16 Amazing landmarks and archaeological sites in Urfa (Turkey) : A Journey Worth Taking
Join us on a journey to unlock Urfa (Turkey) ‘s secrets with 16 landmarks and archaeological sites. Explore 16 amazing landmarks and archaeological sites or the best 16 landmarks and archaeological sites in Urfa (Turkey) . Let’s discover 16 best landmarks and archaeological sites or hidden landmarks and archaeological sites in Urfa (Turkey) . Plan your next adventure with our comprehensive list of destinations in Urfa (Turkey) .
Information about Urfa (Turkey)
You have to allocate a few days to visit the city of Urfa to go on a journey through history and immerse yourself in a very special spiritual atmosphere, as the history of this city dates back to 12,000 years, and some believe that it is the ancient city of Ur, and it was originally called Urfa, but it was later given the title of “Shanli” or “Glorious” in honor of the role it played during the Turkish War of Independence in the 1920s, it became officially known as “Şanlıurfa”. This ancient city proudly displays the legacy of all the civilizations that have flourished in it throughout history. The Jerusalem of Anatolia”, considered a sacred site by Jews, Christians and Muslims alike.
A list of the best Landmarks and archaeological sites in Urfa
Looking for the best landmarks and archaeological sites spots in Urfa (Turkey) ? Our curated list features the most exceptional destinations, meticulously selected by our team, and based on the experiences of fellow travelers. Start planning your next adventure with us.
1- Selahaddin Eyyubi Mosque
Selahaddin Eyyubi Mosque – The Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi Mosque building is located on Al-Hakim Fuad Bey Street in the city of Urfa. It is estimated that it was built in the early nineteenth century on the foundations of the Church of St. John the Baptist, which was built by Bishop Nuna in the year 457 AD. As a power station, it was repaired on May 28, 1993 and opened for worship as a mosque. The main prayer hall is lit by windows, and on the edges of the windows there are half-columns remaining from the church and dragon inscriptions interwoven into each other. on his name.
Place address: Yeni, 63200 Şanlıurfa Merkez/Şanlıurfa, Turkey
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2- Firfirli Mosque
Firfirli Mosque – The decorative mosque was originally built as a church called the Church of the Twelve Prophets, and it was called the “Church of Al-Nimesh” in the Ottoman period, because the building contained many decorations, and as is evident from the inscription on the altar, the church was converted into a mosque in 1956 and called Called the “Ornamental Mosque”, the building is notable for its beautiful stonework on its western façade and its corner towers. One of the remarkable aspects of the building is the motifs carved on the outer walls of the half-columns.
Place address: Yeni, 63200 Şanlıurfa Merkez/Şanlıurfa, Turkey
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3- Mevlidi Halil Complex
Mevlidi Halil Complex – The complex of the birth of Khalil al-Rahman is located near the Fish Lake in the city of Sanliurfa. It includes a large mosque and a cave believed to be the place where the Prophet Abraham was born. The building of the mosque went through five main phases. First, a temple was built in the area during the Seleucid era, and it was mentioned that there was a synagogue in The same area during the Jewish period, and in the early periods of Christianity, specifically in the year 150 AD, a church called the Church of the Christians was built in the same area, and Hagia Sophia Urfa was built in this area during the Byzantine period, and finally Muhammad Salih Pasha built a mosque in the same area In 1523 during the Ottoman period.
Place address: Göl, Balıklı Göl Cd. No:51, 63210 Şanlıurfa Merkez/Eyyübiye/Şanlıurfa, Turkey
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4- Yusuf Pasha Mosque
Yusuf Pasha Mosque – The Yusuf Pasha Mosque is considered one of the most prominent historical and religious buildings of the city of Sanliurfa. It is located on Sarayonu Street, which forms one of the central points of the city. It was built in 1703 with the bathroom building next to it by order of the Governor of Urfa Yusuf Pasha. The building is characterized by a rectangular plan made of cut stone and a place Worship parallel to the Qibla and six domes connected to each other through arches.
