Your Hotel
05:15 -05:30
Visit the fascinating archeological site of Gobekli Tepe during two days private tour from Istanbul. Explore this 11,500-year-old hilltop sanctuary, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
1 st. Day
You will be picked up from your hotel at 05:105:30 in Istanbul and transferred to the airport where you will fly to Sanliurfa.
Upon arrival in Sanliurfa, our first stop is the ongoing archaeological dig at Gobekli Tepe, which is the oldest known temple in the world, pre-dating Stonehenge by 6000 years.
After a guided tour and photo opportunity at Gobekli Tepe, we return to Sanliurfa, where we will have a Lunch
After the lunch, we visit Abraham Pool. This is a highly sacred site for Christians and Muslims, as it is thought to be where Abraham/Ibrahim was thrown into the fire before God turned the fire to water and turned the burning logs to fish.Following the pool, we will continue to the cave which is believed to be the birthplace of Abraham.In the evening, you will check into your hotel in Sanliurfa.Overnight Sanliurfa.
2 nd. Day
Located on the east side of the Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum complex, this mystical necropolis came as a surprise to me as I had not seen it mentioned in travel guides or maps.
This necropolis, carved inside a long rock, was built and used by the Romans, presumably between the third and fourth centuries A.D. There were no visiting hours or entrance fee, however, when I went there in March 2020; the necropolis was closed on account of ongoing excavations. Luckily, the friendly security guard at the site, Mehmet Bey, allowed me to look around as long as I didn’t approach the excavation site, which was a delight.
Balıklıgöl
Balıklıgöl (known also as the Pool of Abraham and Halil-Ür Rahman Lake) is a 150-meter-long (492-foot-long) sacred pond that is in the heart of Urfa. The pond and the thousands of carp fish in it are of great religious importance and are considered sacred.
As legends go, Prophet Abraham challenged King Nimrod and waged a war on his idolatry beliefs, purporting that there is only one god. The final straw for the king was when his daughter fell in love with the Prophet Abraham. Incensed, King Nimrod ordered a huge fire pit to be lit and Prophet Abraham to be executed by being thrown into it. As he was tossed into the flames, God said: “Oh fire, be cool and secure to Abraham.” Miraculously, the fire turned into water and the logs into carp fish.
Balıklıgöl and the park it is located in were tranquil and well-organized. It is a picturesque lake to roam around. The sacred fish in it are probably among the most privileged finned creatures in the world as they get fed abundantly every day in crystal clear waters.
See the Biblical city of Harran (also spelled Haran) where Abraham’s family settled when they left Ur of the Chaldeans (Genesis 11:31–32). Harran is an ancient city of strategic importance and is now a village in southeastern Turkey. It lies along the Balikh River, 24 miles (38 km) southeast of Sanliurfa. The town was located on the road that ran from Nineveh to Carchemish and was regarded as of considerable importance by the Assyrian kings. Its chief cult in Assyrian times was that of the moon god. One of the first science centers of the world and the first universities of the world were established here. The names of the city and university of Sanliurfa come from the cuneiform tablets. The name ‘ha ra na’ is written on them.
