Faith tourism of Turkey. Şanlıurfa district.
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FAITH TOURISM TURKEY:Şanlıurfa              

 

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Şanlıurfa

Ulu Mosque (Center):The mosque is the most ancient of the mosques located in the city center of Urfa province. As the structure was an old synagogue, it was transformed into the St. Stephon Church by the Bishop Rabula whom had died between A.D. 435 - 436. The structure was named as the Scarlet Church as there are numerous scarlet colored pillars inside and the mosque was constructed instead of the structure between 1170 - 1175 years by Nurettin Zengi.

The mosque is inside the multi - pedestal mosques group of the Anatolia and is covered with parallel three rows of diagonal vaults at the side showing Mecca and has a rectangular construction plan. The last congregation location covered with diagonal vaults standing on the ranks and opening to a fourteen pointed arched courtyard is initially used at the Şanlıurfa Ulu Mosque in Anatolia. The octagonal bell tower of the structure serves as a minaret nowadays.

The Cave in Which Prophet İbrahim was Born and Mevlid-I Halil Mosque (Center):
Prophet İbrahim was born inside a cave located at the south of the courtyard of the Mevlid-I Halil Mosque. Accrding to the rumors, the monarch of the period, Nemrut dreams. In the morning he tells his dream to his astrologers. As the astrologers tell him that „ a child who will born in this year would end your reign“, Nemrut orders to kill all of the male children that would be born during that year. The wife of Azer, the idolist of the palace gives birth to Prophet İbrahim secretly in this cave. Prophet İbrahim lived in this cave until he reaches the age seven. The water found in the cave of prophet İbrahim is believed to be curative and that the waters cure numerous diseases.

Balıklı Lake (Halil-ür Rahman and Ayn-I Zeliha Lake, Center):The lake is located inside the city center and has the appearance of a natural aquarium with the fishes swimming inside the waters and with the centuries old plane trees and willow trees. The lakes are two in number; Ayn-I Zeliha and Halil-ür Rahman. As Prophet İbrahim begins to struggle with the monarch of the period Nemrut and with the idols that his folk worships and begins to break and destroy such idols defending the idea of a single god, he was cast into fires by Nemrut from the location which is known as the Şanlıurfa Castle. As the God himself orders the fire as "O fire, be cool and secure to İbrahim.", the fire turn into water and the stones turn into fishes. The place where Prophet İbrahim falled is named as "Halil-ür Rahman Lake". The step daugter of Nemrut Zeliha falls in love with Prophet İbrahim. Zeliha begs and prays for Prophet İbrahim to his step father Nemrut. As she realizes that Prophet İbrahim is fallen into fire, she casts herself into the fire. The place where Zeliha falled is called as “Ayn-I Zeliha Lake“.

St. Eyyüp Prophet and His Position (Center):It is rumored that St. Eyyüp prophet was born in the desniye village of the country called as the upper land located between Şam and Ramla in Syria in B.C. 2100. Prophet Eyüp who was infected with the leprosy disease continues to suffer in a cave with his wife named Rahime and never gives up to worship and pray God. İn spite of all of his sufferings, he never betrays or rebels to his God. At last, Prophet Eyyüp passes the exam, he cures his disease with the curative water stated to him by the God, he continues to live for a long time with his wife and children granted to himself. The cave in which Prophet Eyyüp had suffered in the name of God is visited as the position of the Prophet Eyyüp.

Old Ömeriye Mosque (Center):The mosque is located at the city center of Şanlıurfa and as the present epitaphs and inscriptions state to the period of restoration, the exact construction date is unclear. According to the rumors of the folk, it was stated that the mosque was constructed by St. Ömer. According to the inscription located at the eastern wall of the final congregation location, the mosque was repaired in 1301 by Muhammed Ağa. The date stated in this inscription proves that the Ömeriye mosque is the one of the oldest mosque of Urfa.

Halil-ür Rahman Mosque (Döşeme Mosque- Makam Mosque-Center):The mosque is located at the southwest corner of the Halil-ür Rahman lake and is in the form of a Külliye composed of a mosque, a theological school, a graveyard and the position where Prophet İbrahim falled when he was cast into fire. The mosque was constructed on the area where the Mother Mary Church was constructed in A.D. 504 (Byzantine period) by the financial assistance of Urbisius in the name of monophists in the 13th century during the period of Eyyübi civilization. At the inscription located at the western side of the stone minaret adjasent to the southeast corner of the mosque, it was stated that the mosque was constructed in 1211 by the order of Melik Eşref Muzafferiddin Musa of the Eyyubi reign.