Place address: Yusufpaşa, Sarayönü Cd., 63210 Şanlıurfa Merkez/Şanlıurfa, Turkey
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5- Rizvaniye Mosque
Rizvaniye Mosque – The Radwaniye Mosque, located on the northern edge of Lake Fish, was built in 1736 AD by Radwan Ahmed Pasha. It was provided with an altar, three domes, and one minaret with a balcony. The entrance door to the women’s chapel was made using two colored materials. The main place of worship is characterized by its bright courtyards and windows that open from In all directions, the most interesting part of the building is the entrance door, which is decorated with rich floral and geometric patterns.
Place address: Göl, 63200 Şanlıurfa Merkez/Şanlıurfa, Turkey
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6- Gobekli Tepe
Gobekli Tepe – Göbekli Tepe is an archaeological site on a high hill in the southeastern Anatolia region of Turkey, about 12 km northeast of the city of Sanliurfa. The height of the hill is about 760 meters above sea level. This site presents huge round, oval and rectangular stone structures erected by hunters in the period Pre-Neolithic between 9600 and 8200 BC, these monuments are mostly associated with funerary rituals, and distinctive T-shaped columns are carved with images of wild animals, providing insight into the way of life and beliefs of the people who lived in Mesopotamia Upper about 11,500 years ago.
Place address: Örencik, 63290 Haliliye/Şanlıurfa, Turkey
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7- Harran Protected Area
Harran Protected Area – The ancient city of Harran is located in a land through which trade routes ran from Iskenderun to ancient Antioch and Karjam. It is mentioned in the Bible and in documents established in the Kingdom of Mari in northern Syria. Its importance lies not only in hosting early civilizations, but also in the place where it was founded. The first Islamic university, and the Harran protected area is characterized by traditional civil architecture and mud houses with unique conical roofs. It has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and today it serves as an open archaeological museum.
Place address: İbni Teymiye, 63510 Harran/Şanlıurfa, Turkey
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8- Sumatar
Sumatar – Sumatar is one of the oldest settlements in the world, and takes visitors on a historical journey with its ancient buildings and horse carriage that are up to 5,000 years old. Elaborate Assyrian, a cave whose entrance leads to a number of statues carved from the rock walls and Assyrian inscriptions are still visible.
Place address: Yağmurlu, 63000 Eyyübiye/Şanlıurfa, Turkey
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9- Nevali Cori
Nevali Cori – Nevaliye Curi is one of the oldest settlements and places of worship in history. It dates back to before the Neolithic Age. It is located under the Atatürk Dam. It is famous for having some of the oldest temples and huge sculptures in the world. It includes many interesting artifacts that make up one of the most beautiful parts of the site. Some of the antiquities discovered in this place are displayed in Sanliurfa Archeology Museum.
Place address: Gazibey, 63340 Hilvan/Şanlıurfa, Turkey
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10- Gumruk Hani
Gumruk Hani – The historical Customs Khan was built during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent in Sanliurfa, and attracts the attention of many local and foreign visitors with its unique architecture and historical and cultural structure. It is said to have been built in 1563, thus dating back to 5 centuries ago. It has two floors and is built of Urfa stone, through which the waters of the fish lake pass through its yard. It was one of the places where commercial activities were carried out during the Ottoman period. It also appears as one of the most beautiful architectural and archaeological examples in the city. Tailors work in the upper floor rooms, while it is filled with shops and cafes. In the basement.
Place address: Pınarbaşı, 1211. Sk. 2 K, 63210 Şanlıurfa Merkez/Şanlıurfa, Turkey
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11- Old Halfeti
Old Halfeti – The ancient city of Khilafti is one of the western villages of Şanlıurfa, which was flooded when the Bersik Dam was built in 2000 on the Euphrates River. Although a large part of Khilafti was flooded, it has a rich cultural heritage and many distinctive attractions. It is also famous for its history. It dates back nearly three thousand years, as it was founded by the Assyrians in the ninth century BC, and was ruled by the Romans, Sassanids, Arabs, Umayyads, and Abbasids between the sixth and eighth centuries AD, and you can see the wonderful views of my ancient caliphate, its stone houses, mosques, and the remains of its ancient castle and buildings You can also enjoy stunning views of the village from a 135-meter-long suspension bridge and visit the various restaurants along the coast that serve delicious local cuisine.
