Şanlıurfa Travel Guide: What to do in Abraham’s Birthplace (2024)
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If you’ve read anything from or about the biggest religions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, you know Prophet Abraham is the father of all three. Hence why they are called the Abrahamic Religions.
According to the religious texts, Abraham was born in “Ur of the Chaldees” – a mysterious place that many believe is a cave in the center of modern-day Şanlıurfa in Southeast Turkey.
This alone makes the city an exciting destination. Add to it the conspicuously layered history, colorful market, kebab-making traditions, and the nearby ancient site of Göbeklitepe and I think it’s safe to say that Şanlıurfa offers something to anyone.
The Legend of Abraham’s Birth
As the story goes, the king in Ur of the Chaldees (purported to be King Nimrod) had a dream that a baby was to be born that would grow to put an end to idolatry.
So he did the most logical stuff – ended idolatry himself. Ha! No. He ordered that all babies be killed.
Now imagine you are an expecting mother. You will conceal your pregnancy and hide.
That’s what Amathlai, the future mother of Prophet Abraham did.
She hid in a cave, which is today surrounded by the Dergah Complex in Şanlıurfa that you can visit.
1. Check out the cave where Prophet Abraham was born
Is this actually the cave? Hard to say. Maybe, maybe not.
What matters is that Muslims strongly believe that this is indeed the cave.
They’ve built the Dergah Mosque Complex around it, which you can visit – it’s open 24/7. That makes it sound like a convenience store – no, it’s just a very popular and sacred religious site.
The entrance to the cave is free as it is a religious pilgrimage site. The entrance is split in two – male and female – and the female part is at least 3 times larger. Go figure.
The cave itself is quite small and you have to duck through an unnecessary small door before the actual cave.
2. Feed the Sacred Fish at Balikgol
That’s not all there is in Urfa about Abraham.
Later in life, the Patriarch of 3 religions had beef with King Nimrod. In some versions, they just fight and Abraham wins, wits against strength.
In other versions, the two just have a talk over tea and cookies as to whose religious beliefs make more sense.
In the Islamic tradition, Abraham was captured and set on fire by Nimrod. Then God cooled down the fire enough that he survived and in his place appeared a lake. A very pretty lake with lots of carp fish.
The lake is just 3 minutes away from the cave, making the whole thing just a bit too suspicious.
Anyway, the fish in the lake are sacred. Feeding them brings the giver luck (you can buy fish food for 1 or 2 lira at the kiosks near the lake) whereas killing or eating them would make you go blind.
3. Chill at Ayn Zeliha Lake
Nearby you can see another lake with big, holy fish – Ayn Zeliha Gölü. This was King Nimrod’s daughter, who was deeply in love with the Prophet Abraham.
When Nimrod set Abraham on fire, Zeliha, in true Juliet fashion jumped into another nearby fire. God then transformed that fire into water and saved Zeliha.
4. Climb up to Urfa Castle
The name of the city used to be just Urfa. Then after the Turkish War of Independence (1919-1923), the suffix “Sanli” was added. It means “Glorious” – for the glorious defense that Urfans put forth.
Long ago Urfa had a prosperous castle. It now lies in ruins on the top of the hill just behind the Dergah Complex.
You can climb the stairs, walk around the castle walls, and admire the views towards Sanliurfa from above but you cannot go inside. Not that much remains anyway.
5. Visit the Sanliurfa Archeological Museum
Urfa is a very, very old settlement. Humans have lived here for millennia – as far back as the Neolithic!
Then throughout the years, countless civilizations have abandoned their tools, pottery, weapons, and urns in the ground. Some, we today have dug and organized in ways that make sense to us.
To get a glimpse into the cultural archive of Urfa, visit the Archeological Museum [map]. Artifacts, mosaics, and archeological finds, all curated and presented in this state-of-the-art museum.
Some may say this museum enough is a reason to include the city on your road trip in Turkey!
The ticket costs 400 TRY (~10 EUR) and includes entrance to the nearby Mosaics Museum.
6. Be Morbidly Curious at the Kızılkoyun Necropolis
In front of the Archeological Museum, just across the road, you will notice holes carved into the rock with Roman-style arches in front.
This is a necropolis from back when this part of the world was within the Roman Empire.
Some of the tombs are surprisingly well-preserved given the almost 2000 years that have passed since. In some, you can still see skeletons.
Entrance is free and you can enter most of the tombs on the site.
Eat Urfa Kebab
What visit would it be to Urfa if you didn’t eat the kebab there?
Many cities in Turkey have their own variation of the kebab. In its basic form, it’s minced meat rolled up in a cylinder share. But the spices you add, the way it’s made, the condiments, and the side dishes are what make it unique.
The two most popular in Turkey are the Adana Kebab (spicier) and the Urfa Kebab (less spicy). Of course, they call it just “kebab” anywhere!
Feast your eyes in the Şanlıurfa Bazaar
Because Şanlıurfa is not a hyper-popular tourist destination like Istanbul or Cappadocia, its Bazaar isn’t overly commercial.
It’s as authentic as it gets.
Colorful arrays of spices, textiles, dried fruits and nuts, fresh veggies, and cured meats fill your sight whichever way you go.
Just be careful not to get lost!
Go on a half-day trip to Göbeklitepe
How ancient can a place be?
At what point in time did places actually become “Places”? Oh, these deep questions, Simon…
Many consider the advent of agriculture to be it. But this Place predates it. Göbeklitepe is the world’s first temple.
It’s quite near Urfa and you can reach it by public transport. See all my short guide on how to get to Göbeklitepe from Şanlıurfa
Where Next?
From Urfa, you might want to visit either Gaziantep, the gastronomical capital of Turkey, or Diyarbakir, the Kurdish-majority city with one of the longest fortress walls in the world.
Other destinations in Turkey are quite far (Istanbul is 20 hours away, Izmir is 18 hours away, Cappadocia is 10 hours away) but there are direct buses to most. Book your ticket on obilet.
Iraqi Kurdistan is also pretty near. If you’re feeling adventurous, check out my complete guide to backpacking in Iraqi Kurdistan!
