5 Must-See Places in Şanlıurfa

The eighth most populous province of Turkey, Şanlıurfa or Urfa is one of our provinces that has witnessed many histories over the years. Also known among the public as the city of prophets or the holy city, Urfa is believed to have been founded by Nemrut. After the Republic, Urfa became a province in 1924, and MP Osman Doğan and his 17 friends were given the title of Şanlı for their heroism in the War of Independence. So where should we go when we visit this holy city? Let's take a look together!

1. Balıklı Lake (Halil-ür Rahman Lake), the Symbol of Urfa

One of the first places that comes to mind when the name Şanlıurfa is mentioned, Balıklı Lake is famous for its story. According to the story, the ruler Nemrut sees in his dream one night that one of the children to be born will kill him. He is so affected by this dream that he wants all the newborn children to be killed in the city. Sara Hatun, the mother of the prophet Abraham, secretly gives birth to her child in a cave. According to one story, a female gazelle breastfed Abraham. After some time, the soldiers found the child and brought him to Nimrod. Nimrod had never had a child, he took this child with him and loved him. One day, Abraham destroyed the idols that the people and Nimrod believed in. Abraham tried to tell them about his own religion, but Nimrod ordered him to be burned. Wood was collected from many places and brought to the location where Balıklı Göl is today. When Abraham was thrown into the fire, God gave the order to the fire, “O fire, be cool and safe for Abraham,” and the fire turned into water and the wood turned into fish. Because of this story, all the fish in Balıklı Göl are considered sacred and it is believed that bad things will happen to those who harm the fish. When you visit Balıklı Göl today, you can tour the lake and feed the fish.

2. Ayn Zeliha Lake

According to the story, Zeliha, the stepdaughter of Nemrod, was in love with Hz. Abraham and believed in him. After Abraham was burned, the Prophet cried after him and said, Zeliha, who said she believed in Abraham's religion, was also burned by Nemrut. A lake formed by Zeliha's tears formed where she fell after being burned to death. The name of the lake that formed is called Ayn Zeliha, which means Zeliha's eye.

The two columns believed to have been used as catapults on the hill opposite Balıklı Lake and Ayn Zeliha Lake still stand today. It is believed that there is endless gold under one of these columns and endless water under the other. It is said that if the column with water under it collapses, the city will be buried under water, and if the column with gold collapses, the city will be buried under it. According to another rumor, it is believed that if Anatolian lands are invaded, the sacred fish will turn into soldiers and join the war. Since fish are considered sacred, it is believed that anyone who touches them will be in trouble.

3. Göbeklitepe, Rewriting History

The reason why the discovery of Göbeklitepe is so important is that it reveals that religions began before people settled down. Before Göbeklitepe was discovered, it was known that religions emerged after people settled down, but Göbeklitepe, as a 12,000-year-old center of worship, revealed this to be false. According to what is known, people settled down 10,000 years ago, but Göbeklitepe has been in existence for 12,000 years. The discovery of Göbeklitepe also revealed that the lifestyles of people living in primitive times were much more advanced than we thought. With this discovery, Göbeklitepe was accepted as the zero point of human history and civilization.

4. Şanlıurfa Castle

It is thought that the castle was built between 812-814 AD during the Abbasid period. The two columns on the castle were built as monumental columns during the reign of King Manu 9 of Edessa. On the column to the east, it is written: "I am Aftuha, son of military commander Barşamaş. I made this column and the statue on it for the daughter of the crown prince MANU, the wife of the king MANU, my lady and benefactor, Queen Şalmeth." In addition, it is stated that these two columns were built by Hz. It is believed that these were the columns used as catapults when Ibrahim was thrown into the fire.

5. Land of Karagül Halfeti

Halfeti, one of the districts of Şanlıurfa, was previously known as Rumkale; however, it was named Halfeti as an abbreviation of these two names when two young people named Halil and Fatma threw themselves into the waters of the Euphrates River. Thanks to the unique climate conditions of this district, there is a rose that grows only in Halfeti in the world. When this rose is picked and taken to another place, its color changes, and when its seed is planted somewhere else, it blooms in a different color.

Halfeti city, which consists of two parts today, is divided into Old Halfeti and New Halfeti. Since a large part of the district was flooded due to the Birecik Dam, the residents of the district moved to New Halfeti. The important part in terms of tourism is located in Old Halfeti and is one of the places that must be visited.

Written by: Ece Var