Merkez Park | |
---|---|
Type | Urban park |
Location | Adana, Turkey |
Coordinates | 36°59′44″N35°20′06″E / 36.99556°N 35.33500°E Coordinates: 36°59′44″N35°20′06″E / 36.99556°N 35.33500°E |
Area | 33 ha (82 acres) |
Created | 2004 |
Operated by | Adana Metropolitan Municipality |
Status | Open all year |
Merkez Park (English: Central Park) is a 33-hectare (82-acre) urban park that is located on both banks of the Seyhan River in Adana. [1] The larger portion of the park, 30 hectares (74 acres), is on the west bank.
Merkez Park starts just north of Sabancı Mosque and extends north to Galleria Shopping Mall. On the west of the park there is Fuzuli Street. On the east bank, the park starts north of the Sheraton Hotel (under construction) and extends north to the Acqualand Entertainment Center. On the east, the park is bordered with Hacı Sabancı Boulevard. Sinanpaşa and Yavuzlar footbridges connect both sections of the park.
A large portion of the area of the west bank of today's Merkez Park was a citrus garden. South of the garden, there was a neighborhood of shanty homes. At the very south, just north of D-400 State road, there was the Central Bus Terminal on the river side, and the Archaeology Museum (which is still there) and a gas station on the street side. North of the garden up to the old dam, was a reserve land for floods which used to happen frequently until the 1950s. On the east bank, there was a neighborhood of shanty homes and a large area of vacant land.
The idea to create a large urban park on the banks of the Seyhan River was first included in the city plan in 1988 by the mayor, Aytaç Durak. Named Merkez Park, it was planned to be built in an area from north of D-400 State road to the old dam. The project was presented to the public at the art gallery of the Municipal Hall. The first step to take was to relocate the Central Bus Terminal which was just north of D-400 State road. The Central Bus Terminal was moved to the west end of the city.
At the 1989 local elections, Selahattin Çolak was elected mayor, and he reversed the project. Although river banks are zoned as construction-free areas by laws, a large shopping mall was approved for the area just south of the Demirköprü bridge. On the area north of Demirköprü, Selahattin Çolak built a large amphitheater, named Mimar Sinan Amphitheater.
At the 1994 local elections, Aytaç Durak was elected mayor for a second term. He had to modify the original plan of Merkez Park due to the constructions in the project area. The modified project resumed by re-zoning the neighborhood within the project area. There were around 100 homes in the area and demolition of the homes started in 1998. During this period, the Sinanpaşa footbridge was built to connect both banks of the Seyhan River. Sabancı Mosque, at the corner of Seyhan bridge, was completed in 1998.
Before the construction of Merkez Park, a citywide recreational pathway was completed on both banks of the Seyhan River. Park construction started by building the major pathway of the park from Galleria to Sabancı Mosque. Citrus trees were completely removed and converted into multi-functional green areas. The gas station next to the Archaeology Museum was moved to another location and the park was extended towards Sabancı Mosque. An underground car park was built at the area between Sabancı Mosque and the museum. The ground was set as green area. The construction of the west bank of the park was fully completed in 2008.
Merkez Park is well landscaped and carries a wide variety of trees and plants in an open concept. There are 67 species of trees and bushes, 40 species of cactuses, aromatic and ground covering plants. The number of total plants exceed 400 thousand. Some of the plants that were brought from Italy are shaped as animal figures. Within the park there are 12 ponds and a 2.2-hectare (5.4-acre) playground for children including the disabled. At the section for the youth there is a skating court, ground chess and mini amphitheater. Viewing terraces are built on a higher level and there are also circular shaped resting terraces. There are also 3 km (1.9 mi) running and cycling paths between the park and Fuzuli Street.
A 2100-seat amphitheater at the north of the park hosts concerts and movie theatres. Next to the amphitheater, there is a quay for river boats. A rowing club located inside Merkez Park provides rowing at the river. [2]
Cilicia is a geographical region in southern Anatolia in Turkey, extending inland from the northeastern coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. Cilicia has a population ranging over six million, concentrated mostly at the Cilicia plain. The region includes the provinces of Mersin, Adana, Osmaniye, along with parts of Hatay and Antalya.
Adana is a major city in southern Turkey. It is situated on the Seyhan River, 35 km (22 mi) inland from the Mediterranean Sea. The administrative seat of Adana province, it has a population of 2.26 million.
