Sanliurfa
Encyclopedia
Şanlıurfa, ʃanˈlɯuɾfa, often simply known as Urfa in daily language (Syriac
ܐܘܪܗܝ Urhoy,Armenian
Ուռհա Owr'ha, Arabic الرها ar-Ruhā), in ancient times Edessa
, is a city with 482,323 inhabitants (2009 estimate in south-eastern Turkey
, and the capital of Şanlıurfa Province
. Urfa is situated on a plain under big open skies, about eighty kilometres east of the Euphrates River. The climate features extremely hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters.
The city has been known by many names in history: Ուռհա Owr'ha in Armenian
, ܐܘܪܗܝ Urhai in Syriac
, ره, الرها, ar-Ruhā in Arabic
, Ορρα, Orrha in Greek
(also Ορροα, Orrhoa). For a while it was named Callirrhoe or Antiochia on the Callirhoe . During Byzantine
rule it was named Justinopolis. Prior to Turkish rule, it was often best known by the name given it by the Seleucids
, Εδεσσα, Edessa.
Şanlı (from Arabic
shan (شأن) "dignity" + Turkish adjectival suffix -lı) means "great, glorious, dignified" in Turkish, and Urfa was officially renamed Şanlıurfa (Urfa the Glorious) by the Turkish Grand National Assembly in 1984, in recognition of the local resistance in the Turkish War of Independence
. The title was achieved following repeated requests by the city's members of parliament, desirous to earn a title similar to those of neighbouring cities 'Gazi' (veteran) Antep and 'Kahraman' (Heroic) Maraş
.
and Nevali Cori
. It was one of several cities in the Euphrates
-Tigris
basin, the cradle of the Mesopotamia
n civilization. According to Turkish
Muslim
traditions Urfa (its name since Byzantine
days) is the biblical city of Ur
, due to its proximity to the biblical village of Harran
. However, most historians and archaeologists claim the city of Ur
is in southern Iraq
. Urfa is also known as the birthplace of Job
.
Urfa was conquered repeatedly throughout history, and has been dominated by many civilizations, including the Ebla
, Akkadians, Sumerians, Babylonians, Hittites
, Hurri-Mitannis
(Armeno-Aryans), Armenians
, Assyrians
, Chaldea
ns, Medes
, Persians, Macedonians
(under Alexander the Great), Seleucids, Arameans, Osrhoenes
, Romans
, Sassanids, Byzantines
, and Crusaders
.
first arrived around 638 C.E., when the Rashidun
army conquered the region without a fight. Islam
was then established permanently in Urfa by the empires of the Ayyubids
(see: Saladin Ayubbi
), Seljuks and Ottoman Turks. In the aftermath of the First Crusade
, the city was the center of the Crusader County of Edessa
, until 1144, when it was again captured by the Turk Zengui, and most of its inhabitants were slaughtered together with the Latin archbishop (see Siege of Edessa
). For the ten years following the Turkish capture, Urfa was at the center of European history, since the very reason for which the Second Crusade
was launched was the city's recapture. While it began with an enthusiastic massacre of Jews in western Europe
and the presence of an Emperor
and a King of France gave it much lustre, it was a disaster, its only success recorded resulting from auxiliary operation when an English fleet took from the Arabs and passed into the hands of the future King of Portugal the city of Lisbon
.
Under the Ottomans
Urfa was a centre of trade in cotton
, leather
, and jewellery
. There were three Christian communities: Assyrians, Armenian, and Latin
. According to Lord Kinross, 8,000 Armenians were massacred in Urfa in 1895. The last Syrian Christians left in 1924 and went to Aleppo
(where they settled down in a place that was later called Hay al-Suryan "The Syriac Quarter").
At the end of World War I
, with the Ottoman Empire
defeated, and European armies attempting to grab parts of Anatolia, first the British
and then the French
occupied Urfa. The British occupation of the city of Urfa started de facto on 7 March 1919 and officially as of 24 March 1919, and lasted till 30 October 1919. French forces took over the next day and their uncomfortable presence, met by outbursts of resistance, lasted until 11 April 1920, when they were defeated by local resistance forces (the new Turkish
government in Ankara
not being established, with the National Assembly declared on 23 April 1920.
The French retreat from the city of Urfa was conducted under an agreement reached between the occupying forces and the representatives of the local forces, commanded by Captain Ali Saip Bey assigned from Ankara. The withdrawal was meant to take place peacefully, but was disrupted by an ambush on the French by irregular forces at the Şebeke Pass on the way to Syria
, leading to 296 casualties among the French, and more among the ambushers.
