📖 About Şanlıurfa

Şanlıurfa (historically Edessa, locally "Urfa") is a major city in southeastern Turkey near the Syrian border. With approximately 2.1 million residents in the province, this ancient city is considered one of the oldest continuously inhabited places on Earth. Tradition holds it as the birthplace of the prophet Abraham.

The city is home to Göbekli Tepe, the world's oldest known temple complex (12,000 years old), revolutionizing understanding of human civilization. The sacred pools of Balıklıgöl, where Abraham supposedly survived Nimrod's fire, draw pilgrims. Şanlıurfa represents humanity's deepest roots—Neolithic origins, Abrahamic tradition, and multicultural Mesopotamian heritage.

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💼 Economy & Culture

Şanlıurfa's economy combines agriculture, commerce, and growing tourism. The GAP irrigation project has made the region agriculturally productive—cotton and grains flourish. Commerce serves the large population and cross-border trade. Göbekli Tepe has driven archaeological tourism. Manufacturing and services are developing. The economy is growing rapidly with infrastructure investment.

Kurdish and Arab influences blend with Turkish culture in Şanlıurfa—Turkish, Kurdish, and Arabic are all spoken. Islam is deeply practiced; the city is conservative. Traditional music and sıra gecesi (evening gatherings) continue. Urfa cuisine is famous—çiğ köfte (raw meat), kebabs, and regional dishes. The culture is Mesopotamian—ancient traditions, religious devotion, and hospitality defining this prophetic city.

📜 History

Göbekli Tepe (10,000 BC) proves organized society existed before agriculture—stone temples with carved pillars predate Stonehenge by 7,000 years. Urfa was ancient Edessa, a major center under Seleucids, Romans, and Byzantines. The County of Edessa was the first Crusader state (1098-1144).

Ottoman rule brought Turkish-Muslim character. The "Şanlı" (glorious) prefix commemorates resistance to French occupation (1920). Post-war development and the GAP project transformed the region. Göbekli Tepe's excavation (since 1995) rewrote human history. Today Şanlıurfa draws pilgrims to Abraham's birthplace and archaeologists to civilization's cradle.