Sanliurfa Things to Do

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For me this bazaar was much more fun than the Grand bazaar of Istanbul... the jumble of little streets, packed with more stalls and less neon lit shops.
It was built in the 16th century and I hazard a guess that you could buy or acquire most items somewhere within the tangled streets.

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All around this area are parks, mosques and beautiful, mostly arcaded, courtyards.
It is a peaceful place where people come to worship or spend quiet time with their families.
The entire area is a photographers paradise and the people found to be nothing but friendly, gentle and (for a couple of camera shots) obliging. Families with children will show interest and try to exchange a few words with you if you have children - acknowledging nods and smiles to swapping children's names...
It is a very lovely place to hide out of the relentless midday sun and heat!

Prophet Abraham's Brith Cave is a place of pilgrimage. There are separate sections for men and women and women must be fully covered (cloaks are available if you are inappropriately dressed). There is not really a lot to see... it is a cave and inside the cave there is access to water which people were using to fill containers - it is said to be holy water. Photography is not permitted inside the cave and I personally felt that I was crashing in on peoples religious experience.
Admission is TL1 so a visit is not going to break the bank!

King Nimrod had a dream and, faring that a newborn baby would grow up to steal his throne, he ruled that every newborn be killed. Legend is that Abraham was secretly born here and lived, in hiding, here for the first 7 years of his life.

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This is a beautiful, beautiful area... grounds, gardens, rose gardens and then the extremly long pools full of holy carp (fish). If you catch one you will go blind (legend has it) so you are much better settling for feeding them with the fish food that can be purchased for a few kurus.... keeps adults and children alike, happy!

The story behind these carp filled waters is that Nimrod put Abraham on a funeral pyre and God turned the fire into water and the coals into carp... however these fish got here they are certainly in their version of fish heaven!

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Birecik and the hills of Birecik is the main stop of this birds.They are coming from Ethiopia and Madagascar also visible in Morocco and Algeria .They come here every year and they are trying to survive .The local people accept them with a lot of care and the last samples of the world are under protection..I hope that the plans work ...

This large rectangular pool is known as Abadur Rahman Havuzu, and contains hundreds of 'sacred' carp.

It is claimed to have dated back to Abraham, or to have been built by King Abhar 1X.

Legend has it that anyone who eats the fish will go blind! This has resulted in an over population of the fish , which are now believed to be cannibalistic!

According to Christian legend, Abraham was busy destroying pagan gods in ancient Urfa- Nimrod (the local king) was a bit put out by this, and hence decided to end Abrahams activities by burning him on a traditional funeral pyre! However, God decided to spare Abraham, by turning the fire into Water, and the burning coals into fish! Thereby, providing this pleasant carp filled pool!

Islamic legend tells a similar story, but with the added twist, that the sadistic Nemrut catapults Abraham from a giant sling shot situated high on the citadel, into the burning fire. The sling is represented by the 2 corinthian columns at the entrance to the kale!

These attractively decorated domed ceilings, are typical examples of Islamic architecture, being symetrical in design. They cover the open walkways, surrounding the courtyard of the mosque.

For me, they provided welcome relief from the heat.
Stall holders were selling religious scripts, books and cards etc.

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Dergah is the area of Urfa south east of the sacred pools of Golbasi, which contains a complex of mosques and medreses

This area is important for Muslim pilgrims, as the supposed birthplace of the prophet Ibrahim. Ibrahim or Abraham is an important figure in the Jewish and Christian faiths also.

The Mevlid-i-Halil Camii (mosque) holds the tomb of Saint Dede Osman, a cave in which there is a hair from prophet Ibrahims beard and the supposed birth cave of the prophet Ibrahim.

Entrance is free. Women should cover their heads before entering.

To accomodate the increasing number of visitors, a newer mosque was built in the Ottoman style, near to the caves.

Another complex of mosques and mederses, next to the birth cave is known as Hz Ibrahim Halilullah - Prophet Abraham, Friend of God- a popular place of pilgrimage, which has undergone renovation and expansian over the centuries.