Rızvaniye Mosque (Zulumiye Mosque-Center):The mosque is located at the northern side of the Halil-ür Rahman lake and was constructed instead of the St. Thomas Church of the Byzantine Period by the Governor of Rakka of the Ottoman Empire Rızvan Ahmet Pasha in 1716.

St. Eyyüp, St. Elyasa and Rahime Hatun Mausoleums (Eyyüp Nebi Village-Viranşehir):It is rumored that the burial location of the Prophet Eyyüp is located at the Eyyüp Nebi Village which is 12 kilometers away from the Viranşehir district. Prophet Eyyüp is saved from his woulds after a seven year sufferage as he baths with the curative waters granted by the God. After that, he lives in Eyyüp Nebi Village with his wife, Rahime Hatun. Mausoleums of the both persons are located inside this village.

The grave of St. Elyasa whom had walked for three months in order to see Prophet Eyyüp and died before seeing him although he was so close is also located in this village. According to the rumors, when IV. Murat is on his military campaign to Baghdath, he had a break in Eyyüp Nebi Village and stays for one night. He dreams that “ the place where you rest is the position of Prophet Eyyüp. Build a mosque and a mausoleum to the location where your horse whinns and hits his leg three times to the ground when you awoke”.

Again according to another rumor told by the local folk, there is a holy and sacred rock mass located inside the borders of the village to which Prophet Eyyüp had applied his back. The visitors of Prophet Eyyüp initially visit the mausoleum of St. Elyasa (Prophet Eyyüp had told that, "The ones that are coming to visit my mausoleum would visit the mausoleum of St. Elyasa first.") , later they visit the mausoleum of Prophet Eyyüp, later on the mausoleum of Rahime Hatun and finally the holy stone to which Prophet Eyyüp had applied his back.

City of Şuayb (Harran):The city is located 45 kilometers away from Harran and the preent ruins belong to the Roman Period. Numerous structures was constructed from shear stone blocks over hundreds of rock mausoleums. Only some wall sections and the foundation ruins of the structures managed to withstand the destruction of the passing time and reached to the present day. A cave located among the ruins of the Şuayb city is known as the position of the Prophet Şuayb .

Ulu Mosque (Harran):The Ulu Mosque is located at the northeast side of the Harran Tumulus and was constructed between 744 - 750 years by the Emevi Monarch II. Mervan. It is assumed to be in the form of a Külliye with its famous theological school, bathhouse and hospital. The mosque is one of the oldest and largest mosques of Anatolia and therefore it is an important creation. The mosque was restored and repaired during the Seljukian Period and displays beautiful samples of stone masonry and stone decoration arts.

Der - Yakup Church (The Throne of Nemrut - Center):This structure was constructed at the west part of the Urfa Castle at the Damlacık ridge and it is a known fact that the structure is one of the first churches constructed in Anatolia after the birth of Christianity. The church was assumed to be constructed by the Süryani folk whom had accepted to become Christians in A.D. 38 year. The place is also called as the Throne of Nemrut as well as the tomb of Nemrut. The folk names the place as the Apgarın Mountain. The Süryani folk used the call the place as Deyro D'Nalşotho (Monastery of the Spirits).

Deyr-I Mesih (Church of Jesus - Center): This church is located in the Tılfındır Quarter. The church is one of the first churches constructed in the history of Christianity and was constructed by Süryani folk in A.D. 38. Famous Turkish wanderer Evliya Çelebi had written that Prophet Jesus had come to Urfa and visited this church and therefore the place is called as Deyr-I Mesih (Church of Jesus).

Harran

The Hebrews are counted as one of the most ancient nations on the world with their religious beliefs and languages and this nation is also the first nation to understand and apply the belief of single god. The Jewish nation originated from the Sami nation is told in the Holy Book. According to the Pentateuch, Prophet İbrahim who was leading the Yehova Hebrews was told as " Take your tribe and leave your father land (The cityof Ur, Urfa in the present day), travel to the country that I will show you. There, I will make your tribe a great nation.” By the God. Again in the Pentateuch, it is told as " Abram was 75 years old when he left Harran.". The scientific authorities claim that the house of Prophet İbrahim was located among the ruins which are at the northern ridge of the tumulus standing in the middle of the city.

 
   

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