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Harran is a small city in Southeastern Anatolia. It’s one of the world’s oldest settlements and has a long and storied history.
History of Harran
Harran was founded as a trading post by Sumerians from Ur sometime between 2500 and 2000 BC. It was referred to as URU.ŠÀ.KASKAL (𒌷𒊮𒆜) in early cuneiform records. Around 2000 BC, there was a temple dedicated to Mesopotamian moon god Sin, around which the city developed into a major cultural, commercial, and religious center.
Harran was captured by the Assyrians in the 13th century BC followed by the Babylonians in the late 7th century BC. It spent nearly 200 years under the Achaemenids from 539 to 330 BC. After the city was conquered by Alexander the Great, it was Hellenized and ruled by the Seleucids until 132 BC. During that period, it was used as a military outpost known as Kárrhai (Kάρραι). The city then became part of the Kingdom of Osroene, a vassal of the Parthians, and changed hands frequently between the Parthians and Romans. The Roman name was Carrhae.
In 53 BC, the city was the site of the Battle of Carrhae, when Parthian general Surena (d. 53 BC) defeated and killed Roman general Marcus Licinius Crassus (115 BC-53 BC), prompting the civil war between Julius Caesar (100 BC-44 BC) and Pompey (106 BC-48 BC). Harran returned to Roman control in the middle of the 2nd century. Emperor Caracalla was murdered there in 217 on his way to visit the Temple of Sin. The city fell to the Sassanids for two years between 238 and 240, but was quickly retaken by the Romans.
While the rest of the Roman Empire was quickly being Christianized, Harran continued to be a pagan stronghold. In fact, during the early Byzantine period, it was referred to as Hellenopolis (Eλληνóπoλις), or the City of the Pagan Greeks.
Harran Under Muslim Rule
The Rashidun Caliphate took the city in 639/40 with the pagans negotiating a peaceful surrender. Between 661 and 750, Harran was under Umayyad control. They renovated the city, and under Caliph Umar II (c. 680-720) in 717 it became the home of the world’s first Muslim university. Scholars then flocked to Harran, which briefly served as the Umayyad capital.
Despite this, Harran continued to be a center of paganism. Pagans lived alongside communities of Muslims, Christians, Jews, Samaritans, Zoroastrians, Manicheans, and other groups, until they were forced to convert to Islam in 933. There were still openly pagan citizens until the middle of the 11th century, when the last temples were closed and demolished.
1102 was the beginning of Turkoman rule in Harran, starting with Jikirmish (d. 1106) and followed by the Artuqids and Zengids. The city still played an important role when it was taken by the Ayyubids under Saladin (c. 1137-1193), who enlarged the Grand Mosque. The Khwarazmians captured it in 1137, followed by the Mongols in 1259.
The Mongols abandoned Harran in 1271, relocating the population to Mardin and Mosul. Later that decade, the Mamluks took what was left of the city and turned it into a military outpost. A small village sprung up but it never reached the heights of the Harran of old.
The Ottomans controlled the region beginning in the early 16th century. Sultan Selim I rebuilt the university but it declined in importance after his reign. Harran eventually was entirely abandoned only to be used as a temporary settlement by local nomads.
Modern Period
By the 1840s, permanent houses started to spring up. They were inhabited by semi-nomadic Arabs. Developments in irrigation and agriculture saw the city once again become a permanent settlement in the middle of the 20th century. The majority of inhabitants live in modern buildings outside the old city walls.
Today, Harran is mostly populated by descendants of Bedouins. The local culture is predominantly Arabic, and many residents speak Arabic or Kurdish in addition to Turkish. The city is a popular day trip from Urfa.
Getting to Harran
If you don’t have your own transportation, minibuses frequently travel between Harran and Urfa throughout the day. You can jump on one at the Urfa Bus Terminal (Şanlıurfa Otogarı). The ride takes roughly 30 minutes. The last bus back to Urfa is usually at 6pm.
Where to Eat in Harran
Choices are extremely limited. We found one place operating in the old city.
Harran Gastronomi Merkezi
Harran Gastronomi Merkezi, which translates to Harran Gastronomy Center, is right in the middle of the old city along the road to the archaeological site. They serve traditional Turkish dishes in a nicely air conditioned dining room. I had the lentil soup and Adana kebab. Both were delicious. Service is good and prices are reasonable.
Beehive Houses
The biggest attraction in Harran are the beehive houses. They’re unique in Turkey and rarely seen anywhere else in the world. They keep inhabitants cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Although they’ve been recorded in the city since the 7th century BC, the modern versions of the beehive houses originated in the 19th century using bricks taken from the ruins of the Grand Mosque.
