19 music school in Yerevan. Since 1986 Zaruhi has been participating in many concerts, contests, festivals with the staff of jazz pop band of cultural center where she has been awarded many prizes, awards. In 1992 she graduated from Khachatur Abovyan State Pedagogical Institute, the faculty of biology.

Activity

1995 worked in the 'Jazzle' pop group of the cultural center and the ''Vaghordyan Katilner'' (Morning drops) and that job she combined with the job in State Song theatre. With the staff of State Song theatre she had great many concerts both in Armenia and oversees. She had a number of concerts in many foreign countries, in all the marzes of Armenia, Russia, USA and Iran. She had solo concerts, recitals in Greece, England and Iran.

2000 participated in Sayat-Nova Pan-Armenian festival where in the lyrical genre she was awarded with the best prize.

2001 for the best processing she was awarded with the best award for the song ''Shalakho'' in ''Krunk'' festival.

2001 released her first CD album under the title ''Chanaparh depi?'' (The road to?. )The CD includes folk, national and pop songs.

2002 in the Armenian Music Awards Zaruhi's first CD album was recognized as the best CD album of the year in the pop genre, and Zaruhi was awarded with the award ''Best songstress of the year''.

2003 graduated form Yerevan State Conservatory after Komitas.

2003 Zaruhi had solo concerts in Beirut, Lebanon.

2004 had recitals in Iran, in the cities of Tehran, Isfaha and in Syria, Aleppo.

2005 on June 1–2, Zaruhi Babaian had the first great solo concert in Opera and Ballet National academic theatre after Al. Spendiaryan, Yerevan. In the concert their participation showed such outstanding groups as State Jazz Band of Armenia, art director Armen Martirosyan, Theatre of Dance and Soul, art director Sofi Devoyan, Arevik child ensemble of national radio, art director Armen Divanyan, and "Lavanda" trio.

2005 Zaruhi got invitation from the USA to partake in the ''Hayuhiner 2'' project. The members and participants of this project are Varduhi Vardanyan, Armine Nahapetyan, Anna Khachatryan and Zaruhi Babaian. The concert took place in Glendale, Alex theatre.

Armenian Music Awards

Shalakho 'The best sing of the year' 2002

The best singer 2002

The best pop-folk album "Road to"

Albums

Road to

Old & New

Last songs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFdSYZS4U1c

References

Category:Armenian singers Category:1975 births Category:Living people

ru:Заруи Бабаян