Karkamış

Karkamış is a small border town in Southeastern Anatolia, noted for being the site of the ancient city of Carchemish.

Get in

As of 2022, due to the ongoing Civil War in Syria, literally just a stones throw from the town, there might be restrictions on travelling here. Karkamış was a station along the Berlin–Baghdad railway, but there has not been any trains operating here since 2011.

See

• 1 Carchemish. Ruins of an important ancient capital. At times during its history the city was independent, but it was also part of the Mitanni, Hittite and Neo-Assyrian Empires. In about 605 BC, a rump Assyrian army fled here, then under the rule of their Egyptian allies. A battle, mentioned in the Bible (Jer. 46:2), ensued between them and the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar who overran the Assyrian Empire. (updated Nov 2022)
• 2 Karkamış Bridge (Karkamış Köprüsü). Historic truss bridge carrying the Baghdad Railway across the Euphrates. When completed in 1913, it was the second longest bridge in Turkey at 870 m (2,850 ft), after the Long Bridge (incidentally also in the borderlands, but far to the west). (updated Nov 2022)
• 3 Karkamış railway station (Karkamış Gar). The small and quaint railway station built in 1913. (updated Nov 2022)

Go next

• Jarabulus — the twin town to the south across the border, but it will likely be a long time before it will be safe enough again for a visit.