Modern Şanlıurfa presents stark contrasts between its old and new quarters. The old town is one of the most evocative and romantic in Turkey, with an ancient bazaar
still visited by local people to buy fruit and vegetables, where traditionally dressed and scarfed Arab
and Turkish
villagers arrive in the early morning to sell their produce. Much of the old town consists of traditional Middle Eastern houses built around courtyards, invisible from the dusty streets, many of which are impassable to motor vehicles. In the narrow streets of the bazaar people scurry to and from carrying trays of food, which is eaten on newspapers spread on low tables in a corner of the little shops, many people drinking water from the same cup. This very oriental atmosphere is bewitching but below the surface parts of the old city are very poor indeed, with people still living in cave houses (built into the side of the rock).
Şanlıurfa's newer districts are a sprawl of modern concrete apartment blocks, with many surprisingly tidy leafy avenues, containing modern restaurants, sports facilities and other amenities with air-conditioning.
.
, that provided a reliable supply of water for local farmers and fostered a real agricultural boom in every cultivar, but especially organic cotton production. This in turn is driving significant development of medium and light industry in the city itself. Hence, unemployment and poverty are present on a way smaller scale than in other Eastern Turkish cities, and many luxury cars can be spotted on the streets of Urfa. The huge reservoir is also a spectacular sight, hosting regular water-sports tournaments, also offering the commodity of many waterfront restaurants.
and the Sumer
ian times and many dishes carry names in Arabic, Syriac, Turkmen, and even Armenian.
At the first glance, it carries the staple of the Eyalet of Aleppo in a very classic, albeit in a very spicier manner;
There are very important pieces of work done on the Urfa cuisine as it is widely believed that Urfa is the birthplace of many dishes, including Raw Kibbé
(Çiğ Köfte), that according to the legend, was crafted by no-one else but the Prophet Abraham himself from the ingredients he had in hand.
Urfa is also known throughout Turkey and the bordering Syria for its very rich kebab
culture, making large use of lamb meat, fat and offal.
The offal
has also a primordial place in the regular Urfa Cuisine, being prepared in more than two hundred different ways.
Urfa's meze menu is also very rich, and carries a great variety, mostly unknown in other parts of Turkey, such as the "Ağzı Yumuk" or the "Semsek".
One will note, from the vegetables used in the Urfa cuisine, a lot of endemic varieties like the "'Ecır" or the "Kenger", and of course, the "İsot
", the legendary local red capsicum that is a smaller and darker cultivar
of the Aleppo pepper that takes a purplish black hue when dried and cured, used to flavor a lot of dishes, even a variety of ice cream
.
The cuisine also makes a lot extensive use of the eggplant and attributes more than a hundred recipes to that item only.
Unlike most of the Turkish cities that use different versions of regular butter in their regional cuisine, Urfa is, together with Antep, Mardin
and Siirt
a big user of clarified butter
, made exclusively from sheep's milk, called locally "Urfayağı" ("Urfabutter"). Other than that, Urfa is a heavy consumer of quality Olive oil
, that mostly arrives into the city from nearby Syria.
Among Urfa's classic sweets, one should definitively count the "Şıllık", that is a coarse walnut ground covered in sweet pastry, the Kahke
, flavored with aniseed and baked in a steamer, and the "Külünçe", that is a masonry oven baked pastry item in a way similar to the Iraqi Kleyça
.
The bitter Arab coffee "Mırra" and the coffee substitute drink made from wild terebinth "Menengiç kahvesi" are among the most common hot beverages of Urfa.
-Although well connected to the Turkey's highways and with a decent industrial production, Urfa is not a huge metropolis, but still a large city. Known for its relative conservatism (most restaurants do not serve Alcohol), many coffee-houses have separate sections for families or groups of single-men (unlike the most of Turkey).
-An important local tradition usually associated with Urfa and Mardin
is the "Sıra Gecesi", where groups of young men gather at each others home following a preestablished sequence, especially in winter evenings, to play Ottoman Instruments such as Kanun Ud
and Bağlama
, sing regional classics and to eat together. Kebabs, Rakı
and Çiğ Köfte
are the indispensable staples of these evenings.
Syriac language
Syriac is a dialect of Middle Aramaic that was once spoken across much of the Fertile Crescent. Having first appeared as a script in the 1st century AD after being spoken as an unwritten language for five centuries, Classical Syriac became a major literary language throughout the Middle East from...
