Sunken City (Old Halfeti)
The old Halfeti settlement, now under the waters of Birecik Dam, offers an impressive view with its half-submerged mosque minarets and houses. It can be visited on boat tours.
View on map9 places to visit in the Halfeti district of Şanlıurfa: Sunken City (Old Halfeti), Rumkale and Euphrates River Boat Tour. Plan your trip to Halfeti with local food, practical tips and transport information.
Halfeti is a district of Şanlıurfa province. It lies in the west of Şanlıurfa, covers an area of 609 km² and has an average elevation of 409 metres above sea level.
History
Founded in 855 BC by the Assyrian king Shalmaneser III, the town was called ‘Şitamrat’. Throughout its history, it was ruled by the Hittites, Assyrians, Medes, Persians, Macedonians, Seleucids and Parthians. Halfeti was a nahiye (sub-district) attached to Birecik until 1926 and became a district in 1954.
Birecik Dam and Tourism
After the construction of Birecik Dam, 80 per cent of Halfeti’s population moved to a new settlement centre 15 km away, as the houses were submerged. The district, where stone houses and mosques lie under water, is notable for its natural beauty. Lying above the Euphrates River’s submerged stone architecture, Halfeti has also come to be called the ‘hidden paradise’ and the ‘lost city’. Halfeti has received the international ‘Cittaslow’ (Slow City) title.
Culture
As a result of the waters of Birecik Dam covering the old town, Halfeti was divided into New Halfeti and Old Halfeti. Karagül (black rose), one of Halfeti’s most celebrated features, was first grown by Lomo Sait, and it is now still grown on an amateur basis in the gardens and pots of houses.
History and Culture
The founding of the district is traced to Shalmaneser III, king of Assyria, in 855 BC. Halfeti was a nahiye attached to Birecik until 1926 and became a district in 1954. The Birecik Dam of 2000 submerged three-fifths of the district. The district was included in the Cittaslow Network and received the title “slow city”. Mentioned in Urartian texts as “Halpa”, Halfeti became one of the important cities of Commagene. In the 16th century, Halfeti and its surroundings were incorporated into Ottoman territory.
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