21.04.2026 22:20
Two people dancing the halay on the ruins of the 2,000-year-old Jacob's Monastery in Şanlıurfa faced the risk of damaging the historical structure. The footage shared on social media sparked reactions.
Footage captured on a mobile phone shows two people dancing a traditional halay on the ruins of the Yakup Monastery, known as Nemrut's Throne, which is determined to be approximately 2,000 years old in Şanlıurfa.
THEY DANCED HALAY ON A 2,000-YEAR-OLD STRUCTURE
In Şanlıurfa, two people danced a halay on the ruins of the Yakup Monastery (Deyr Yakup), which is estimated to have been built in the late 2nd century and is popularly known as Nemrut's Throne. The footage captured on a mobile phone shows the two individuals jumping and dancing the halay in a manner that could damage the historical structure, disregarding the danger. It was also observed that another person was recording the dancers from below. The images shared on social media sparked reactions.
NEMRUT'S THRONE
The Yakup Monastery is located 10 kilometers from the center of Şanlıurfa, on the mountains to the south of the city. It is popularly believed that Nemrut, whom Prophet Abraham fought against, used this area as a viewing platform. To the northwest of the monastery, there is a monumental tomb and a two-line inscription. While the inscription has been determined to date from the end of the 2nd century or the beginning of the 3rd century, it is estimated that the monastery was also built around this time.