Urfa Digital History and Culture Island
More than seventy historic places across Şanlıurfa and its districts on a map drawn in the museum's own identity. Filter by category, search by name, read each place's photograph, era and narration; take directions to your phone.
The interactive map requires JavaScript; the places are listed below.
Map data: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
MUSEUMS & VISITS
2015 · Modern complex
740 m from the museum
One of Türkiye's largest museum complexes, with 14 galleries and 33 dioramas spanning from the Palaeolithic to the Islamic era. It houses the 'Urfa Man', considered the world's oldest life-size human statue.
Photo: Klaus-Peter Simon · CC BY-SA 3.0
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITESUNESCO
c. 9600 BC · Neolithic
14.5 km from the museum
18 km northeast of the city, its colossal T-shaped pillars from 12,000 years ago make it 'the discovery that changed human history' — a Neolithic ritual centre, UNESCO-listed since 2018.
Photo: Philrock · CC BY-SA 4.0
MUSEUMS & VISITS
2015 · Roman mosaics
480 m from the museum
A modern structure built over villa remains discovered in 2006, notable for its 6,000 m² dome. It shelters rare mosaics, including the Amazon queens and Achilles scenes.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
FAITH & WORSHIP
1195 · 12th c.
37.3 km from the museum
The 1195 tomb and adjoining mosque of Harran's great Sufi, Sheikh Yahya Hayat al-Harrani — praised by Evliya Çelebi and still a major place of visitation.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
HISTORIC HOUSES
1884 · Late Ottoman
560 m from the museum
Built in 1884 by the Sufi poet Sakıb Efendi, this two-storey mansion set in gardens is an elegant example of period residential architecture, restored for cultural use.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
FAITH & WORSHIP
744-750 · Umayyad
38.1 km from the museum
Built by the Umayyad caliph Marwan II in 744-750, Anatolia's first monumental mosque with arcaded courtyard and rich stone carving; with its madrasas, hailed as the oldest Islamic university.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES
2nd-4th c. AD · Roman-Byzantine
300 m from the museum
Contains around 100 rock-cut tombs from the Hellenistic and Roman-Byzantine periods. Square burial chambers, arcosolia and floor mosaics document the city's ancient funerary culture.
Photo: Dosseman · CC BY-SA 4.0
HISTORIC BUILDINGS
Tradition from 7th mill. BC
38.8 km from the museum
Mud-brick conical houses, cool in summer and warm in winter, continue a millennia-old building tradition; 150-200-year-old examples are open to visitors today.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
FAITH & WORSHIP
1211 · Ayyubid
240 m from the museum
At the southwest tip of Balıklıgöl, this complex of mosque, madrasa and cemetery marks the sacred spot where Abraham is believed to have fallen into the fire. It was built in 1211 in the Ayyubid era over a church dated 504.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
CASTLES & WALLS
744-750 · Umayyad
38.8 km from the museum
A 90×130 m, three-storey structure converted into a palace by Marwan II over East Roman garrison foundations, fortified under Zengids and Ayyubids; excavations continue.
Photo: Acar54</a · CC BY-SA 4.0
FAITH & WORSHIP
1211 · Ayyubid period
280 m from the museum
On the spot where Abraham is believed to have landed in the flames, this maqam, also known as the İbrahim Halil Lodge, is among the city's most visited devotional sites.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES
Ancient quarry
52.5 km from the museum
On the Harran-Ba'rur road, vast galleries and 15 m tunnels left by centuries of stone-cutting form an impressive monument of ancient engineering.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
NATURAL SITES
Faith tradition · Multi-layered
110 m from the museum
When Nimrod cast Abraham into the fire, the flames are believed to have turned to water and the logs to fish — this 153×30 m sacred pool is the city's spiritual heart. Its carp are revered, and historic complexes ring its shores.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0 de
INNS & BAZAARS
1228-1229 · Ayyubid
38.2 km from the museum
Built in 1228-1229 under the Ayyubids by Husam al-Din Ali Bey; with mosque, bath and camel halls it sheltered desert caravans, restored in 2020.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
FAITH & WORSHIP
1736 · Ottoman
80 m from the museum
Built on Balıklıgöl's north shore in 1736 by Rıdvan Ahmet Pasha, governor of Raqqa, the complex is famed for its nail-free joined-wood door and 34 madrasa cells. Its arcade reflected in the pool is an iconic view.
Photo: Dosseman · CC BY-SA 4.0
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES
Late Roman
39.6 km from the museum
Late Roman rock tombs and dwellings intertwine here; tradition holds that Prophet Shuayb lived on this spot, and his maqam draws visitors.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
NATURAL SITES
Faith tradition
330 m from the museum
At the foot of Urfa Castle, this pool is said to have sprung where Nimrod's daughter Zeliha threw herself into the fire for her faith in Abraham — remembered as 'Zeliha's tears'.