ܐܘܪܗܝ Urhoy,Armenian
Armenian language
The Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian people. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The language is also widely spoken by Armenian communities in the Armenian diaspora...
Ուռհա Owr'ha, Arabic الرها ar-Ruhā), in ancient times Edessa
Edessa, Mesopotamia
Edessa is the Greek name of an Aramaic town in northern Mesopotamia, as refounded by Seleucus I Nicator. For the modern history of the city, see Şanlıurfa.-Names:...
, is a city with 482,323 inhabitants (2009 estimate in south-eastern Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, and the capital of Şanlıurfa Province
Sanliurfa Province
Şanlıurfa Province or simply Urfa Province is a province in Southeast Anatolia, Turkey. The city of Şanlıurfa is the capital of the province which bears its name. The population is 1,663,371 ....
. Urfa is situated on a plain under big open skies, about eighty kilometres east of the Euphrates River. The climate features extremely hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters.
Name
Armenian language
The Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian people. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The language is also widely spoken by Armenian communities in the Armenian diaspora...
, ܐܘܪܗܝ Urhai in Syriac
Syriac language
Syriac is a dialect of Middle Aramaic that was once spoken across much of the Fertile Crescent. Having first appeared as a script in the 1st century AD after being spoken as an unwritten language for five centuries, Classical Syriac became a major literary language throughout the Middle East from...
, ره, الرها, ar-Ruhā in Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
, Ορρα, Orrha in Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
(also Ορροα, Orrhoa). For a while it was named Callirrhoe or Antiochia on the Callirhoe . During Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
rule it was named Justinopolis. Prior to Turkish rule, it was often best known by the name given it by the Seleucids
Seleucid Empire
The Seleucid Empire was a Greek-Macedonian state that was created out of the eastern conquests of Alexander the Great. At the height of its power, it included central Anatolia, the Levant, Mesopotamia, Persia, today's Turkmenistan, Pamir and parts of Pakistan.The Seleucid Empire was a major centre...
, Εδεσσα, Edessa.
Şanlı (from Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
shan (شأن) "dignity" + Turkish adjectival suffix -lı) means "great, glorious, dignified" in Turkish, and Urfa was officially renamed Şanlıurfa (Urfa the Glorious) by the Turkish Grand National Assembly in 1984, in recognition of the local resistance in the Turkish War of Independence
Turkish War of Independence
The Turkish War of Independence was a war of independence waged by Turkish nationalists against the Allies, after the country was partitioned by the Allies following the Ottoman Empire's defeat in World War I...
. The title was achieved following repeated requests by the city's members of parliament, desirous to earn a title similar to those of neighbouring cities 'Gazi' (veteran) Antep and 'Kahraman' (Heroic) Maraş
Maras
In ancient Latvia, Māras or Māras diena was a festival, celebrated on August 15, held in honor of Māra, the Latvian goddess. It marked the midpoint between Jāņi and Miķeļi...
.
History
The history of Şanlıurfa is recorded from the 4th century BC, but may date back to 9000 BC, when there is ample evidence for the surrounding sites at Duru, HarranHarran
Harran was a major ancient city in Upper Mesopotamia whose site is near the modern village of Altınbaşak, Turkey, 24 miles southeast of Şanlıurfa...
and Nevali Cori
Nevali Cori
Nevalı Çori was an early Neolithic settlement on the middle Euphrates, in the province of Şanlıurfa , eastern Turkey. The site is famous for having revealed some of the world's most ancient known temples and monumental sculpture...
. It was one of several cities in the Euphrates
Euphrates
The Euphrates is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia...
-Tigris
Tigris
The Tigris River is the eastern member of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of southeastern Turkey through Iraq.-Geography:...
basin, the cradle of the Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
n civilization. According to Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
traditions Urfa (its name since Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
days) is the biblical city of Ur
Ur
Ur was an important city-state in ancient Sumer located at the site of modern Tell el-Muqayyar in Iraq's Dhi Qar Governorate...
, due to its proximity to the biblical village of Harran
Harran
Harran was a major ancient city in Upper Mesopotamia whose site is near the modern village of Altınbaşak, Turkey, 24 miles southeast of Şanlıurfa...
. However, most historians and archaeologists claim the city of Ur
Ur
Ur was an important city-state in ancient Sumer located at the site of modern Tell el-Muqayyar in Iraq's Dhi Qar Governorate...
is in southern Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. Urfa is also known as the birthplace of Job
Job (Biblical figure)
Job is the central character of the Book of Job in the Hebrew Bible. Job is listed as a prophet of God in the Qur'an.- Book of Job :The Book of Job begins with an introduction to Job's character — he is described as a blessed man who lives righteously...
