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Elazığ
Overview
Elazığ (pronounced ay-LAH-zuh) is a city in the mountains of Eastern Anatolia, at an altitude of 1067 m and with a population of 387,072 in 2022. Although the railway and main eastern highway pass through, it's almost an
Facts
Rank
—
Coordinates
38.67, 39.22
Source
WBP almanac
External sources
Media
From Wikipedia2,827 words
WBP editorial3
A taste of the high‑altitude kitchen
Elazığ’s elevation gives its cuisine a distinctive robustness. While the town’s markets sell the familiar Turkish staples, the local bakeries are famed for "ekmek‑kavurması" – a dense, slightly sour flatbread that gains its texture from the cool, thin air. Pair it with a steaming bowl of "sivri" lentil stew, seasoned with wild thyme that grows on the surrounding hillsides. For a real treat, seek out the family‑run eateries that still smoke their own apricot‑wood charcoal; the subtle fruitiness seeps into grilled kebabs, a nuance you won’t find in the coastal cities. The season matters: winter’s frost brings a short‑lived burst of wild mushrooms, which locals grate into the traditional yoghurt‑based soup for an earthy finish.
Beyond the dam walls: spotting the Anatolian Rift
Most visitors glide past the Keban and Karakaya reservoirs, yet the region is a geological showcase. The series of dams sit atop the Anatolian Rift Valley, a tectonic scar that drives the area's hot springs and occasional seismic tremors. A modest drive eastward leads to the lesser‑known Balıkbaş thermal baths, where mineral‑rich waters cascade over ancient Roman stonework. The view from the rim of Lake Hazar, especially at dawn, reveals the valley’s stepped profile, a visual reminder of the slow uplift that has shaped settlements for millennia. Bring a lightweight tripod; the interplay of mist over the water and the distant snow‑capped peaks produces a soft light prized by landscape photographers.