Photo: Volker Höhfeld · CC BY-SA 4.0
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES
2nd c. AD · Moon god Sin
51.9 km from the museum
Centre of the moon-god Sin cult; hilltop shrines carved for the planets, sacred-mount reliefs and the Well of Moses make it an open-air archaeological halt.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
CASTLES & WALLS
3rd c. BC columns · AD 812-814
290 m from the museum
The castle on Damlacık Hill bears 17.25 m Corinthian columns from the 3rd century; its present form dates to the Abbasid era (812-814). Its ramparts overlook Balıklıgöl and the old town; excavations continue.
Photo: Dosseman · CC BY-SA 4.0
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES
9400-8200 BC · Neolithic
46.3 km from the museum
Star of the Taş Tepeler project; with 250+ pillars, human-head reliefs and unique structures, this contemporary of Göbeklitepe welcomes visitors on arranged routes.
Photo: Campels · CC0
FAITH & WORSHIP
1523 · Ottoman
140 m from the museum
Beside the cave where Abraham is believed to have been born, the complex rose in 1523 on grounds that once held a pagan temple, synagogue and church. Its centuries-old dhikr tradition continues after dawn and afternoon prayers.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES
Early centuries · Monastery
18.3 km from the museum
A rock monastery and cave settlement near Soğmatar from Christianity's early centuries — a rugged emblem of the region's diverse faiths.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
FAITH & WORSHIP
Devotional site
160 m from the museum
Tradition holds that Abraham's mother hid here from Nimrod's persecution to give birth. Its spring water is believed to heal, making the cave one of the city's most visited spiritual places.
Photo: Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0
CASTLES & WALLS
1182-1239 · Ayyubid
96 km from the museum
Fortified in the Ayyubid era on a rocky hill near Viranşehir; its rock-cut moats and fine masonry mark a striking piece of defensive architecture.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
FAITH & WORSHIP
15th c. · Aq Qoyunlu
170 m from the museum
Just east of Balıklıgöl, this monumental mosque was raised in the late 15th century in the name of the Aq Qoyunlu ruler Uzun Hasan, and remains a key element of the skyline.
Photo: Dosseman · CC BY-SA 4.0
HISTORIC HOUSES
Late 19th c. · Ottoman
86.4 km from the museum
An Ottoman mansion in Viranşehir; with courtyard plan and ashlar façades, restored since 2002 to serve as a public library.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
INNS & BAZAARS
17th-18th c.
460 m from the museum
In the Historic Inns quarter by the Ironsmiths' Market, this classic two-storey courtyard han rejoined commercial life after its 2017-2025 restoration.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
FAITH & WORSHIP
Pilgrimage village
79.4 km from the museum
In Eyyüpnebi near Viranşehir, the tomb honoured as Prophet Job's resting place; with the tombs of Elisha and Rahime Hatun it forms the region's foremost faith route.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
INNS & BAZAARS
1887 · Ottoman
410 m from the museum
Built in 1887 by Hartavizade Hüseyin Pasha, the twin-vaulted bazaar still rings with coppersmiths' hammers — a living centre of traditional craft.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
FAITH & WORSHIP
Rebuilt 1996
79.6 km from the museum
Attributed to Job's wife Rahime Hatun, the domed tomb at Eyyüpnebi was rebuilt in 1996 — a station of devotion in the story of patience.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
INNS & BAZAARS
17th-18th c. · Ottoman
360 m from the museum
South of the Kazaz Bazaar, this Ottoman trading inn — with its courtyard fountain and long-standing artisan traditions — is an authentic piece of the bazaar fabric.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
FAITH & WORSHIP
Maqam tomb
79 km from the museum
At the Eyyüpnebi pilgrimage village, this maqam holds the belief that Elisha died here while journeying to visit Job; renewed in 1996.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
INNS & BAZAARS
1562 · Süleyman the Magnificent
340 m from the museum
A covered bedesten built with the Gümrük Inn in 1562 by Behram Pasha; for centuries the heart of fabric and traditional dress, keeping the morning 'bazaar prayer' custom alive.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
CASTLES & WALLS
Castle on a mound
81.9 km from the museum
Rising on a 30 m mound in the town centre, the castle's Roman-Byzantine repaired walls offer sweeping views toward Karacadağ.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
INNS & BAZAARS
1562 · Ottoman
290 m from the museum
Adjoining the Gümrük Inn to the west, this bazaar once sold caravan harness; today its carpet, kilim and fur shops keep the guild tradition alive.
INNS & BAZAARS
1616-1620 · Ottoman
81.6 km from the museum
Built 1616-1620 on the Urfa-Aleppo caravan road; the two-storey stone inn keeps trading memory alive, restored for cultural use.