.
Urfa was conquered repeatedly throughout history, and has been dominated by many civilizations, including the Ebla
Ebla
Ebla Idlib Governorate, Syria) was an ancient city about southwest of Aleppo. It was an important city-state in two periods, first in the late third millennium BC, then again between 1800 and 1650 BC....
, Akkadians, Sumerians, Babylonians, Hittites
Hittites
The Hittites were a Bronze Age people of Anatolia.They established a kingdom centered at Hattusa in north-central Anatolia c. the 18th century BC. The Hittite empire reached its height c...
, Hurri-Mitannis
Mitanni
Mitanni or Hanigalbat was a loosely organized Hurrian-speaking state in northern Syria and south-east Anatolia from ca. 1500 BC–1300 BC...
(Armeno-Aryans), Armenians
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
, Assyrians
Assyrian people
The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...
, Chaldea
Chaldea
Chaldea or Chaldaea , from Greek , Chaldaia; Akkadian ; Hebrew כשדים, Kaśdim; Aramaic: ܟܐܠܕܘ, Kaldo) was a marshy land located in modern-day southern Iraq which came to briefly rule Babylon...
ns, Medes
Medes
The MedesThe Medes...
, Persians, Macedonians
Ancient Macedonians
The Macedonians originated from inhabitants of the northeastern part of the Greek peninsula, in the alluvial plain around the rivers Haliacmon and lower Axios...
(under Alexander the Great), Seleucids, Arameans, Osrhoenes
Osroene
Osroene, also spelled Osrohene and Osrhoene and sometimes known by the name of its capital city, Edessa , was a historic Syriac kingdom located in Mesopotamia, which enjoyed semi-autonomy to complete independence from the years of 132 BC to AD 244.It was a Syriac-speaking kingdom.Osroene, or...
, Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
, Sassanids, Byzantines
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
, and Crusaders
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
.
The city of Edessa
In the Byzantine period Edessa was a powerful regional centre with churches, schools and monasteries.The age of Islam
IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
first arrived around 638 C.E., when the Rashidun
Rashidun Caliphate
The Rashidun Caliphate , comprising the first four caliphs in Islam's history, was founded after Muhammad's death in 632, Year 10 A.H.. At its height, the Caliphate extended from the Arabian Peninsula, to the Levant, Caucasus and North Africa in the west, to the Iranian highlands and Central Asia...
army conquered the region without a fight. Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
was then established permanently in Urfa by the empires of the Ayyubids
Ayyubid dynasty
The Ayyubid dynasty was a Muslim dynasty of Kurdish origin, founded by Saladin and centered in Egypt. The dynasty ruled much of the Middle East during the 12th and 13th centuries CE. The Ayyubid family, under the brothers Ayyub and Shirkuh, originally served as soldiers for the Zengids until they...
(see: Saladin Ayubbi
Saladin
Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb , better known in the Western world as Saladin, was an Arabized Kurdish Muslim, who became the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria, and founded the Ayyubid dynasty. He led Muslim and Arab opposition to the Franks and other European Crusaders in the Levant...
), Seljuks and Ottoman Turks. In the aftermath of the First Crusade
First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
, the city was the center of the Crusader County of Edessa
County of Edessa
The County of Edessa was one of the Crusader states in the 12th century, based around Edessa, a city with an ancient history and an early tradition of Christianity....
, until 1144, when it was again captured by the Turk Zengui, and most of its inhabitants were slaughtered together with the Latin archbishop (see Siege of Edessa
Siege of Edessa
The Siege of Edessa took place from November 28 to December 24, 1144, resulting in the fall of the capital of the crusader County of Edessa to Zengi, the atabeg of Mosul and Aleppo.- Background :...
). For the ten years following the Turkish capture, Urfa was at the center of European history, since the very reason for which the Second Crusade
Second Crusade
The Second Crusade was the second major crusade launched from Europe. The Second Crusade was started in response to the fall of the County of Edessa the previous year to the forces of Zengi. The county had been founded during the First Crusade by Baldwin of Boulogne in 1098...
was launched was the city's recapture. While it began with an enthusiastic massacre of Jews in western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
and the presence of an Emperor
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
and a King of France gave it much lustre, it was a disaster, its only success recorded resulting from auxiliary operation when an English fleet took from the Arabs and passed into the hands of the future King of Portugal the city of Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
.
