Elazığ was once a suburb of the ancient fortress town ofHarput calledMezre.Heinrich Hübschmann believed Mezre to be the settlement of Mazara (Μαζάρα) mentioned byPtolemy, whileNicholas Adontz derived the name from an Arabic word meaning arable land or hamlet (borrowed into Turkish asmezra 'hamlet').[4][5] The toponymMezre originated as a shortening ofAğavat Mezrası ('hamlet of theaghas/landlords') orMezra-ı Çötelizade ('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.[6]
With the creation of theMamuret-ul-Aziz vilayet of the Ottoman Empire, the nameMamuret-ul-Aziz came into use as a name alternative for the city. This name quickly evolved intoal-Aziz[9] (Turkish:Elaziz;Kurdish:Elezîz[7]). In 1937, through an order fromMustafa Kemal Atatürk, this name was Turkified asElazık (Turkish pronunciation:[eˈlazɯk]), but due to difficulties in its pronunciation, it was finally accepted asElazığ.[10]
The town of Mezre (future Elazığ) was founded on the fertile plain below the hill on which the much older fortress and settlement of Harput were constructed. It was located about five kilometres (three miles) southwest of Harput. TheHurrians, who settled in this area inc. 2000 BC, are the earliest known inhabitants of the area. Harput and its surrounding region were part of the kingdom ofUrartu at its maximum extent, and the Urartians may have been the first to build a fortress here.[11] HistorianHakob Manandian believed it to have been the main fortress of the earlierHayasa-Azzi confederation.[12] It is possible that Harput stands on or is near the site ofCarcathiocerta (more commonly identified withEğil[13]), the first capital of theKingdom of Sophene.[12] The early Muslim geographers knew Harput asḤiṣn Ziyād ("the fortress of Ziyād"), but the Armenian name, Khartabirt or Kharbirt, whence Kharput and Harput, was generally adopted in time.
According to an official history written in 1883, Mezre was originally a small hamlet near Harput which served as the official residence of the Çötelizades, one of the notable families exiled from Harput in the 1780s-90s.[15] In 1834–36, the Çötelizades hosted the governor and military commanderReşid Mehmed Pasha, who turned the hamlet into a garrison for his campaigns in the eastern regions of the empire.[16] In the 1850s and 60s, Mezre grew into a small town or suburb of Harput with a prosperous Armenian bourgeoisie.[17] In 1869, an Armenian named Krikor Ipekjian (later Fabrikatorian) founded a silk factory in Mezre.[4] In 1878, it was made the administrative centre of theMamuret-ul-Aziz Vilayet (commonly referred to as the Harput Vilayet).[4] According to census data from the 1880s, the population of Mezre consisted of 2,126 non-Muslim and 548 Muslim inhabitants, making it the only vilayet centre with an Armenian majority besidesVan.[18] Meanwhile, Harput proper had a population of 12,974 people (5,125 were non-Muslim and 7,849 Muslim).[18] The populous villages on the plain below also had mixed Armenian-Muslim populations.[4] The population of Mezre were mainly merchants, craftsmen and bureaucrats.[4]
In 1892, the Armenian National Central Academy (Azkayin Getronakan Varzharan) was founded in Mezre. By 1911, there was also an Armenian girls' school and a seminary, as well as two colleges run by French and German missionaries, among other educational institutions.[4] There were four Armenian churches built in Mezre in the 19th (twoArmenian Apostolic, oneCatholic, and one Protestant).[4] Mezre, like Harput, also had a minority population ofSyriac Christians.[19] The building of the American consulate in Harput, established in 1901, was in fact located in Mezre.[20]
Harput was an important station for the American missionaries for many years. The missionaries builtEuphrates College, a theological seminary, and boys' and girls' schools. It operated until 1915 when its buildings were confiscated and used by theOttoman Army as barracks. In November 1895, government-backedTurks andKurds massacred, looted and burned the Armenian villages on the plain. In the same month, Harput was attacked and the American schools were burned down.[21][22] During theArmenian genocide, many residents were killed.[23][22]
Elazığ was the seat of theFourth Inspectorate-General from 1936[25] until 1952.[26] The Inspectorate General included the provinces of Elazığ,Erzincan,Bingöl, andTunceli and was governed by a Governor Commander under military authority. He had wide-ranging power over the civilians and could order the application of capital punishment without permission from the Turkish parliament. The office of the Governor Commander was eventually left vacant in 1948[27] but the legal framework for theInspectorate-Generals was only abolished in 1952.[26]