INNS & BAZAARS
1562 · Süleyman the Magnificent
280 m from the museum
Heart of the inns quarter, built in 1562 by Behram Pasha; water flowing from Balıklıgöl cools its courtyard. Once host to Silk Road caravans, today it lives on as a beloved teahouse meeting place.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
NATURAL SITES
1,938 m · Extinct volcano
111.3 km from the museum
A 1,938 m extinct volcano, regarded as a genetic homeland of einkorn wheat; its highlands, ski centre and basalt landscape invite nature tourism.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
INNS & BAZAARS
1823 · Ottoman
310 m from the museum
Built in 1823 southeast of the Gümrük Inn, its courtyard sits below street level — hence 'Sunken Han'. Its drapery and textile trade continues today.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
NATURAL SITES
Natural valley
87.1 km from the museum
Stretching from Siverek toward Gerger, the valley carved by Euphrates tributaries hides steep cliffs, the 'Bottomless Lake' and striking geology.
Photo: Nimezreli · CC BY-SA 4.0
FAITH & WORSHIP
12th c. Zengid · restored 1834-1888
400 m from the museum
On Haşimiye Square, dated to the 12th-century Zengid era with 19th-century restoration inscriptions; the Balıklıgöl watercourse again flows through its courtyard.
Photo: Dosseman · CC BY-SA 4.0
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES
9th mill. BC · Neolithic
15.1 km from the museum
One of the Taş Tepeler excavation sites; its famed wall relief of human and animal figures counts among the oldest known works of Neolithic narrative art.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
FAITH & WORSHIP
1700s · Mevlevi lodge
490 m from the museum
Built in the early 1700s as a Mevlevi complex; its 14×14 m sema hall, shaped like a dervish cap in plan, symbolises the order's presence. It has served as a mosque since 1973.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
INNS & BAZAARS
Ottoman · Rural museum
20.9 km from the museum
An Ottoman caravanserai on the Urfa-Aleppo road, restored as the Rural Life and Agriculture Museum, telling the region's farming story.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
HISTORIC HOUSES
Inscribed 1674
520 m from the museum
Dated by its door inscription to 1674, the mansion with its family and guest quarters and fine stonework is a distinguished traditional Urfa house, now serving cultural use after restoration.
CASTLES & WALLS
'White Castle' · Multi-period
72.7 km from the museum
Rising on a white limestone bluff above the Euphrates and known as the 'White Castle', it bears repair layers from Rome to the Mamluks and Ottomans.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
FAITH & WORSHIP
Early 16th c.
550 m from the museum
Dating to the early 16th century, the 'White Mosque' with its ashlar masonry, broad courtyard and slender minaret is a fine example of Ottoman-era Urfa mosques.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
NATURAL SITES
1977 · Conservation site
71.3 km from the museum
Founded at Birecik in 1977 — the species' last stronghold — this is one of the world's few centres breeding the northern bald ibis, released to the wild each spring.
Photo: Kpisimon · CC BY-SA 3.0
HISTORIC BUILDINGS
1861 · Syriac church
680 m from the museum
A three-nave basilica raised in 1861 over an earlier church, representing Syriac architecture in the city; restored and converted into a cultural centre.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
NATURAL SITES
Cittaslow
82.2 km from the museum
Half-submerged by the Birecik Dam, this stone-built town charms with boat tours, water sports and its black rose — a proud Cittaslow destination.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
MUSEUMS & VISITS
1123 · Crusader County
1.1 km from the museum
This tower on the city walls rose in 1123 under the Crusader County and later served Ottoman gate command. Since 2014 it has told the city's story as an ethnographic museum.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
NATURAL SITES
Submerged in 1992
84 km from the museum
Abandoned in 1992 as dam waters rose, the village left behind a minaret rising from the water — one of the Euphrates' most striking images.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
FAITH & WORSHIP
1170-1175 · Zengid
530 m from the museum
Built 1170-1175 in the Zengid era over the ruins of the 'Red Church'; its octagonal minaret long doubled as the town clock tower. Late-antique columns still stand in its courtyard.
Photo: Dosse · CC BY-SA 4.0
NATURAL SITES
1992 · GAP project
55.1 km from the museum
The giant dam on the Euphrates is among Türkiye's greatest energy and irrigation works; built 1983-1992, its lake breathes life into the region.
Photo: Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0
MUSEUMS & VISITS
1674 · Traditional mansion
470 m from the museum
Housed in the 1674 Hacıbanlar mansion, the museum brings Urfa's rich cuisine to life — its utensils, table culture and stories from isot pepper to çiğ köfte.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
FAITH & WORSHIP
1728 · Ottoman
370 m from the museum
Built in 1728 by Hüseyin Pasha of Darende; with its great squinch dome over a square plan and tiny courtyard, it graces Divanyolu Street, preserved through careful restorations.
