Together with the history of city center of Elazığ is new, as a settlement region its history is quite

old. Because of this, it is necessary to examine together the history of Elazığ and Harput. According to

current written sources, Harput’s history is based on as far as 2000 B.C. The first inhabitants of of

Harput were Hurrians. After years to Hurrians, for a short period, Hitities and Assyrians lived,

Urartians which established a state in East Anatolia dating from 9.BC. ruled long time on this region.

İn the written sources in Boğazköy, The center of Hittites, The Harput region is mentioned as “Isuva”.

The cartel which is still standing on Harput’s bears the traces of Urartian period. After wards

Medyens, persians,Romans, Byzantines and Arabs ruled on this region in different periods.

Turkish sovereignty in Harput and its surrounding began after Malazgirt war. Harput was

conquered by Çubuk Bey in 1085 and consecuvetely obtained by Artukoğulları in 1114, Anatolian

Seljuks in 1234, İlhanlılar in 1243, Dulkadiroğulları in 1363, Akkoyunlular in 1465 and Ottomans in

1516.

İn view its geographical position, Harput has always been an important settlement center

almost in the each period of its history. As it was the most favorite city our county until the end of 19.

B.C. Together with, the variation of intelligence of city, it was transporter today’s Elazığ. Harput

township at the time, in 1834.

Harput was called as “Mamur’at –ül Aziz” with the suggestion of İzzet Paşa who was the

governor of Harput in 1867. But, as the pronunciation was difficult, the name was adepted as

Elaziz”by the public in 1937, when Atatürk visited the city , he renamed it as “Elazık” which means

“abudent in food”. Then “Elazıl” was changed to “Elazığ” by The Grand National Assembly of Turkey.

GEOGRAPHY

Elazığ has situated on the upper part of the Fırat River in East Anatolia. On the Elazığ plain, iti sone of

our well planned cities established towards the end of the 19 century . The province is 1067 m

above from yhe sea level and occupies an area of 9153 square meters. The city has surrounded by

the cities Malatya from the west, Bingöl from the east, Tunceli from the North , Erzincan from the

northwest and Diyarbakır from the South. The province circiled with Keban and Karakaya Dam Lakes

and Hazar Lake, which is the wonder of nature, is in the shape of a peninsula. İnside the lands of

province which take place high mountains like Tha Hazarbaba Mountain (2347) and The Mastar

Mountain (2171) which are the extensions of The Taurus Mountains are passing important rivers

such as The Fırat, Murat, Dicle and Karasu flow.

BELEK MONUMENT

This monument, which has been constructed within the park, represent Belek Gazi. The son of

Bahrem Bey and grandchild of Artuk Bey. A commender of Sultan Alparslan. İt has been constructed

by sculptor Nurettim Orhan in1964.

THE ARCHAEOLOGY AND ETHNOGRAPHY MUSEUM OF ELAZIG

Museum which take placa the campus of Fırat Universitiy was serviced in 1982as connected

to the Ministry of culture and it is among the most important moseum of Turkey. The museum is

consist of two section.The fhirs is Archaeology Section in which take place things like the piece of

pottery, the tips of absidian arrow and bone tools which belong to the periods of B.C and finded in

the excavation place in the areas which are buried under the Keban Dam,now.

The second is Etnography Section in which take place like things ancient local clothes,

carpets, silver, treasures, copper items, old cashs, tobaco bags, crochet head, scarves, kitchen

utensils.

THE CASTEL OF HARPUT

The historical Harput Castel is known to be built by the Urartians. İt was built in two parts as an inner

castel and outer castel. Accordin to a rumor: The milk was use for the preparation of mortar. This is

why it is also known as the milk castel.

THE GREAT MOSQUE

İt is the one of oldest and the most snificant Works of Anatolia. İts walls was made of stone,

its arches and minerat was made of bricks. The mosque was built by The ruler Fahrettin Karaaslan in

1156-1157 AD.

The mosque is famous for its curved minaret and decorative bricks. İt was built in three parts.

The inner walls of the mosque are blocked to each other with arches.The mosque is still being used

for worship.

THE SARA HATUN MOSQUE

This mosque was built in 1465 as a mesjid by Sara Hatun to the mother of Bahadır Khan the

ruler of Akkoyunlu.İt has taken today’s form repairing in 1585 and 1843.

The square shaped mosque’s pulpit is the most beautiful example of stone workmanship.

Despite it was built as a universal building, today mosque, exsist only. The mosque is open for

worship.

THE AGA MOSQUE

This mosque is locatet on the left hand side of main road. According to the inscription in The

Elazığ Archaeology and Etnography Museum. İt was built by Pervane Aga , in 1559, until 1996, only its

minaret existed.The restoratin wrks which had been made in the worship section of the mosque was

finished and it opens for worship.

THE ALACALI MOSQUE

This mosque was constructed durin the Artukoğulları period. İt is a rectangular Shape.İt was

restored in the 19th.century.The wooden mofits on the ceiling belong to the same are. İts minerat is

built with black and white stone. The mosque got is name from its black and white check stone

minaret.

MANSUR FATHER TOMB

The tomb is octagonal in shape and its walls was made with hewn stone. The original interior part of

the tomb is stil preserved.The monumental build has two floors and its, there are sarcophagus which

is believed to belong to four members of the Artuk Dynasty.

THE ARAB FATHER MASJID AND TOMB

İn 1279, The tomb was built by Keyhüsrev who was the ruler of Seljuks period. Arab Baba

Marjid and the tomb in the basement of the masjid belong to the Seljuks period. The masjid and the

tomb were built on the rockys. The minaret of the masjid which is dome has runied partly.The corpse

is generally put bellow the masjid like in the Seljuks Tombs. The person buried in the tomb known as

“Arab Father”. Together with, there is not definite information about him, verious stories is told by

the public.

The corpse which is preserved well in the tomb is covered with a gren cloth and kept in

glasscase. The tomb is visited with great interested by locals and fereing touristis.

THE FETI AHMET FATHER TOMB

İt is only two km to Harput. İt was built on a rocky and has a small worship house. The shape

of the tomb is hexagonal.The top of it was built at a later time.İn the tomb there is a big sarcophagus.

İt is thought the tomb was built in 1313-1314 when is the date of death of Fatih Ahmet Father.

THE VIRGIN MARY CHURCH

The church is stuated at east of Harput castel . Because of its west wall from the castel’s

rocky masses, as if it has buried in the castel ‘s rocky. The build was constructed in 6 A.D. First, it was

used a place of pegan worship center and was later turned into a church by christian settlers. This

church is also known as the red church , Assyran church and jacoben Church.

THE CIMSIT BATH

İt is otoman structure that was built next to The Sara Hatun Mosque. İt was built in the firts

half of the 16 century by Cimşit Bey who was on of the knight ruler of Yavuz Sultan Selim. The

underdressing room was planned as square, covered with a dome and has two doors . The baths’s

wall is based on to The Sarahatun Mosque. There are single domed seclusion rooms in each the four

valuted corners.

THE HODCA BATH

The bath that is at the west of Kursunlu Mosque is a build belonging to Ottoman Period. İt

took from of the parts of heatness, lukewarmness, underdressing rooms. Today, the bath has only its

covered with dome.

THE SPAS

There are many spas in Elazığ. These spas are rich in mineral s and useful for many illnesses.

Some of the well known Mürüdü YellownessFountain , Yurtbası Bitter Water , Percenc Water, Harput