Under the Ottomans
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
Urfa was a centre of trade in cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
, leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
, and jewellery
Jewellery
Jewellery or jewelry is a form of personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.With some exceptions, such as medical alert bracelets or military dog tags, jewellery normally differs from other items of personal adornment in that it has no other purpose than to...
. There were three Christian communities: Assyrians, Armenian, and Latin
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. According to Lord Kinross, 8,000 Armenians were massacred in Urfa in 1895. The last Syrian Christians left in 1924 and went to Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
(where they settled down in a place that was later called Hay al-Suryan "The Syriac Quarter").
The First World War and after
In 1914 Urfa was estimated to have 75,000 inhabitants: 45,000 Muslims, 25,000 Armenians and 5,000 Syrian Christians. There was also a Jewish presence in the town, most of whom fled to Istanbul, Egypt and other countries due to antisemitism.At the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, with the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
defeated, and European armies attempting to grab parts of Anatolia, first the British
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
and then the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
occupied Urfa. The British occupation of the city of Urfa started de facto on 7 March 1919 and officially as of 24 March 1919, and lasted till 30 October 1919. French forces took over the next day and their uncomfortable presence, met by outbursts of resistance, lasted until 11 April 1920, when they were defeated by local resistance forces (the new Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
government in Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
not being established, with the National Assembly declared on 23 April 1920.
The French retreat from the city of Urfa was conducted under an agreement reached between the occupying forces and the representatives of the local forces, commanded by Captain Ali Saip Bey assigned from Ankara. The withdrawal was meant to take place peacefully, but was disrupted by an ambush on the French by irregular forces at the Şebeke Pass on the way to Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, leading to 296 casualties among the French, and more among the ambushers.
Climate
Şanlıurfa has a semi-arid climate. Şanlıurfa is very hot during the summer months. Temperatures in the height of summer usually reach 41.5°C (108°F). Rainfall is almost non-existant during the summer months. Winters are cool and wet. Spring and autumn are mild and also wet.Şanlıurfa today
Bazaar
A bazaar , Cypriot Greek: pantopoula) is a permanent merchandising area, marketplace, or street of shops where goods and services are exchanged or sold. The term is sometimes also used to refer to the "network of merchants, bankers and craftsmen" who work that area...
still visited by local people to buy fruit and vegetables, where traditionally dressed and scarfed Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
and Turkish
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
villagers arrive in the early morning to sell their produce. Much of the old town consists of traditional Middle Eastern houses built around courtyards, invisible from the dusty streets, many of which are impassable to motor vehicles. In the narrow streets of the bazaar people scurry to and from carrying trays of food, which is eaten on newspapers spread on low tables in a corner of the little shops, many people drinking water from the same cup. This very oriental atmosphere is bewitching but below the surface parts of the old city are very poor indeed, with people still living in cave houses (built into the side of the rock).
Şanlıurfa's newer districts are a sprawl of modern concrete apartment blocks, with many surprisingly tidy leafy avenues, containing modern restaurants, sports facilities and other amenities with air-conditioning.
Politics
It is a stronghold of the governing Justice and Development PartyJustice and Development Party (Turkey)
The Justice and Development Party , abbreviated JDP in English and AK PARTİ or AKP in Turkish, is a centre-right political party in Turkey. The party is the largest in Turkey, with 327 members of parliament...
.
Economy
The climate of the region being mostly arid, the plains of Urfa and Harran are hot and dry. However, since the early 1990s Şanlıurfa has made huge leaps of development thanks to the Southeastern Anatolia ProjectSoutheastern Anatolia Project
The Southeastern Anatolia Project is a multi-sector integrated regional development project based on the concept of sustainable development for the 9 million people living in the Southeastern Anatolia region of Turkey...
, that provided a reliable supply of water for local farmers and fostered a real agricultural boom in every cultivar, but especially organic cotton production. This in turn is driving significant development of medium and light industry in the city itself. Hence, unemployment and poverty are present on a way smaller scale than in other Eastern Turkish cities, and many luxury cars can be spotted on the streets of Urfa. The huge reservoir is also a spectacular sight, hosting regular water-sports tournaments, also offering the commodity of many waterfront restaurants.
