Balıklıgöl
Balıklıgöl
4.5
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4.5
1,137 reviews
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Karagöz
Ankara, Türkiye29 contributions
June 2023 • Family
It is the central location of Urfa. Hz. It is the place where Abraham was born and, according to legend, he was thrown into the fire by Nimrod, where the fire turned into water and the wood into fish. It is an important place to visit in terms of the history and tourism of the City of Prophets. Visiting Urfa means going to Balıklı Lake. Navigate from start to finish. I think the fish were carp fish and it is a place where you will believe in God's blessings. There are so many fish in flocks. How do they survive? They are alive, they are very beautiful, masha'Allah. It recovered after the flood and returned to its former state. The atmosphere is perfect for landscape and photo shoots. It is possible to take a photo anywhere. There is a manager in the middle of the lake who dresses you up and takes photos with a camera and charges you 100 TL for 1 photo. Anyone can take a photo there. If you want, there is a shop operator with a small lake and pool in the corner, past the cave where Prophet Abraham was born, where you can rent clothes for 10 TL and take a selfie. :) The choice is yours. It's a magnificent place, you feel like there are water and fish under the city. Fish Food 5 TL. There is a mosque and a bazaar where you can shop around Balıklı Lake. The thing that bothers me the most is that there are a lot of people giving you advice for sira night. Thanks to some friends, they provide free guidance service and tell the story of Balıklı Lake. He informs you well. Then he gives you advice on the night of the queue. He's gathering customers for Sira night. For your information, every step you take there is a question of where you are going for the night. Balıklı Lake is the advertising place of this issue because it is the commercial subject of Urfa. All the restaurants, kebab shops, hotels, cafes, everyone is having a sira night. Let me recommend it too. ''Urfa Saray Guest House Sıra Gecesi'' :)
Written 14 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BrakiWorldTraveler
Belgrade, Serbia20,004 contributions
Oct 2022
The TA headline pic is the most famous spot in Turkey's southeastern city of Urfa.
A very interesting legend made it that - on this spot King Nemrut threw prophet Abraham in fire which miraculously turned into water (that's the lake today) saving his life. The burning wood fragments turned into fish, which are sacred now and you'll see hundreds of them and can even feed them buying fish food on nearby stalls.
The place is a pilgrimage place and full of people both day and night. Two Mosques, one smaller above the lake fraction and one bigger aside are there, as well a Christian Church which was also converted into a Mosque.
A very interesting legend made it that - on this spot King Nemrut threw prophet Abraham in fire which miraculously turned into water (that's the lake today) saving his life. The burning wood fragments turned into fish, which are sacred now and you'll see hundreds of them and can even feed them buying fish food on nearby stalls.
The place is a pilgrimage place and full of people both day and night. Two Mosques, one smaller above the lake fraction and one bigger aside are there, as well a Christian Church which was also converted into a Mosque.
Written 30 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LagunaGypsy
Vail, CO672 contributions
June 2024 • Solo
I recently visited Balıklıgöl in Sanliurfa, and while the site is undoubtedly beautiful and rich with spiritual significance, it was incredibly busy. The pool, with its sacred fish and the legend of Abraham, is a serene and peaceful location, but the large number of visitors made it difficult to fully appreciate the atmosphere.
The sacred fish are fascinating, and the story behind the pool—where God turned the flames into water and coals into fish—is a compelling part of Abraham's narrative. However, the crowds took away from the spiritual ambiance, making it feel more like a tourist attraction than a place of reflection.
If you want to visit, I would recommend going early in the morning or later in the evening to avoid the busiest times and get a chance to take in the surroundings without the overwhelming foot traffic.
The sacred fish are fascinating, and the story behind the pool—where God turned the flames into water and coals into fish—is a compelling part of Abraham's narrative. However, the crowds took away from the spiritual ambiance, making it feel more like a tourist attraction than a place of reflection.
If you want to visit, I would recommend going early in the morning or later in the evening to avoid the busiest times and get a chance to take in the surroundings without the overwhelming foot traffic.
Written 21 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jack V
Los Angeles, CA1,442 contributions
May 2022
this is an historical and scared spot that includes a river (or pond), a Mosque, a park and places to eat, drink and buy local goods. the park is really well done. the mosque is beautiful and worth a visit and the lake or water is very calming. legend has it that when Abraham was being burned the fire turned into water and embers into fish. people now feed the fish while wishing. do a little reading or watch zenxman on Youtube because there is so much history here that you will want to read about this area before taking a tour.
Written 20 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dila Gülensoy
Istanbul, Türkiye159 contributions
Mar 2020 • Friends
Along with being a touristic place Balikligol also a sacred place because of his holiness Ibrahim’s story. Please learn more on the story of the place before going there because it makes such a big difference in understanding the history of the place. Yet it is over crowded so be careful.
Written 14 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David D
1,212 contributions
Nov 2022
It is said that this was the spot where Abraham was put on a pyre by King Nimrod. A miracle occurred and the fire turned into a pool of water and the wood, or the flames, turned into fish. The descendants of the fish are well fed by the pilgrims and it is a peaceful spot despite being so busy.
Written 21 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Muge O
Gaziemir, Türkiye32 contributions
Jan 2024 • Couples
We were there on a Sunday and not too late, so thank God it wasn't too crowded.
You can feed the fish. In terms of feeling, I can say that the religious atmosphere touched me. I was able to pray. There is healing water and shopping opportunities, as well as nice little cafes and restaurants.
You can feed the fish. In terms of feeling, I can say that the religious atmosphere touched me. I was able to pray. There is healing water and shopping opportunities, as well as nice little cafes and restaurants.
Written 7 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bilge d
Ankara, Türkiye72 contributions
Apr 2024 • Family
a very nice place. it's worth to be seen. However, if you go during a holiday like us, the view will make you feel like you are on the Ganges River in India, rather than giving you peace. It was really bad. I went before when it was quiet. I liked it very much. You can also see the cave of Prophet Abraham around it. Water is also filled from the cave.
Written 16 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Linda M
Saudi Arabia83 contributions
June 2021
This may be the loveliest public park I’ve ever seen. The grounds are well manicured and there are plenty of places to stop for a cup of tea or just enjoy the surroundings.
From this park you can easily walk to Nimrod’s Pulpit, The Cave of Abraham, and the pool with the sacred carp. There are restaurants around the pool which serve overpriced and mediocre food. But, sitting by the pool is well worth it. (There are some much nicer restaurants across the street.)
Go to see the sites, return because it’s a nice place to pass some time.
From this park you can easily walk to Nimrod’s Pulpit, The Cave of Abraham, and the pool with the sacred carp. There are restaurants around the pool which serve overpriced and mediocre food. But, sitting by the pool is well worth it. (There are some much nicer restaurants across the street.)
Go to see the sites, return because it’s a nice place to pass some time.
Written 3 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jess
New York City, NY431 contributions
Sept 2018 • Family
The story goes that Abraham was thrown to the fire, but the flames turned to water and the sticks to fish. It’s a historic holy site that has beautiful gardens. You can feed the “holy” fish and sit for some tea. Just keep in mind this region gets hot- with temps going over 105f in the summer. So plan accordingly.
Written 2 September 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hayır girilmiyor. Balıklar kutsal sayılıyor. Sadece yem verebiliyorsunuz.Zarar vermek yasak ve gunay sayılıyor.
Written 7 February 2020
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