Elazığ is a modern city that grew below ancient Harput — a citadel settlement of extraordinary age, its fortress and mosques still standing on the cliff above the plain. The Keban Dam created one of Turkey's largest reservoirs, transforming the Euphrates valley into a lake landscape used for water sports.
The Öküzgözü grape grown in Elazığ province produces distinctive deep-red wines — some of Turkey's most serious reds come from here. Buzluk Cave near the city is a natural ice cave, cool even in summer.
Known for: Harput ancient citadel · Keban Dam lake · Elazığ wine (Öküzgözü) · Buzluk Cave · Munzur gateway
- Region
- Eastern Anatolia
- Famous for
- Harput & Keban lake
- Best seasons
- Apr–Oct
- Wine
- Öküzgözü grape
Elazığ on the live map
Explore Elazığ and all of Turkey on the live intelligence map — tap a city node to fly in.
What Elazığ is known for
Harput is a hilltop complex of great age — a Urartian, Armenian, Byzantine, Artuqid and Ottoman layered site with a grand mosque, Urartian temple platform and castle. The Elazığ Museum has important finds from Harput and the flooded Euphrates valley. The Keban reservoir is Turkey's fourth-largest dam lake.
- Harput — multi-period ancient citadel, Ulu Cami, great mosque.
- Keban Dam reservoir — water sports, vast lake scenery.
- Öküzgözü wine — Elazığ province's deep-red speciality.
- Buzluk Cave — natural ice cave.
Getting around
Elazığ has an airport. Harput is 5 km from the city by car. A car is needed for the reservoir and Munzur approaches.
On the platform
Elazığ is joining Türkiye Gez as we expand into a Turkey-wide city intelligence platform. This guide is the launch foundation — live transport data, an interactive map and deeper neighborhood content roll out city by city, on the same architecture that powers Istanbul today.
Frequently asked questions
About Elazığ
1Ancient Harput citadel, the Keban Dam reservoir, Öküzgözü deep-red wine and Buzluk ice cave.