Harput / Mamuret-ül / Elazığ

The city of Elazığ was founded in the 19th century. Reşid Mehmet Pasha, who took office as army marshal and extended state governor in Harput in 1834, had the administrative centre of the city moved to the place called Mezraa in the lowland 5 km. far from Harput and had barracks and government buildings constructed. Thereupon, city is moved here. The name of the city is Mezraa during the reign of Sultan Abdülaziz in 1862 and it is changed to Elaziz and it is called Elazığ with a law enacted in 1937 in Republic period. Harput is established in a place which dominates the lowland and easy to defend in 1280 m height in 5km. north of Elazığ. First settlement started in Harput since prehistoric ages and name of Harput passes as Harputa in Hittite cuneiform documents. Hurrians dominate the region at the beginning of 1183 B.C., region is ruled first by Assyrians, then Urartians and then Persians in 546 B.C., it is also ruled respectively by Macedonians, Seleucians, Sasanians, Romans and Byzantines. Harput is exposed to the Arab invasion in the 7th century. Harput remains under Umayyad, Abbasid and then Artuqid rule for a short period and remains under Seljuk rule for a long period. It was subjected to Mongol invasion in 1243. Later, Harput is ruled first by Dulkadiroğulları and Akkoyunlular periods. The Virgin Mary Church is located in the east of the castle. Old works in Harput belong to Artuqid Sultan Fahreddin Karaaslan in 1156. Esadiye (Aslanlı) Mosque, which is known to have been built by Melik Esad in the 12th century, Alacalı Mosque, which is said to have been built in the Artuqid period in 1202-1204 and repaired in the Ottoman period, Sara Hatun Mosque, which was built on the orders of Sara Hatun, the mother of Akkoyunlu Sultan Uzun Hasan in 1463, Kurşunlu Mosque, which was built in the Ottoman period in 1738 are among the important mosque structures in the city. Besides mosques, there are also tombs and small mosques. 1185 Ahi Musa Small Mosque and Tomb, Mansur Baba Tomb, which belongs to 12th century, 1279 Seljuk period Arap Baba Small Mosque and Tomb, Beşik Baba Tomb and ruined baths are also some of the other ancient structures. Furthermore, Harput Museum, which is located in Harput, is one of the places that must be visited. As the present city of Elzaığ is a new city, there are not many old structures to be seen here. However, Elazığ is home to the Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum, which displays a rich collection of archaeological and ethnographic works.