Cuisine
As the city of Urfa is very deeply rooted in history, so is its unique Cuisine, an amalgamation of the cuisines of many civilizations that have ruled in Urfa, since the Prophet AbrahamAbraham
Abraham , whose birth name was Abram, is the eponym of the Abrahamic religions, among which are Judaism, Christianity and Islam...
and the Sumer
Sumer
Sumer was a civilization and historical region in southern Mesopotamia, modern Iraq during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age....
ian times and many dishes carry names in Arabic, Syriac, Turkmen, and even Armenian.
At the first glance, it carries the staple of the Eyalet of Aleppo in a very classic, albeit in a very spicier manner;
There are very important pieces of work done on the Urfa cuisine as it is widely believed that Urfa is the birthplace of many dishes, including Raw Kibbé
Chee kufta
Chee kufta, Turkish çiğ köfte is a raw meat dish in Turkish, very similar to kibbeh nayyeh and to a lesser extent to steak tartare. It is made with either beef or lamb, and usually served as an appetizer in Turkish cuisines.-History:...
(Çiğ Köfte), that according to the legend, was crafted by no-one else but the Prophet Abraham himself from the ingredients he had in hand.
Urfa is also known throughout Turkey and the bordering Syria for its very rich kebab
Kebab
Kebab is a wide variety of meat dishes originating in Middle East and later on adopted by the Middle East, and Asia Minor, and now found worldwide. In English, kebab with no qualification generally refers more specifically to shish kebab served on the skewer...
culture, making large use of lamb meat, fat and offal.
The offal
Offal
Offal , also called, especially in the United States, variety meats or organ meats, refers to the internal organs and entrails of a butchered animal. The word does not refer to a particular list of edible organs, which varies by culture and region, but includes most internal organs other than...
has also a primordial place in the regular Urfa Cuisine, being prepared in more than two hundred different ways.
Urfa's meze menu is also very rich, and carries a great variety, mostly unknown in other parts of Turkey, such as the "Ağzı Yumuk" or the "Semsek".
One will note, from the vegetables used in the Urfa cuisine, a lot of endemic varieties like the "'Ecır" or the "Kenger", and of course, the "İsot
Urfa Biber
Urfa biber is a dried Turkish pepper of the type Capsicum annuum cultivated in the Urfa region of Turkey. It is often described as having a smoky, 'raisin-like' taste. Urfa biber is technically a red pepper, ripening to a dark maroon on the plant. The peppers go through a two-part process, where...
", the legendary local red capsicum that is a smaller and darker cultivar
Cultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
of the Aleppo pepper that takes a purplish black hue when dried and cured, used to flavor a lot of dishes, even a variety of ice cream
Ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners...
.
The cuisine also makes a lot extensive use of the eggplant and attributes more than a hundred recipes to that item only.
Unlike most of the Turkish cities that use different versions of regular butter in their regional cuisine, Urfa is, together with Antep, Mardin
Mardin
Mardin is a city in southeastern Turkey. The capital of Mardin Province, it is known for its Arabic-like architecture, and for its strategic location on a rocky mountain overlooking the plains of northern Syria.-History:...
and Siirt
Siirt
- External links :* * * *...
a big user of clarified butter
Clarified butter
Clarified butter is milk fat rendered from butter to separate the milk solids and water from the butterfat. Typically, it is produced by melting butter and allowing the different components to separate by density...
, made exclusively from sheep's milk, called locally "Urfayağı" ("Urfabutter"). Other than that, Urfa is a heavy consumer of quality Olive oil
Olive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
, that mostly arrives into the city from nearby Syria.
Among Urfa's classic sweets, one should definitively count the "Şıllık", that is a coarse walnut ground covered in sweet pastry, the Kahke
Ka'ak
Ka'ak or Kahqa is the Arabic word for "cake", and can refer to several different types of baked goods produced throughout the Arab world and the Near East.-Bread rings:...
, flavored with aniseed and baked in a steamer, and the "Külünçe", that is a masonry oven baked pastry item in a way similar to the Iraqi Kleyça
Kleicha
Kleicha may be considered the national cookie of Iraq. Kleicha come in several traditional shapes and fillings. The most popular are the ones filled with dates...
.
The bitter Arab coffee "Mırra" and the coffee substitute drink made from wild terebinth "Menengiç kahvesi" are among the most common hot beverages of Urfa.
Cultural Notes
-The legend of the "isot" goes that during the French invasion and subsequent occupation of the early 1920s, the people of Urfa were at first not much concerned about their city being invaded and their homes looted. They apparently only began the armed resistance when they heard the French were marching in their capsiucum fields.-Although well connected to the Turkey's highways and with a decent industrial production, Urfa is not a huge metropolis, but still a large city. Known for its relative conservatism (most restaurants do not serve Alcohol), many coffee-houses have separate sections for families or groups of single-men (unlike the most of Turkey).