Photo: Dosse · CC BY-SA 4.0
HISTORIC HOUSES
1888 · Traditional house
380 m from the museum
Dated 1888, with rich stone ornament, woodwork and courtyard, it ranks among the finest traditional Urfa houses, kept alive as the heritage board's premises.
Photo: Dosse · CC BY-SA 4.0
FAITH & WORSHIP
1709 · Ottoman
880 m from the museum
Built at Sarayönü in 1709 by Vizier Yusuf Pasha and restored in 1996; its single-domed hall and slender minaret serve the bazaar district.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
MUSEUMS & VISITS
1903 · Mansion
1.1 km from the museum
The 1903 mansion blends European manner with Urfa stonework and served as a headquarters in the national struggle. Since 11 April 2009 it has told the city's liberation story.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
BRIDGES & AQUEDUCTS
AD 527 · Byzantine
990 m from the museum
Raised over the Karakoyun stream by Emperor Justinian in 527 to carry the 'Kehriz' waters into town; its fine ashlar still stands, restored in 2014.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
BRIDGES & AQUEDUCTS
1903 · Late Ottoman
730 m from the museum
Built over the Karakoyun stream in 1903 to reach the Millet Hospital; it bears the name of liberation hero Ali Saip Bey and was restored in 2001.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
BRIDGES & AQUEDUCTS
Inscribed 1843 · Ancient origins
1.1 km from the museum
Its foundations reach back to antiquity, remembered by an 1843 inscription; the watercourse tradition beneath it belongs to the city's memory, and it still serves pedestrians.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
FAITH & WORSHIP
1891 · Armenian church
290 m from the museum
Raised in 1891 for the Twelve Apostles, it took its name from the wind-spun 'fırfır' whirligigs on its towers; converted to a mosque in 1956, it carries both identities.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
FAITH & WORSHIP
1857 · Basilica church
420 m from the museum
Built in 1857 as the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary, the grand three-nave building became a mosque after its 1994 restoration; its red marble columns stand out.
Photo: Dosseman · CC BY-SA 4.0
MUSEUMS & VISITS
2021 · 17th-c. inn
730 m from the museum
The historic 'Yasin's Coffeehouse' by the Harran Gate once hosted sıra night gatherings; restored, it now celebrates Urfa's music and its famous voice.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
CASTLES & WALLS
Inscribed 1220-1230
400 m from the museum
The only surviving gate of the city walls; its double-headed eagle relief and Ayyubid inscriptions make it a stone document of the city's history.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
FAITH & WORSHIP
Byzantine-era hermitage
1.8 km from the museum
In Eyyübiye, the cave hermitage and healing well where Job is believed to have endured his illness with patience; Imad ad-Din Zengi restored the well in 1145.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
FAITH & WORSHIP
1183 · Seljuk
900 m from the museum
On a hill overlooking the city, this 1183 Seljuk-era ensemble of tomb, madrasa and lodge keeps alive the name of Sheikh Mas'ud of Nishapur.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
HISTORIC BUILDINGS
1st c. BC foundations
3 km from the museum
On a hill 10 km south of the city, known locally as 'Nimrod's Throne'; its foundations date to the 1st century BC and the monastery to the 4th-5th centuries, with Greek and Syriac inscriptions.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği Kültür Atlası · Resmî kaynak
MUSEUMS & VISITS
Balıklıgöl Plateau · New project area
70 m from the museum
Newly opened on the Balıklıgöl Plateau, the Complex of the Prophets and Scholars presents, through digital narratives, the lives and traces of the prophets associated with Şanlıurfa and of the scholars the city has raised.
Photo: Şanlıurfa Valiliği · Peygamberler ve Bilim Adamları Müzesi tanıtım görseli · Resmî kaynak
MUSEUMS & VISITS
Balıklıgöl Plateau · New project area
100 m from the museum
The Zero Waste Workshops host hands-on activities for children and families; one of the workshops is dedicated to the traditional Islamic arts.
MUSEUMS & VISITS
Balıklıgöl Plateau · New project area
80 m from the museum
The Model Hall is one of the new visitor areas on the Balıklıgöl Plateau, offering visitors a close look at the fabric of the city through its exhibited models.
MUSEUMS & VISITS
Balıklıgöl Plateau · New project area
110 m from the museum
The Observatory on the Balıklıgöl Plateau is a new point of visit that brings visitors together with the sky.
MUSEUMS & VISITS
Balıklıgöl Plateau · New project area
70 m from the museum
The Lake Coffee House is a stop on the Balıklıgöl Plateau where visitors can take a break, keeping alive Urfa's coffee and hospitality culture.
