Şanlıurfa

Located to the north of the Plain Harran between Euphrates and Tigris in the southeastern Anatolia is the settlement of Sanliurfa. The name of the city in the Scythian/ Pelasgian language is "Adasa", meaning "the castle of the great goddess," This name subsequently became Edesa and, during the Syriac period. Urtia. The area stretches over the plain Harran to the north of the lands of Mesopotamia, which means "site between two rivers" and is inhabited since the prehistoric times. It remained under the Etruscans/Peiasgians, Sumerians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Aramaeans, Hittites, Syriacs, Keldanis, Persians, Macedonians, Romans. Byzantines and Arabs. In 1086 it fell to the Seljuk Turks. The area, known as the Land of Prophets, was the place where prophet Azeroglu ibrahim lived who was the founder of religions with an only god. He believed in an only god and broke the idols, He was thrown into the fire in Urfa with Aynzeliha, the disciple and own daughter of ibrahim. by Nemrut who heard of this. However, through a divine power the place of the fire turned into 2 large lakes where fish considered sacred started swimming. Later, Halil ibrahim Mosque and Kulliye were built on the banks of these lakes. The house of prophet §uayip and a cave belonging to prophet Eyup, recognized as the symbol of patience, and the healing water spring are of the important sites of visit. Further, the Abbar Christians in Urfa cured sick people by soaking Jesus Christ's handkerchief into the sacred water in Kizil Kilise (Red Church) built by them in honour of Jesus Christ. Another remarkable work in the city is the Castle of Urfa with 3 gates and 25 bastions, built upon a rocky site with two sections as an acropolis city. The flat rocky sites on top of a high hill located on the mountain to the southwest of the city are called the throne of Nemrut. Under these rocks are a variety of rock-carved tombs visible. Further, there are the remains of a castle in Birecik/Birtha. Castle of Siverek Caravanserai of Qarkelik, Caravanserai of Barur and, to the east of Urfa. are the remains of the city of §uayip from the Assyrian era. 40 km south of Urfa is the Plain of Harran, Karrhai which has given its name to the northern Mesopotamia. Since there are no stones on this plain which is always fertile earth sun-dried brick workmanship has highly developed since the antiquities. There are conical dwellings with spire-roofs made of earth and sun-dried brick in the settlements here as were thousands of years ago.The most important characteristics of these dwellings are that they are cool in summers and warm in winters.