Since the Polished Stone Age, communities have lived in the vicinity of Urfa. Göbeklitepe Tumulus, one of the oldest known cult structures in the world, is located in Urfa. In addition, the Prophet Abraham and Eyup the prophet was born in Urfa.
Urfa was used by people as a city in 9500 BC. In later years, Urfa was conquered by many kingdoms. These are, respectively, Ebla, Akkad, Sumer, Babylon, Hittite, Hurri-Mitanni, Arami, Assyrian, Persian, Macedonian, Roman, Byzantine states.
In 1094, Urfa was conquered by the Seljuk State. But only four years later the state of Edessa conquered Urfa. Later, Urfa changed hands many times among Arabs, Mongols, Persians and Turks.
In 1516, Urfa was conquered by the Ottoman Empire . After the First World War, Urfa was occupied by the French. But the people of Urfa showed great resistance against the French. Urfa, has become a city of the Republic of Turkey in 1920. And the Urfa name was changed to Şanlıurfa in response to the resistance of the Urfa people to the French.