-An important local tradition usually associated with Urfa and Mardin
Mardin
Mardin is a city in southeastern Turkey. The capital of Mardin Province, it is known for its Arabic-like architecture, and for its strategic location on a rocky mountain overlooking the plains of northern Syria.-History:...
is the "Sıra Gecesi", where groups of young men gather at each others home following a preestablished sequence, especially in winter evenings, to play Ottoman Instruments such as Kanun Ud
Oud
The oud is a pear-shaped stringed instrument commonly used in North African and Middle Eastern music. The modern oud and the European lute both descend from a common ancestor via diverging paths...
and Bağlama
Baglama
thumb|180px|Cura and bağlamaThe bağlama is a stringed musical instrument shared by various cultures in the Eastern Mediterranean, Near East, and Central Asia....
, sing regional classics and to eat together. Kebabs, Rakı
Raki
-Alcoholic beverages:*Rakı, an anise-flavored spirit popular in Turkey*Any anise-flavored drink.-Fictional characters:*Raki, a character in the manga/anime series Claymore*Raki, a character in the game Ar tonelico II: Melody of Metafalica...
and Çiğ Köfte
Chee kufta
Chee kufta, Turkish çiğ köfte is a raw meat dish in Turkish, very similar to kibbeh nayyeh and to a lesser extent to steak tartare. It is made with either beef or lamb, and usually served as an appetizer in Turkish cuisines.-History:...
are the indispensable staples of these evenings.
Places of interest
- The alleged birthplace of the prophet AbrahamAbrahamAbraham , whose birth name was Abram, is the eponym of the Abrahamic religions, among which are Judaism, Christianity and Islam...
– a cave to the south of the lake - Urfa castle – built in antiquity, the current walls were constructed by the Abbasids in 814AD.
- The legendary Pool of Sacred Fish (Balıklıgöl) where Abraham was thrown into the fire by Nimrod. The pool is in the courtyard of the mosque of Halil-ur-Rahman, built by the Ayyubids in 1211 and now surrounded by attractive gardens designed by architect Merih Karaaslan. The courtyard is where the fishes thrive. A local legend says seeing a white fish will open the door to the heavens.
- Rızvaniye Mosque – a more recent (1716) Ottoman mosque, adjoining the Balıkligöl complex.
- 'Ayn Zelîha – A source nearby the historical center, named after Zulaykha, a follower of Abraham.
- The Great Mosque of Urfa was built in 1170, on the site of a Christian church the Arabs called the "red church," probably incorporating some Roman masonry. Contemporary tradition at the site identifies the well of the mosque as that into which the towel or burial cloth (mendil) of Jesus was thrown (see Image of EdessaImage of EdessaAccording to Christian legend, the Image of Edessa was a holy relic consisting of a square or rectangle of cloth upon which a miraculous image of the face of Jesus was imprinted — the first icon ....
and Shroud of TurinShroud of TurinThe Shroud of Turin or Turin Shroud is a linen cloth bearing the image of a man who appears to have suffered physical trauma in a manner consistent with crucifixion. It is kept in the royal chapel of the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Turin, northern Italy. The image on the shroud is...
). In the south wall of the medrese adjoining the mosque is the fountain of Firuz Bey (1781). - Ruins of the ancient city walls.
- Eight Turkish baths built in the OttomanOttoman EmpireThe Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
period. - The traditional Urfa houses were split into sections for family (harem) and visitors (selâm). There is an example open to the public next to the post office in the district of Kara Meydan.
- The Temple of Nevali ÇoriNevali CoriNevalı Çori was an early Neolithic settlement on the middle Euphrates, in the province of Şanlıurfa , eastern Turkey. The site is famous for having revealed some of the world's most ancient known temples and monumental sculpture...
– Neolithic settlement dating back to 8000BC, now buried under the waters behind the Atatürk DamAtatürk DamThe Atatürk Dam , originally the Karababa Dam, is a zoned rock-fill dam with a central core on the Euphrates River on the border of Adıyaman Province and Şanlıurfa Province in Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey...
, with some artefacts relocated above the waterline. - Göbekli TepeGöbekli TepeGöbekli Tepe [ɡøbe̞kli te̞pɛ] is a hilltop sanctuary erected on the highest point of an elongated mountain ridge in southeastern Turkey, some northeast of the town of Şanlıurfa . It is the oldest human-made religious structure yet discovered...
