Viranşehir Mound (Höyük)
The mound in the city centre contains the remains of the ancient city of Constantia. Finds from the Roman and Byzantine periods have been identified.
View on map4 places to visit in the Viranşehir district of Şanlıurfa: Viranşehir Mound (Höyük), Viranşehir Castle and Tella Martyrion (Dikmeler). Plan your trip to Viranşehir with local food, practical tips and transport information.
Viranşehir (Syriac: ܬܠܐ ܕܡܘܙܠܬ, Kurdish: Weranşar, Arabic: ويران شهر) is a district of Şanlıurfa province. It is the fourth-largest district of Şanlıurfa by population.
History
Settlement in the district has very ancient roots, and it is thought to have begun in the Sumerian period. It later passed under Hittite rule and took the name ‘Tela’ or ‘Tila’. It definitely passed under Assyrian rule around the 9th century BC and, after being destroyed by the Assyrian kingdom, lost its former importance. It passed under Roman rule in the mid-1st century BC and took the name ‘Antinous’. In the Byzantine period the settlement was referred to as ‘Konstantina’. After 623, Viranşehir was taken by Islamic armies and came under Umayyad rule. As a sub-district attached to Mardin, Viranşehir became a district in 1924, when Urfa became a province.
Landforms and Economy
Apart from a few hills around the district, it is a flat plain from end to end. Its lack of mountains makes the district an agricultural centre. Thanks to the GAP project and the wells that nearly every farmer has dug in their fields, sowing is carried out 2–3 times a year, from which great income is obtained. Wheat, cotton, maize, barley, lentils, watermelon, melon, cucumber, tomato, aubergine and pepper are the main agricultural products of the farmers.
History and Culture
Settlement in the district is thought to have begun in the Sumerian period. In the early Byzantine period the settlement was known as Tella (Tepe). The district was attached to Urfa and became a district in 1924. Kinship groups known as aşiret (tribes) are common in the district.
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