Sanliurfa (Urfa), Turkey

Sanliurfa, once known as Edessa, is perhaps the most interesting and historic city in Turkey's southeastern region.

Turks know it as the Prophets' City because of legends saying that the Patriarch Abraham was born in a cave here. (The Bible does say he stayed at Harran, 50 km (31 miles) south.) The cave, and other legendary locations, are visited annually by hundreds of thousands of Muslim pilgrims.

It's certain that Urfa (OOR-fah, pop. 300,000, alt. 518 m/1700 feet), as it's commonly called, is very old, dating back at least 3500 years to Hittite times. Because it sits right at the crossroads of routes to Europe, Asia and Africa, just about everyone important has marched through and left their mark, including the Babylonians, Egyptians, Alexander the Great, Greeks, Romans and Seljuk Turks under Saladin.

The Crusaders, no doubt attracted by the town's easily-defended promontory called the Throne of Nimrod, called it Edessa and made it the capital of the Latin County of Edessa, ruled by Count Baldwin of Boulogne.

Stay at least one night here so you have time to see Dergah, the center of the religious pilgrimage area; the wondrous medieval bazaar; the Throne of Nimrod fortress with a sacred pool full of fat carp at its foot; the good little museum; and some of the fine old houses.

The southeast is hot hot HOT in summer, so plan your visit for another time of year if possible. See When to Go for details.

Turkish Airlines flies to Sanliurfa daily from Ankara and twice weekly from Istanbul. There's no train service, but buses are frequent.

Distances & Travel Times

Adana: 345 km (214 miles) W, 4.75 hours

Adiyaman: 108 km (67 miles) NW, 1.5 hours

Ankara: 718 km (446 miles) NW, 11.5 hours

Cappadocia (Ürgüp): 595 km (370 miles) NW, 9 hours

Diyarbakir: 190 km (118 miles) NE, 3 hours

Gaziantep: 145 km (90 miles) W, 2.5 hours

Kahramanmaras: 218 km (136 miles) NW, 3.25 hours

Istanbul: 1274 km (792 miles) NW, 19 hours

Kayseri: 504 km (313 miles) NW, 7.5 hours