Elazığ rapidly developed into a modern city in the Republican era, while Harput was largely an abandoned ruin in the 1930s and 1940s.[28] Efforts began in the 1950s to renovate the old town of Harput: some historic monuments were restored, a new municipality building was built and a museum was opened. Over time, Harput was turned into a suburb of Elazığ, and facilities were created for tourism and recreation.[29] The ruined Armenian neighborhoods of Harput were leveled in the 1960s and the 1970s.[30]
Harberd had many Armenian churches and monasteries. Also, inHarberd was seat of a Syrian Orthodox bishop as early as the eleventh century, whose diocese was initially calledḤiṣn Ziyād and laterHarput. Unlike many Christian dioceses in Turkey, Armenian and Assyrian churches are still functioning despite the massacres that took place in the city during theArmenian genocides andAssyrian, in which the bishop and most of his flock were killed.[31] The diocese has two priests, with the main church being based in the ancient Merymana Kilisesi next to the wall of the old fortress.[32][33]
In the early 20th century, the city was mainly inhabited by Turks[34][35] andArmenians.[35] The Armenian population grew rapidly in the late 19th century[8] and made up most[8] or half[35] of the population. According to theArmenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, before the First World War, 39,788 Armenians lived in thekaza of Harput-Mezre, including 20,590 peasants in the surrounding 50 villages. They had 67 churches, 9 monasteries, and 92 schools. Most of the Armenians of the Kaza lived in the surrounding villages. Men were executed and women and children were sold to Muslims during theArmenian genocide.[36] The city also housedAssyrians andKurds.[8]
In the late 19th and early 20th century, Elazığ exportedraisins,apricots andalmonds to Europe.Opium was also grown in the area.[39]Honey was also produced, but mainly to be used by locals rather than exported.[40] Gold was also found in the area in the early 20th century.[41]
More than 30,000 people and at least 212 villages were affected by the construction of theKeban Dam in 1966–1974, which flooded several formerly populated areas. Many of those who were forced to move by the construction of the dam chose to settle in Elazığ and invested the indemnities paid to them by the state in houses in Elazığ or in small businesses. However, over 80% of families in zones affected by the Keban dam were landless peasants and thus ineligible to receive compensation, or peasants with little land who would receive very little money (Koyunlu 1982: 250)
The dam, industry, and mining accounts for the high level of urbanization (42.7% in 1970) surpassing the average levels forEastern Anatolia. The main agricultural activity of the area centers around vineyards and Elazığ also serves as a market hub for other agricultural products. The state-run vineyards of Elazığ are notable for their production ofBuzbağ, a full-flavoredred wine.
Today, Elazığ is the capital of theElazığ Province. It is a busy city with a university and an industrial base, although historic monuments are scarce. The exception is the ancient citadel and town of Harput, a dependency of the greater municipality of Elazığ today situated three miles (4.8 km) to the north of the city centre. Elazığ is the most developed city (and province) in the region, according to a report carried out by the Ministry of Development, making it the most developed region ofEastern Anatolia region.[42]
Elazığ is situated at the northwestern corner of a 30-mile-long valley, known locally as Uluova (literallythe Great Valley). The area's Armenians called this valley "Vosgetashd" (the Golden Plain). Its altitude is 3,300 feet (1,000 m), latitude and longitude of 38 degrees and 41 minutes North, and 39 degrees and 14 minutes East. Elazığ Province is surrounded by theEuphrates in the north, and since the completion ofKeban Dam the rivers came to cover almost ten percent of the surface area (826 square kilometres (319 sq mi)) of the province (8,455 square kilometres (3,264 sq mi)). Elazığ's adjacent province borders are with Tunceli (North), Erzincan (North-West), Bingöl (East), Diyarbakır (South), and Malatya (West).
