Gaziantep, formerly Aintab (ancient Doliche), city in southern Turkey, capital of Gaziantep Province, situated about 1067 m (about 3500 ft) above sea level, in a wide and treeless valley near the Syrian border. The principal products of Gaziantep are striped silk and cotton dress material, tent cloth made from black goat's hair, morocco leather, soap processed from olive oil, and a sweet confectionery paste made from grapes. The dyeing of yarn is also important. Pistachio nuts, cereal grains, tobacco, and raw cotton are transported from the surrounding agricultural region to the city for export. Historical buildings in the area include the ruins of a Byzantine fortress. A mound located northwest of Gaziantep marks the center of worship of a Baal (Semitic deity) that was called Zeus Dolichenus by the Greeks.
The city, originally known as Doliche, was probably founded by the Hittites before 1000 BC. Early in the 12th century, the city (then called Aintab) was captured by Turks and ruled by various occupying powers including Turkmen dynasties, Arabs, and Mongols. Aintab became part of the Ottoman Empire in the early 16th century. In 1920 and 1921, it became a center of Turkish resistance against French occupation. The occupying forces withdrew in 1921, and the city was renamed Gaziantep, which includes the Turkish word meaning “champion of Islam.” Population (1996 estimate) 758,438.
