City of Prophets Starting the History of Religion: Urfa

We will go back to the Neolithic Age now. In a journey extending to 11000 BC, we will incline our ears to the stories and narratives about this land where the known oldest temple was built. This place that is the zero point of the belief is among the most important cities worldwide as it has caused the known human history to change. Come on, let's have a closer look...

What does Urfa Mean then?

According to the narrative reached today from the Ancient Greeks, Prophet İdris, also referred to as Enoch, Hermes or Uhnud, teaches the people to build cities since the beginning of the time. 180 cities are built then, and the smallest one is called Urhai. Pronounced as "Orhay", this city is referred to as Urfa in time. If we think about this narrative, then we can conclude that Urfa was founded before Noah's Flood. Of course, when Urfa was devastated just like the rest of the world, Nemrut came to the fore and built three cities in his own way. One of them was today's Urfa... The city was named Arach and then as Erech, Orhay, Edessa and Ruha, and it has reached today as Urfa.

If you think that we would say "alright, enough of narratives", then you are wrong. According to another narrative, the first residents of the city Arami people, other words Assyrians, named the city as Urhai or Orhay. Then the Hellenics who came to the city named it as Edessa meaning "with plenty of water". Besides, this city was also called Kaliruha meaning "with good water". When the Arabs came to the region, the prefix “-kali” was removed, it became Ruha, and then it reached today as Urfa.

City of Prophets

Given such a significant and meaningful name, Urfa has been lucky since the beginning. This is clear from the narrated stories and mentioned legends. This place is accepted as the birthplace of Prophet Abraham, who is mentioned in three divine religions. The studies today show that the history of the city dates back to 11000 BC.

Urfa has been subjected to the rule of many civilizations in time. First Ebla, then Akkad, followed by Sumerians, and Babel. Then the Hittites could not resist and took these lands. After them, Hurri-Miannis, Aramaeans, Assyria, Persia, Macedonian, Rome, Byzantium and many more... All of them fell in love with these ancient lands...

When it was 1094, Anatolian Seljuk State came and entered in the gates. After spending here full four years, the city was taken by Crusader Edessa Shire, but then the city was conquered by Ayyubids. The Mamelukes said "No way!" and recaptured it attacking again. After the Black Sheep Turkomans, Timur State, the White Sheep Turkomans, and Sadevis, the Ottoman Empire led by Selim the Resolute settled there permanently in 1516. Conquered after Mercidabık Battle, these ancient lands were under Ottoman control until World War I.

And Urfa Dignifies Its Glory

World War I was fought, and the Ottoman was under occupation. Towards the end of 1919, first, the English and then the French came, and this ancient city witnessed the worst memories of the war... The Headteacher Great Leader Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his fellow soldiers worked hard to raise awareness of the people of today's Turkey, found correspondence and the Independence War was initiated. On 11 April 1920, all patriot people of Urfa, the young and olds everyone, repelled the enemy, and the city achieved a great victory. Urfa was recognized as a city just one year after the Republic's foundation, and when it was 1984, it was granted the title of "Glorious" and the fame of the city was dignified.

Mentioned for its Göbeklitepe Archaeological Site all around the world, the City of Prophets continues to inspire and protect its existence for 11000 years as one of the most important and precious lands of the Republic of Turkey.