Place address: Rüştiye, 63950 Halfeti/Şanlıurfa, Turkey
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12- Castle Of Urfa
Castle Of Urfa – Urfa Castle provides a charming view of the city of Sanliurfa. It was built by the Kingdom of Edessa in ancient times and the current walls were built by the Abbasids in the year 814 AD. It is estimated that it was founded on a Neolithic site dating back 10,000 years. Today, the castle serves as a museum. Open, the 12,000-year-old Balikligol Statue unearthed next to the castle reveals the history of Lake Balikligol, or Fish Lake.
Place address: Yusufpaşa, Ptt, 5. Cd., 63100 Eyyübiye/Şanlıurfa, Turkey
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13- Hasan Padishah Mosque
Hasan Padishah Mosque – The Hassan Badishah Mosque is located near the Fish Lake and next to the Tok Timur Mosque which dates back to the 14th century. It was built in the second half of the 15th century by order of the ruler of Akoyunlu Uzun Hasan, and repaired by Haji Yaqub, son of Sheikh Abd al-Qadir in 1574. During the reign of Sultan Selim II, it also underwent a series of restorations in subsequent years. There is one minaret for the mosque, and water from the fish lake passes through the courtyard.
Place address: Bamyasuyu, 63040 Haliliye/Eyyübiye/Şanlıurfa, Turkey
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14- Harran Castle
Harran Castle – Harran Castle was built next to the Harran Wall in the southeast of Harran in Sanli Urfa, and it is mentioned in Islamic sources that there was a Sabih temple in the place of the castle, and it was built during the Umayyad era as a fortress for the palace that was built by the Umayyad Caliph Marwan II for 10 million dirhams of gold, and it consists of Three floors and 12 towers in its four corners, and during the excavations that began in the fifties of the twentieth century, a large door was found with an inscription of a lion, and it was written in Arabic that the castle was renovated in 1059 during the Fatimid period.
Place address: İbni Teymiye, 63510 Harran/Şanlıurfa, Turkey
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15- Bazda Caves
Bazda Caves – The Bazda Caves are considered one of the most important and beautiful historical quarries in the southeastern Anatolia region, and they consist of large cavities on the outer facades of the mountain, and they have spread over a very large area due to cutting the stone, and it is understood from the Arabic inscriptions written on the rocks that this quarry was run by people like “Abdul Many of the courtyards, tunnels, and galleries in both caves were formed as a result of hundreds of years of stonework for the buildings of Harran and the surrounding city of Shuaib and Han.
Place address: Öztaş, 63510 Harran/Şanlıurfa, Turkey
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16- Karahan Tepe
Karahan Tepe – Karahantepe is an archaeological site discovered in 1997 by the Turkish archaeologist Bahattin Celik in the Tektek Mountains region, dating back to the period between 9500-9000 BC, covering an area of 325,000 square meters, and consisting of a number of stone T columns and inscriptions prominent, and there is also a group of polished rock statues of wild animals such as goats, deer and rabbits.
Place address: Kargalı, 63290 Haliliye/Şanlıurfa, Turkey
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Conclusion
As you embark on your journey to explore Urfa (Turkey) , we hope you discover new perspectives, make unforgettable memories, and form deep connections with the people and places around you. Our guide is just the beginning of your adventure, so be sure to keep an open mind and heart as you explore this wonderful region. Remember to take in the sights, sounds, and flavors that make Urfa (Turkey) so unique, and don’t be afraid to step off the beaten path and discover the hidden gems that await. Whether you’re traveling solo, with friends or family, or on a romantic getaway, Urfa (Turkey) promises to be a destination that will leave you enchanted and inspired. Thank you for choosing to explore Urfa (Turkey) with us, and we look forward to hearing about your travels. Safe travels and happy exploring!