Urfa

Urfa, officially known as Şanlıurfa, is a major city in southeastern Turkey.

It serves as the capital of the Şanlıurfa Province. The city sits on a wide plain located east of the Euphrates river. Its climate is characterized by extremely hot and dry summers. In contrast, the winters are cool and moist.

The city is also located only 30 miles from the Atatürk Dam. This dam is a central part of the Southeast Anatolia Project. This large project draws thousands of job-seeking villagers to the city every year.

The history of the region begins in the prehistoric era. The area was attractive for human habitation due to dense grazing lands. It also sat on important migration routes for wild animals. This led to dense populations during the Neolithic period. One significant site is Yeni Mahalle Höyüğü, located north of Balıklıgöl.

This site was discovered accidentally during road construction in the 1990s. Excavations in 1997 revealed flint tools and arrowheads from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B phase. Archaeologists also found round buildings with terrazzo floors. Evidence shows that these early villagers cultivated wheat and barley.

Around 3200 BC, during the Uruk expansion, local villages began transforming into cities. By the Early Bronze Age, between 2900 and 2600 BCE, Urfa was a walled city. This city covered an area of 200 hectares at the Kazane Tepe site. A later artifact from the region is a black stone pedestal. It features a double bull relief and an inscription to the god Tarhunza. This was found at Külaflı Tepe in the former village of Cavşak. These findings show the long development of organized society in the area.

The city was refounded as a Hellenistic military settlement in 302 or 303 BC. The king Seleucus I Nicator named the city Edessa. He chose this name after the ancient capital of Macedonia.

The city followed a typical Hellenistic grid pattern for its streets. There were four main streets that intersected one another. The city also featured four main gates and a central citadel. While Macedonian soldiers lived there, the culture remained mostly Semitic. This means the people primarily spoke Aramaic or Syriac languages.

Edessa became the capital of the Kingdom of Osroene in 132 BC. This kingdom was ruled by the Abgarid dynasty. The Abgarids were an Arabized tribal group with roots in Nisibis. The city was a vital commercial center for many centuries. It sat on a major east-west trade route across Upper Mesopotamia. Merchants moved luxury goods, such as silk, from the east toward the Mediterranean.

The city's name changed frequently through various languages. It was known as Orhay in Syriac and Urha in Armenian. Eventually, the name evolved into the modern Turkish Şanlıurfa.

Religion is a fundamental part of life in Urfa. The city is nicknamed the "City of Prophets." This title comes from its deep links to Jewish, Christian, and Islamic history. A local legend suggests that Abraham was born here.

The city is considered one of the most devoutly religious places in Turkey. Near the city lies Göbekli Tepe, a famous Neolithic site. This is the oldest known temple in the world. It was founded in the 10th millennium BC. This site shows how early humans began to organize around sacred spaces.

Today, the city preserves its diverse heritage through many landmarks.

The Balıklıgöl area is a significant site featuring sacred carp. Visitors can also see Roman columns at the site of Urfa Castle.

The Şanlıurfa Museum provides a look at the region's vast history. The name "Şanlı" was added to the city's name in 1984. The Turkish National Assembly granted this title to honor citizens. They resisted British and French troops at the end of the First World War. This history of resistance makes the city "glorious."