Harran Beehive Houses

About this place

Harran is a town in Şanlıurfa Province, southeastern Turkey, about 39 km southeast of Şanlıurfa in a straight line. It is one of the oldest cities of Mesopotamia, founded between the 25th and 20th centuries BC, and grew into a major cultural, commercial and religious centre. Today Harran draws visitors for its conical beehive houses, a style seen nowhere else in Turkey and rare in the world. Assyrian reliefs from the 7th century BC show domed buildings similar to them. Most of the present houses were built in the early 20th century, from bricks locals gathered from the ancient ruins. The light brown mud domes stand side by side in rows on cubic bases, each with an opening at the top for ventilation. Their walls are 50 to 60 centimetres thick, keeping them cool in summer and warm in winter, and they need repairing every one to three years. Visitors walk among the houses, go inside some that are open to visitors, and see the remains of the ancient city and its walls around them. Summers are very hot, so visit in the morning or in spring and autumn. The town is close to the Syrian border, so check current travel advice before visiting.