THE HIDDEN UNDERWATER PARADISE: HALFETI

THE HIDDEN UNDERWATER PARADISE

Located 112 kilometers from Şanlıurfa, Halfeti is one of the most extraordinary places in Turkey with its black roses that do not grow anywhere else in the country, villages that remain underwater, and historical riches visited every year by more and more people whose curiosity is aroused.

Located 112 kilometers from Şanlıurfa, Halfeti is one of the most extraordinary places in Turkey with its black roses that do not grow anywhere else in the country, villages that remain underwater, and historical riches visited every year by more and more people whose curiosity is aroused.

Built by the Assyrians in the

9th century BC and known as Şitamrat in those times, Halfeti has hosted Romans, Sassanians, Arabs, and the Umayyad and Abbasid civilizations. Later, taken over by the Seljuks, the region made it to this day after being annexed to the Ottoman lands in the 16th century. Located over Şanlıurfa’s border with Gaziantep, Halfeti borough was set up 3,000 years ago on sheer slopes forming the banks of the Euphrates River. With the river’s impact on the climate, it is the sole settlement which features a Mediterranean climate in this region. Halfeti is divided into two zones: Old Halfeti, which remains under the waters of the Birecik Dam built within the scope of the Southeastern Anatolia Project, and New Halfeti specified as the new settlement 15 kilometers from old Halfeti.

The Old Halfeti, which was inundated with the building of the Birecik Dam, is an area in the borough that is constantly becoming more famous as a tourist attraction and hence receiving an influx of domestic and foreign tourists. Tens of historical mansions, castles, temples, and houses in Old

Halfeti are now underwater. In time, with the waters retreating a bit, unique and impressive structures have seen the light of day. Among the landscapes that have become identified with Old Halfeti are the minaret of the mosque that stretches out towards the sky –it features in many snapshots taken by visitors. Growing only in Old Halfeti in Turkey, the black rose, aka the “Crying Black Girl,” is an endemic plant that is identified with the region and only blossoms in spring and autumn. Since these striking roses started to be used in the cosmetic industry, they also hold an important commercial potential. Tour boats leaving

regularly from Savaşan, the central village in Old Halfeti, serve those who would like an in-depth tour of the place. When you reach Halfeti on one of these boats, you can tour the ancient city, a part of which is now underwater and taste the most famous delicacies of the region in the restaurants that line the shore.

Besides Old Halfeti, Rumkale, which you can get to by boat, comes to the fore among the must-see places in the region. Rumkale, which features important sites, became the center of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the 12th century and was added to the Ottoman lands following the victory at the

Battle of Marj Dabiq. The Church of St. Nerses, the Barşavma Monastery, and the castle are not to be missed at Rumkale. Especially St. Nerses fascinates visitors with its architectural details, predominated by the

Gothic style. The Norhut Church, located in the borough’s Norhut village, dates back to the 5th century and impresses with its architecture.

All the stones of the Feyzullah Efendi Mansion, which was built in 1901 upon the order of Feyzullah Efendi, one of the notables of the Halfeti precinct, were moved to the Osman Bey Campus on the road to Mardin since there was a risk that it would be flooded by the waters of the Birecik Dam. The stately mansion with 14 rooms, which was reconstructed as per its original state, is a site not to be missed.

Having been ruled by many civilizations, Halfeti has come to hold a special place in tourism with its 3,000-year-old past. The declaration of 2019 as the “Year of Göbeklitepe” lent impetus to its rise to fame. People’s visits to Göbeklitepe, which was admitted to the UNESCO World Heritage

List, has given the chance to Halfeti, which is considered to be another destination in the region, to host many new visitors. Declared a Cittaslow, Halfeti is one of the fifteen places in Turkey to hold this prestigious title. In this borough where the Mediterranean climate reigns, the pistachio of Urfa, grains, and grapes play a great role in production. The stony and rough terrain of Halfeti is suitable for sheep and goat breeding, which form the locals’ main source of income. Shaped under the influence of Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa cuisines, Halfeti cuisine continues to keep alive the recipes inherited by the prosperous civilizations of the past. When the season comes, all the pickles, pastes, pomegranatesyrup and grape molasses prepared by the women of Halfeti take their places in each home’s kitchen. Among the famous delicacies of Halfeti are meatballs with eggs; “semsek” which is a type of closed lahmacun; shabout, a species of cyprinid fish; “dolma eziği”; and a wide variety of kebabs. Among the rich kebab varieties of Halfeti cuisine are Urfa kebab, “cağırtlak” kebab, “haşhaş” kebab, and onion, tomato and eggplant kebab. Nominated as a World Gastronomy City, Halfeti cuisine has reached large masses with the “Meyve Yemekleri Festivali” (Fruit Dishes Festival) held for the fourth time this year. This borough, which is famous for its kebabs, local delights, and shabout, has shed light on recipes that have peaked the interest of foreign culinary masters. Promoting its delicacies such as “erik tava” (greengage stew) quince stew, onion and Japanese plum kebab, “patlak” sauté, incir (fig) kebab, seasoned rice with fruit, black rose chocolate with pistachios, and black rose sherbet to the whole world, Halfeti is working hard to become one of the future world-renowned cities of gastronomy.

With its natural beauties, hospitable folks, and impressive cuisine, Halfeti continues to be an enchanting place that leaves those who visit it with dreams of returning.