Adana Province is a province of Turkey located in central Cilicia. With a population of 2.26 million, it is the sixth most populous province in Turkey. The administrative seat of the province is the city of Adana, home to 79% of the residents of the province. It is also closely affiliated with other Cilician provinces of Mersin, Osmaniye, and Hatay.
Seyhan is a district-municipality in the Adana Province of Turkey, core of the Adana urban area. Seyhan is home to 35 percent of the residents of Adana Province and almost half of the residents of the city of Adana. It is the fifth most populous metropolitan district in Turkey.
Taşköprü, historically known as Ponte Sarus, is a Roman bridge spanning the Seyhan River in Adana that was probably built in the first half of the second century AD. The bridge was a key link in ancient trade routes from the Mediterranean Sea to Anatolia and Persia. Until its closure in 2007, it was one of the oldest bridges in the world open to motorized vehicles. Since 2007 it has only carried foot traffic, and now hosts social and cultural events.
Çukurova or the Cilician Plain, is a large fertile plain in the Cilicia region of southern Turkey. The plain covers the easternmost areas of Mersin Province, southern and central Adana Province, western Osmaniye Province and northwestern Hatay Province.
Yüreğir is a district-municipality in the Adana Province of Turkey. It is the second most populated district of the province with a population of over 400,000, mostly concentrated on the east side of the Seyhan river, within the city of Adana.
Sabancı Merkez Camii in Adana is the second largest mosque in Turkey. The exterior of the mosque is similar to the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne, though it has six minarets, similar to the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul.
Ulu Cami, is a 16th-century mosque in Adana, Turkey. It forms part of a complex (külliye) that includes a madrasah and a mausoleum (türbe). The buildings are on Kızılay street, next to the Ramazanoğlu Hall.
Aytaç Durak is a Turkish politician, and has been the mayor of Adana since 1984, excluding one term (1989–1994). He is the longest serving locally elected city mayor in Turkey, currently at his 5th term. Adding his 17 years as a municipal councillor, he will have served the municipality of Adana for 42 years by the end of this term. He was the president of the Municipalities Union of Turkey for 17 years and the Çukurova Municipalities Union for 12 years.
Tepebağ is a historical neighborhood in the old town of Adana. It is situated on a hill overlooking the Seyhan River on the west, steps away from the Taşköprü, and reflects the traditional housing architecture of the city. Tumulus at Tepebağ is the area of the first settlements in Adana.
Adana Metro is a rail rapid transit system extending 13.5 kilometers (8.4 mi) along a north–south corridor through Adana, with 13 stations. It can transport 21,600 passengers per hour per direction. The total travel time on the metro, end to end, takes 21 minutes, including all stops.
Adana Center for Arts and Culture is a public facility for cultural events, operating at the historical state building of Adana that served as a school for most of its history. The center is located on the west bank of Seyhan River just south of the Taşköprü, on Seyhan Street.
Adana station is a railway station in Adana and one of the major railway hubs in Turkey. The station is located at the İstasyon Square, in Kurtuluş, Seyhan.
Çukurova is a district in the Adana Province of Turkey. District population of 389,000, is concentrated within the city of Adana, occupying north-west of the city. It is a modern residential district which came into being in the last 30 years as the city expanded north. Çukurova is located north of the Seyhan district, west of the Seyhan River and south of the Seyhan Reservoir.
Umbogintwini is a suburb located approximately 23 km south-west of Durban, in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Adana Half Marathon is an IAAF international athletic event that takes place in Adana annually since 2011. The marathon is organized the first Sunday following January 5, the independence day of Adana. Master Men, Master Women and Wheelchair competitions, as well as 4 km Public Run are held during the event.
Karşıyaka, formerly Verâ-yı Cisr, is a quarter in the Yüreğir district of the city of Adana. The quarter is on the banks of Seyhan river, just across the old town.
Lower Seyhan Irrıgation Project is one of the major irrigation projects of Turkey, which is located in the Seyhan River basin.
Site Mosque is a mosque located in Ilkadim district of Samsun. The mosque is a prominent architectural landmark in the city center due to both its location and unique architectural style. It was built between 1976 and 1985 as part of a redevelopment of the city center. Plans were announced in 2022 to demolish the mosque as part of an urban renewal campaign of Samsun's City Center.