Highest recorded temperature:42.8 °C (109.0 °F) on 31 July 2025 Lowest recorded temperature:−22.6 °C (−8.7 °F) on 30 December 1951 and 20 January 1972[44]
Climate data for Elazığ (1991–2020, extremes 1939–2025)
Elazığ cuisine is the second richest among all cities in Turkey with 154 different types of food and drinks according to a study conducted by the Ankara Chamber of Commerce.[48] Particularly those who originated in the historic city of Harput have important fame in the region and the country. Apart from famous meat platters most of which include meatballs, naturally dried fruits and vegetables, and using them in main dishes are unique to Elazığ cuisine. Several examples could include:[3]
Kofik dolma -stuffed dried peppers or aubergines
Kelecoş -fried meat and onion served over a bed of flatbread pieces softened in yogurt
İşkene -a breakfast soup containing broth and vegetables
Harput köfte -meatballs made with a mixture of minced meat, cracked wheat, herbs and spices boiled in tomato sauce
Taş Ekmeği -unleavened flatbread baked over hot stone or hotplate served with butter and jam
Işkın yemeği -a wild rhubarb dish
Sırın -pan-broiled handmade filo pastry roundels with a layer of yogurt and tomato sauce on top
Kömme -baked handmade filo pastry roundels built with a layer of meat filling and a layer of walnut paste
Gaygana -a mixture of eggs, yogurt, bicarbonate, and flour drops fried in oil
Orcik -walnut halves sewn in a thread, dipped into deep grape syrup
Elazığ is served byElazığ Airport which lies about 12 km (7 mi) from the city center. The airport is the 19th busiest airport in Turkey in terms of passenger traffic.[49][50] There are daily domestic flights from/toAnkara,Istanbul, andİzmir. During summer months there are some international flights from/to cities such asDüsseldorf andFrankfurt as well as from/toAntalya andAdana.
There are local companies that provide coach services to almost all cities in Turkey. Ferryboat services are also present over the reservoir lakes to supplement highway connections to towns such as Ağın, and Pertek and Çemişgezek ofTunceli.
The Blue Train (passenger express) provides the connection from Elazığ to Ankara.[3]
Harput Ulu CamiiMount Hazar Baba rises above Lake Hazar
Hazarbaba Ski Centre
Historic mosques (Cami in Turkish), churches and shrines (Türbe in Turkish). Do note they are inHarput, on a hill out of town, but near enough to pay them a visit.
Ulu Camii: Built byArtuqid Sultan Fahrettin Karaaslan in 1156. It is one of the oldest and most important structures in Anatolia
Sarahatun Camii (also known as Sarayhatun Cami): Built by Sara Hatun, mother ofAq Qoyunlu (White Sheep Turkomans) Sultan Bahadır Han (also known asUzun Hassan), in 1465 as a small mosque. It was renovated in 1585 and 1843.
Kurşunlu Camii: Built between 1738 and 1739 in Harput during theOttoman era.
Alacalı Camii
Ağa Camii: built in 1559.
Arap Baba Mescidi ve Türbesi: Built during the reign ofSeljuk SultanGıyaseddin Keyhüsrev III (son of Kılıçarslan IV) in 1279. The shrine contains a mummified body which is known asArap Baba among commons.
^abcdefghHakobyan, T. Kh.; Melik-Bakhshyan, St. T.; Barseghyan, H. Kh. (1991)."Mezire".Hayastani ev harakitsʻ shrjanneri teghanunneri baṛaran [Dictionary of toponymy of Armenia and adjacent territories] (in Armenian). Vol. 3. Yerevan State University. p. 754.
^M. Th. Houtsma. E. J. Brill's First Encyclopaedia of Islam, 1913-1936, Volume 4. p. 915.
^abHakobyan, T. Kh.; Melik-Bakhshyan, St. T.; Barseghyan, H. Kh. (1988)."Kharberd".Hayastani ev harakitsʻ shrjanneri teghanunneri baṛaran [Dictionary of toponymy of Armenia and adjacent territories] (in Armenian). Vol. 2. Yerevan State University. pp. 697–699.
^Marciak, Michał (2014). "The Historical Geography of Sophene".Acta Antiqua.52 (4):295–338.doi:10.1556/aant.52.2012.4.1.
^abDadrian, Vahakn N. (2003).The History of the Armenian Genocide. Berghahn Books. p. 160.ISBN1571816666.
^Henry H. Riggs, "Days of Tragedy in Armenia: Personal Experiences in Harpoot, 1915-1917", 1997, Michigan.
^Robert, Olson (2013).The Emergence of Kurdish Nationalism and the Sheikh Said Rebellion, 1880–1925.University of Texas Press. p. 110.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^Soner Çaǧaptay,Islam, Secularism, and Nationalism in Modern Turkey: Who is a Turk?, Taylor & Francis, 2006,ISBN978-0-415-38458-2, p. 48
^abFleet, Kate; Kunt, I. Metin; Kasaba, Reşat; Faroqhi, Suraiya (17 April 2008).The Cambridge History of Turkey. Cambridge University Press. p. 343.ISBN978-0-521-62096-3.
^Bayir, Derya (22 April 2016).Minorities and Nationalism in Turkish Law. Routledge. pp. 139–141.ISBN978-1-317-09579-8.
^White, Paul J. (2000).Primitive Rebels Or Revolutionary Modernizers?. Zed Books. pp. 87, 158.ISBN1856498212.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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