– The world's oldest known temple, dated 10th millennium BC (ca 11,500 years ago). - Have breakfast at the wonderful "Zahter Kahvalti" in Köprübasi Caddesi opposite to the entrance of "Otel Ipek Palace"
Famous people
- Yusuf NabiYusuf NabiYusuf Nabi was a Turkish Divan poet in the court of Mehmet IV. He was famous for "his brilliant lyrics filled with popular sayings and critiques of the age and verses commenorating innumerable important occasions."...
– 17th century Ottoman poet - İbrahim Tatlısesİbrahim Tatlıses-References:...
(Ibo) – Superstar in TurkeyTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, IraqIraqIraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and IranIranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, also famous in SyriaSyriaSyria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and LebanonLebanonLebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. Originally an Arab but sings mostly in Turkish. Urfa's own beloved working class hero and one of all-Turkey's wealthiest music and TV stars. - Kazancı Bedih (b 1929 – d. 2004)- folk singer, known nationally for his contributions to the EşkiyaEskiyaThe Bandit is an award-winning 1996 Turkish film written and directed by Yavuz Turgul and starring Şener Şen and Uğur Yücel....
film soundtrack. - Bekir Yıldız – Columnist in HürriyetHürriyet-External links:* * ** * *...
- Bekir CoşkunBekir CoskunBekir Coşkun is a Turkish journalist, writer and columnist for the leading Turkish daily, Cumhuriyet. He is a good friend of Emin Çölaşan, with who he had worked in the newspaper Hürriyet before they were controversially sacked by the paper's editor-in-chief, Ertuğrul Özkök...
– Columnist in HürriyetHürriyet-External links:* * ** * *... - Bekir Fırat – Columnist in Güneydoğuhaber
- Nejat Kırbulut – Columnist in Bursahaber
- URURUr or ur may refer to:In toponymy:*Ur, an ancient city in southern Mesopotamia**Royal Game of Ur, two game boards found in Royal Tombs of Ur and dating from the First Dynasty of Ur, before 2600 BC*Hay Ur, a neighborhood of Baghdad, Iraq...
– Band formed in the 1940s. - Matthew of EdessaMatthew of EdessaMatthew of Edessa was an Armenian historian in the 12th century from the city of Edessa . Matthew was the superior abbot of Karmir Vank' , near the town of Kessoun, east of Marash , the former seat of Baldwin of Boulogne...
– Historian - Ahmet ÖzhanAhmet ÖzhanAhmet Özhan is a prominent Turkish classic music singer, conductor and actor.- Biography :He started singing in Turkish clubs when he was about 18...
– Singer of Turkish Sufi music, and movie actor - Knai ThommanKnai ThommanKnai Thomman or in English, Bishop Thomas Cana, was a prominent Knanaya merchant or a Bishop from Edessa , now known as Şanlıurfa, Turkey...
- Neodim – Rapper
- Müslüm GürsesMüslüm GürsesMüslüm Akbaş , better known as Müslüm Gürses is a Turkish folk singer.He was born in 1953 in Şanlıurfa, Turkey. He married Muhterem Nur in 1983....
- Turkish singer. - Seyyal TanerSeyyal TanerSeyyal Taner is a Turkish singer and actress.Although famed for her music, Taner started her career as an actress with appearances in around 40 films....
- Turkish pop singer. - Ferhat Göçer – popular pop singer.
- Mahmut Tuncer- Turkish singer.
- Mirkelam- Turkish pop singer.
See also
- Cilicia War
- Urfa ResistanceUrfa ResistanceUrfa Resistance or Urfa Rebellion was the Armenian resistance in Urfa during World War I developed as a reaction to actions of the Ottoman government . The resistance was quelled following German intervention....
- Chronology of the Turkish War of IndependenceChronology of the Turkish War of IndependenceThis chronology of the Turkish War of Independence is a timeline of events during the Turkish War of Independence . The timeline also includes the background events starting with the end of the First World War. The events are classified according to the campaigns and parties involved...
- KnanayaKnanayaThe Knanaya also known as Q'nanaya, Q'nai, Kanai, or Thekkumbagar, are endogamous Jews who settled in Kerala, India. Their origins are unclear and are hotly disputed by academic scholars...
- Cities of the ancient Near EastCities of the ancient Near EastThe largest cities in the Bronze Age ancient Near East housed several tens of thousands. Memphis in the Early Bronze Age with some 30,000 inhabitants was the largest city of the time by far...