When describing his visit to the region in the 17th century, Evliya Çelebi mentioned that belen means slope in the Turkmen language.[3]
Demographics
In late 19th century, traveler Martin Hartmann listed 6 of the 12 settlements in the nahiyah of Belen as Turkish and the rest without any information on the population.[4]
Geography
The district of Belen consists of a small town of the same name and the surrounding villages in the forested slopes of the Nur Mountains. The Belen Pass is the main route across the mountains and joins the coastal city of İskenderun with Antakya. The pass is a key route between Anatolia and the Middle East. The Belen district is known for its cool clean air (especially when compared with the heat of the Mediterranean coast below) and its mountain spring water.
The roadside restaurants in the pass have long been a stopping place for travellers, serving the typical dishes of Hatay, and especially "Belen tava", meats fried in tomatoes, garlic, spices and peppers.
Belen itself is a small market town with a post office and other basics. The people of Belen are conservative; the municipality is currently (2010) controlled by the Turkish far-right MHP, with the other seats held by the AKP.[5]
History
Known in earlier times as "Maziku Bagras" and "Bab-ı İskenderun" the pass was brought into the Ottoman Empire in 1516 after the Battle of Marj Dabiq. The Ottomans posted a guard on the pass, the main route from Syria to Anatolia, and gave the area the name "Belen". In 1535 following a visit by Suleyman the Magnificent a wall was built to secure the pass along with a caravanserai, a mosque and a bathhouse, and with these facilities Turkish families were settled on the mountainside, partly acting as watchkeepers on the pass, along with the military garrison. This early Ottoman architecture is still in place.
The town grew, acquiring the typical Ottoman mix of Muslim and non-Muslim traders and villagers. the 16th century traveller Evliya Çelebi noted the harsh climate, the narrow streets and the forest on the steep hillsides. Belen was key to the defence of the Ottoman Empire during the struggle against the breakaway Egyptian army in 1827. 13,000 people died during the Egyptian struggle to take the pass, they eventually succeeded but during their retreat from Anatolia were harried by bandits at Belen again.
Along with the rest of Hatay State, Belen became part of Turkey in 1939.
^"Area of regions (including lakes), km²". Regional Statistics Database. Turkish Statistical Institute. 2002. Retrieved 2013-03-05.
^"Population of province/district centers and towns/villages by districts - 2012". Address Based Population Registration System (ABPRS) Database. Turkish Statistical Institute. Retrieved 2013-02-27.
^İslâm ansiklopedisi: İslâm âlemi tarih, coğrafya, etnoğrafya ve biyografya lûgati Cilt 2. Milli Eğitim Basımevi. 1950. p. 474. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
^Hartmann, Martin (1894). Das liwa Haleb (Aleppo) und ein Teil des Liwa Dschebel Bereket. Berlin: W. Pormetter. p. 87. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
^Meclis Üyeleri September 29, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, Belen belediyesi
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Belen, Hatay.
Slightly more pictures on site
May 08, 2023
belen, hatay, belen, town, hatay, province, mediterranean, region, south, central, turkey, belenthe, town, 1780s, louis, françois, cassasbelencoordinates, 48889, 19444, 48889, 19444, coordinates, 48889, 19444, 48889, 19444country, turkeyprovincehataygovernment. Belen is a town of Hatay Province in the Mediterranean region of south central Turkey BelenThe town in the 1780s by Louis Francois CassasBelenCoordinates 36 29 20 N 36 11 40 E 36 48889 N 36 19444 E 36 48889 36 19444 Coordinates 36 29 20 N 36 11 40 E 36 48889 N 36 19444 E 36 48889 36 19444Country TurkeyProvinceHatayGovernment MayorIbrahim Gul MHP KaymakamMehmet OzArea 1 District129 54 km2 50 02 sq mi Elevation620 m 2 030 ft Population 2012 2 Urban22 577 District29 496 District density230 km2 590 sq mi Post code31350Websitewww belen bel tr Contents 1 Etymology 2 Demographics 3 Geography 4 History 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksEtymology EditWhen describing his visit to the region in the 17th century Evliya Celebi mentioned that belen means slope in the Turkmen language 3 Demographics EditIn late 19th century traveler Martin Hartmann listed 6 of the 12 settlements in the nahiyah of Belen as Turkish and the rest without any information on the population 4 Geography EditThe district of Belen consists of a small town of the same name and the surrounding villages in the forested slopes of the Nur Mountains The Belen Pass is the main route across the mountains and joins the coastal city of Iskenderun with Antakya The pass is a key route between Anatolia and the Middle East The Belen district is known for its cool clean air especially when compared with the heat of the Mediterranean coast below and its mountain spring water The roadside restaurants in the pass have long been a stopping place for travellers serving the typical dishes of Hatay and especially Belen tava meats fried in tomatoes garlic spices and peppers Belen itself is a small market town with a post office and other basics The people of Belen are conservative the municipality is currently 2010 controlled by the Turkish far right MHP with the other seats held by the AKP 5 History EditKnown in earlier times as Maziku Bagras and Bab i Iskenderun the pass was brought into the Ottoman Empire in 1516 after the Battle of Marj Dabiq The Ottomans posted a guard on the pass the main route from Syria to Anatolia and gave the area the name Belen In 1535 following a visit by Suleyman the Magnificent a wall was built to secure the pass along with a caravanserai a mosque and a bathhouse and with these facilities Turkish families were settled on the mountainside partly acting as watchkeepers on the pass along with the military garrison This early Ottoman architecture is still in place The town grew acquiring the typical Ottoman mix of Muslim and non Muslim traders and villagers the 16th century traveller Evliya Celebi noted the harsh climate the narrow streets and the forest on the steep hillsides Belen was key to the defence of the Ottoman Empire during the struggle against the breakaway Egyptian army in 1827 13 000 people died during the Egyptian struggle to take the pass they eventually succeeded but during their retreat from Anatolia were harried by bandits at Belen again Along with the rest of Hatay State Belen became part of Turkey in 1939 See also Edit2020 wildfires in TurkeyReferences Edit Area of regions including lakes km Regional Statistics Database Turkish Statistical Institute 2002 Retrieved 2013 03 05 Population of province district centers and towns villages by districts 2012 Address Based Population Registration System ABPRS Database Turkish Statistical Institute Retrieved 2013 02 27 Islam ansiklopedisi Islam alemi tarih cografya etnografya ve biyografya lugati Cilt 2 Milli Egitim Basimevi 1950 p 474 Retrieved 15 September 2022 Hartmann Martin 1894 Das liwa Haleb Aleppo und ein Teil des Liwa Dschebel Bereket Berlin W Pormetter p 87 Retrieved 30 November 2022 Meclis Uyeleri Archived September 29 2010 at the Wayback Machine Belen belediyesiExternal links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Belen Hatay Slightly more pictures on site Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Belen Hatay amp oldid 1148233345, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
