File:Elazığ_City_Center.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
Elazığ
Also known as Elazığ City, Harput, Mamuretülaziz, Elaziz
Elazığ () is a city in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey, and the administrative centre of Elazığ Province and Elazığ District. Founded in and around the former city of Harput, it is located in the uppermost Euphrates valley. The plain on which the city extends has an altitude of . Elazığ resembles an inland peninsula surrounded by the natural Lake Hazar and reservoirs of Keban Dam, Karakaya Dam, Kıralkızı and Özlüce. Its population is 387,072 (2022).
AI overview
Elazığ is a city in eastern Turkey that serves as the administrative center for Elazığ Province, built on the site of the former city of Harput in the upper Euphrates valley. With a population of about 387,000, the city is geographically notable for being surrounded by natural and man-made water bodies, including Lake Hazar and several large dams.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Weather now
cached 12h ago20°clear sky
29% 1.7 m/s OpenWeatherMap
7-day forecast
via Open-Meteo
Place details
- Locality
- Elâzığ Merkez
- Region
- Elazığ
- Country
- Türkiye
- Population
- 443,363
- Timezone
Travel guide
Understand
The ancient fortress and hilltop town of Harput was part of the Kingdom of Urartu, and had a majority Armenian population until the 20th century. The smaller settlement of Mezre developed in the valley, and in the 19th century was renamed Mamuret-ül-Aziz, which morphed into Elaziz then Elazığ. This became a barracks town and military base, outgrowing Harput. There were massacres of the Armenians in the 1890s, then systematic genocide in 1915. Harput was abandoned for 40 years, until re-occupied and prettified from the 1950s.
Get around
thumb | 300px | Harput Castle Frequent dolmuşes run between town centre and Harput.
See
on Billur Sk is 20th century, built in Ottoman style. was an ancient Armenian town, abandoned after the genocide of 1915, while the present town of Elazığ developed in the valley 7 km southwest. It was partly restored from the 1950s. Harput Castle sits on an outcrop and is free to enter M-F 08:00-19:00, Sa Su 08:00-17:30. is reached 31 km southeast of Elazığ, at its main village of Sivrice. It stretches 22 km east to the smaller village of Gezin, with picnic and recreation areas along its banks, though the beaches are rocky. It's the source of the mighty River Tigris, and is freshwater and deep, max 213 m, as it's a rift-valley lake. An ancient city lies beneath its waters.
Do
Football: Elazığspor play soccer in TFF 3rd League, Turkey's fourth tier. Their home ground Atatürk Stadium (capacity 18,400) was rebuilt 2019-23; it's 2 km west of town centre. Elazığ Kültürpark is a large recreation area 2 km west of town centre towards the football stadium. Skiing: Hazarbaba is a ski resort on the mountain rising south of Sivrice on Lake Hazar.
Buy
thumb | 300px | Kültür Park Half-a-dozen small stores are in town centre, typically open daily 09:00-22:00.
Eat
Town centre places include Bos, Amcanın Yeri, Saray and Samanlar. Harput has Antik Han Cafe, Ensar and Çara.
Drink
Eskibağlar is a pretty winery 35 km south of Elazığ, overlooking Lake Hazar. It produces red out of the local Öküzgözü and Boğazkere cultivars, and offers accommodation on site.
~17 min read
Article
25 sectionsContents
- Name
- Mezre
- Harput
- Elazığ
- History
- Ottoman Harput and Mamûretü'l-Azîz
- Turkish Republican era
- Ecclesiastical history
- Demographics
- Economy
- Geography
- Subdivisions
- Climate
- Cuisine
- Transport
- Education
- Attractions
- Twin towns – sister cities
- Gallery
- Notable people
- Mayors of Elazığ
- References
- Sources
- Further reading
- External links
Elazığ () is a city in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey, and the administrative centre of Elazığ Province and Elazığ District. Founded in and around the former city of Harput, it is located in the uppermost Euphrates valley. The plain on which the city extends has an altitude of . Elazığ resembles an inland peninsula surrounded by the natural Lake Hazar and reservoirs of Keban Dam, Karakaya Dam, Kıralkızı and Özlüce. Its population is 387,072 (2022).
==Name== === Mezre === Elazığ was once a suburb of the ancient fortress town of Harput called . Heinrich Hübschmann believed Mezre to be the settlement of Mazara () mentioned by Ptolemy, while Nicholas Adontz derived the name from an Arabic word meaning arable land or hamlet (borrowed into Turkish as 'hamlet'). The toponym originated as a shortening of ('hamlet of the aghas/landlords') or ('Çötelizade [a family name] hamlet'). This may be explained by the fact that some notables from Harput had been exiled from the city and settled in nearby villages in the late 18th century.
Gallery (19)
On the map
2 mapped locations
