Governorship of Şanlıurfa · Vision
Telling the story of a twelve-thousand-year-old city in today's language
Şanlıurfa is one of the first landscapes where humanity settled. This heritage, from the pillars of Göbeklitepe and Karahantepe to the school of Harran, from Ayyubid complexes to the Liberation, lives in every street of the city.
The Urfa Digital History and Culture Island is the Governorship of Şanlıurfa's project to bring this heritage to visitors: a digital museum built with interactive screens and sensors on the shore of Balıklıgöl, in the very heart of the historic fabric.
The aim is not to display history in a showcase, but to let the visitor step into it by walking, touching and listening. All content rests on expert-reviewed sources and is offered in three languages.
WHY AN "ISLAND"?
Set between the Balıklıgöl and Aynzeliha lakes, this complex is like an island surrounded by the city's sacred water. The museum too was designed as an island within history: the living heritage outside, its digital reflection inside.
ORDER OF VISIT
The Island's route: thirteen points
- 01 Opening ScreenThe round LED screen on the right-hand wall at the foot of the stairs, facing the seating area: the island's opening show.
- 02 Urfa in the Time TunnelThirteen eras, from the Neolithic to the Republic, come alive in turn on a vast curved LED wall and the ring above.
- 03 Interactive WallThe wide LED wall beside the Time Tunnel, facing the corridor: touch the screen and watch your touch spread as light and particles.
- 04 Interactive ScreenUrfa's living heritage: the gazelle, the bald ibis and the region's native animals respond to the movement of your hand.
- 05 Digital Show HallFire, water and light wrap all four walls; in image and sound, Urfa's story turns around you.
- 06 Digital Urfa Tour from the SkyA bird's-eye journey over Urfa on a vast curved screen.
- 07 Visual Feast ScreenUrfa's places appear in particles of light, dissolve and take shape again.
- 08 Stone MirrorWipe away the sand covering the screen with your finger and uncover Urfa's artefacts and places beneath.
- 09 Urfa City Centre Points of VisitOn the touch map: the city centre's mosques, inns, bazaars and historic houses, each with photographs, information and a QR code.
- 10 Urfa Districts Points of VisitIn the districts section of the same map: ancient sites and historic buildings from Göbeklitepe to Harran, from Halfeti to Siverek.
- 11 Balıklıgöl Plateau Points of VisitIn the third section of the map: the complexes of the Balıklıgöl Plateau, Urfa Castle and the plateau's new points of visit.
- 12 Gastronomy and Folk Dances in UrfaA digital show on two touch screens: Urfa's local flavours from lebeni to hırtlevik, and its folk dances from Kımıl to Dinge.
- 13 Hologram ShowArtefacts appear in mid-air: a three-dimensional encounter with Urfa's heritage.
A GOVERNORSHIP OF ŞANLIURFA PROJECT
Governorship of Şanlıurfa
The Urfa Digital History and Culture Island was brought to life by the Governorship of Şanlıurfa to bring the city's twelve-thousand-year heritage to visitors. Historical accuracy and institutional approval of the content rest with the Governorship.
sanliurfa.gov.trRELIABILITY OF THE CONTENT
The era narratives rest on revised texts reviewed by a historian; historic-place information draws on the Şanlıurfa Governorship Culture Atlas and official sources. Most photographs come from the Culture Atlas, some from Creative Commons sources, with attributions given on the gallery page.
Image credits and licences