Harran

Harran is a small city with an interesting archaeological site located in southeast Turkey, about 48km southeast of Sanliurfa, not far from the border to Syria. The site has been settled at least since the 3rd millenium BC. By 2000 BC Harran was a merchant outpost of the Assyrian empire. Later it became part of various empires ruling the region. In 639 AD Harran came under Islamic rule.
Nowadays the archaeological site is encircled by a several km long wall. Inside there are the remains of what is perhaps the world's oldest university. Next to it are the well-preserved ruins of a Hittite era castle.
Harran is known for its traditional beehive houses, circular huts with a conical roofs constructed with mud but without wood. These have been abandoned since the 1980s and are nowadays used for tourist purposes. The interiors contain shops and cafes for tourists.
The population of Harran is mostly Arabic.
How to get to Harran
Harran can be easily reached by road from Sanliurfa.
Accommodation
In nearby Sanliurfa there are several hotels, most of them bookable via the international booking portals.