BIBLE HISTORY DAILY

Exploring the Land of Abraham’s Birth

The deep spiritual history of Turkey's Urfa region

The city of Urfa (known as Şanlıurfa in Turkish) is a living tapestry of faith. Nestled in southeastern Turkey and revered as the “city of prophets,” Urfa is one of those places where the air itself seems thick with millennia of prayer and pilgrimage. For travelers and seekers interested in the roots of the Bible and the interplay of archaeology and belief, Urfa offers an unparalleled experience. It is a landscape where the narratives of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam converge with tangible force, from the cave believed to be the birthplace of the patriarch Abraham to the world’s oldest known temple complex at Göbekli Tepe.

The spiritual heart of the city is the Balıklıgöl (Pool of Sacred Fish) complex. Here, Islamic tradition holds that Abraham was cast onto a fiery pyre by the tyrannical King Nimrod. In a divine miracle, God transformed the flames into water and the burning logs into sacred carp, which swim in the serene, rectangular pool to this day. The atmosphere is one of profound tranquility, with the elegant Halil ür-Rahman Mosque standing beside the water. A short walk away is the smaller Ayn Zeliha Lake, named for Nimrod’s daughter, whose tears of love for Abraham are said to have created this second pool. Tucked beside the pools is the Cave of Abraham, a simple, revered site marking the patriarch’s traditional birthplace, where visitors can feel a direct connection to a figure central to all three Abrahamic faiths.ⁱ

But Urfa’s religious significance extends far beyond Abraham. Beginning in the Hellenistic period, this was the ancient kingdom of Edessa, which became a crucial yet often overlooked center of early Christianity. One fascinating legend involves King Abgar V, an early first-century ruler of Edessa, who, afflicted with illness, is said to have penned a letter directly to Jesus. In response, Jesus reportedly blessed the city and sent a disciple, Addai (Thaddeus), bearing Jesus’s dictated response as well as an image of Jesus miraculously imprinted on a cloth known as the Mandylion. This tradition positions Edessa as one of the first kingdoms to embrace Christianity, even before it became the official religion of the Roman Empire.

The legacy of this early Christian community is etched in stone. You can visit the Germus Church, a beautifully restored 19th-century Syriac Orthodox church in the nearby countryside, its interior adorned with vivid frescoes. Within the city, the foundations of ancient churches, such as Mor Yakup and a church possibly dedicated to the apostle Thomas, speak to a vibrant lost world of Christian worship and pilgrimage. The Deyr Yakup (Monastery of St. Jacob) further underscores the region’s importance as a religious center.

No visit to Urfa is complete without two essential excursions. The first is a journey to Göbekli Tepe, a site that has rewritten human history.ⁱⁱ Dating back an astonishing 12,000 years, this complex of massive, T-shaped stone pillars arranged in circles predates agriculture, pottery, and the wheel. It forces us to reconsider the origins of civilization itself, suggesting that the human impulse to worship may have been the catalyst for settling down and building society.

The second essential excursion is to Harran. Mentioned in the book of Genesis (11:31–32) as the place where Abraham and his family settled before continuing to Canaan, Harran’s landscape is dotted with its famous beehive-shaped adobe houses, architectural marvels that have provided cool shelter for centuries. Explore the substantial ruins of one of the world’s first Islamic universities and gaze across the vast plain, imagining the caravans and prophets that passed through this strategic crossroads.

A visit to Urfa offers the rare opportunity to walk from the very dawn of religion at Göbekli Tepe, through the footsteps of Abraham, and into the living traditions of a city that has been sacred for millennia. Allow at least three full days to do the city and its environs justice. Dedicate one day to Urfa itself, including a visit to the stunning Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum, one day to Göbekli Tepe, and one day to Harran and the rural churches. Although distant from both Istanbul and the Turkish capital of Ankara, Urfa is easily accessible through the Şanlıurfa GAP Airport, which has regular flights from major Turkish cities. To enjoy the most pleasant weather while exploring, plan your visit for spring (April–May) or fall (September–October).

This article is adapted from the column, “The Land of Abraham’s Birth,” which appeared in the Fall 2026 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review.

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Bülent Ortakçı is an independent researcher based in Turkey whose work focuses on archaeology, sacred landscapes, and ancient religious traditions.

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Notes

[i] Although Abraham’s presumed birthplace, “Ur of the Chaldeans” (Genesis 11:31), is often identified with the ancient city of Ur in southern Mesopotamia, many scholars consider Urfa to be a better candidate. See Hershel Shanks, “Abraham’s Ur—Is the Pope Going to the Wrong Place?” BAR, March/April 2000.

[ii] Ben Witherington III, “In the Beginning: Religion at the Dawn of Civilization,” BAR, January/February 2013.

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