The structures typically have square bases topped by conical domes about 5 meters high, and are connected to other domes with arches. The walls are usually 50-60 centimeters thick while the domes are about 20-30 centimeters thick. Repairs are carried out every 1-3 years.
In 2002, there were over 2,750 beehive houses in Harran. That number has since declined to just a few dozen. Many were inhabited until the 1980s but they’re mainly used today for storage or barns.
Harran Culture House
One place to see a beehive house is at Harran Culture House (Harran Kültür Evi). It was originally built around 1800 but fell into ruins over the years. It was rebuilt for tourism purposes in 1999 and features a nice courtyard with a café. There’s no fee to enter but tips are accepted (as of September 2024). However, approach this tourist trap with caution. I’ll explain below.
First of all, a very enthusiastic man greeted us at the entrance and welcomed us to the home, which he claimed belonged to his great-great-great-grandfather and that his entire family still lives there. All of this is completely untrue. He then took us inside and showed us a few rooms with antique decorations, offered us some terribly overpriced souvenirs and shawls, and led us back outside. The entire experience took about 3 or 4 minutes in total.
We sat down for a Turkish coffee, and after paying, the man had the gall to demand a fee of €10 PER PERSON for the “tour”. We gave him a total of 150₺ (about US$5 at the time) and got out of there. He followed us to our car, continued to ask for money, and began to get aggressive and rude. Overall, it was an unpleasant experience. If you decide to visit the Harran Culture House, do so at your own risk.
Harran Castle
Harran Castle (Harran Kalesi) is on the southeast corner of the old city. The original construction date is unknown, but it’s believed to have been built as a palace during the Byzantine period.
The castle was originally surrounded by a moat. It was expanded in the 9th century and converted to a fortress between the 11th and 13th centuries. Most of what remains dates back to the Ayyubid period, in the late 12th or early 13th century.
The castle measures roughly 90 x 130 meters (295 x 425 feet) and had 12-sided towers at each of its 4 corners. There were 150 rooms and it stood 3 stories high with a total floor area of around 30,000 square meters (320,000 square feet).
Harran Castle was relatively intact throughout the 17th century. It was studied by German archaeologist Conrad Preusser (1881-1964) in 1911. The castle was partially reconstructed between 2012 and 2014, and is currently undergoing further restoration (as of September 2024).
Archaeological Site
The Harran Archaeological Site takes up the center and northern half of the old city. It’s currently closed to the public as excavations and restoration are ongoing (as of September 2024). However, it’s possible to see a few sections from outside the fence.
Harran Mound
Harran Mound sits about 35.5 meters above the center of the old city. All the roads from the city gates except one reach the mound. Findings date back to the 6th millennium BC until the end of the Mongol period in 1271. At the top is a settlement with the ruins of houses and streets dating back to the Zengid and Ayyubid periods. The temple of the moon god Sin once stood there as well.
Grand Mosque of Harran
On the north side of the mound is the Grand Mosque of Harran, which was built after 744 by Umayyad Caliph Marwan II as part of Harran University. The mosque measured 104 x 107 meters and includes a courtyard with a 33.3 meter tall square minaret near the northeast corner. An octagonal fountain sits in the center of the courtyard, which was surrounded by porticoes on all four sides.
There were 19 gates on the north facade of the prayer hall. One has survived and 10 arches were rebuilt during restoration in 2023. The prayer hall had a capacity of roughly 8,000 people.
The Zengids began restoration of the mosque after earthquakes in the 12th century. Work was completed under Saladin. Excavations began in 1983 under Dr. Nurettin Yardımcı (b. 1944).
The university was established by Caliph Umar II in 717. It was the first Muslim university in the world and is regarded by some as the first university of any kind. It functioned until the 12th century and briefly again in the 16th century. Harran University was an important center of science, mathematics, philosophy, medicine, astrology, and astronomy, and was historically important for the translations of ancient Greek and Syriac documents into Arabic. Over 8,000 students studied there at its height during the 8th and 9th centuries.
City Walls
The city walls were approximately 4 kilometers long in an elliptical shape. They were roughly 8 meters high and 1.5 meters wide. There were seven gates of which only the Aleppo Gate to the west has survived. The other gates were the Anatolia (Greek) Gate to the north, the Rakka Gate to the south, and the Baghdad, Mosul, and Lion Gates to the east. An inscription on the Aleppo Gate dates it to 1192.
