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Elazığ
Çırçır Waterfall
Çırçır Waterfall (Çırçır Şelalesi) is also described as “the youngest waterfall in the world” as it was formed during the construction of Keban Dam. a visual feast comes into view as a result of the outcrop of natural spring waters at this point due to pressure created by the displacement of the waters of the Euphrates River since 1974. There is also a trout farming restaurant in the waterfall, which has cool waters and a green nature!
Elazığ Folk Dances and Folk Songs (Çaydaçıra Folk Song)
Çaydaçıra, known as “candle dance” all over the world, is a folk dance unique to Elazığ. This dance is played at weddings, henna nights and certain entertainments. It is a lively and cheerful dance played with burning candles placed in henna mud in plates that are held in both hands. The dance is played with its unique melody.
Apart from Çaydaçıra, Halay is another traditional folk dance that is widely played in Elazığ. However, Elazığ also has a unique type of halay called “Harput halay”. In Elazığ, many folk dances such as avreş, Keçike, çepik, Temir Ağa, delilo, big walnut, tamzara, Fatmalı, pigeon, şeve kırma, Çiftetelli, sword-shield (Kılıç Kalkan) and so on are worth watching.
The people of Harput, who combined the Ottoman period’s divan literature and classical culture with folk culture, revealed modern Elazığ-Harput music. Most of the Harput folk songs and unmetered folk songs, which are sung with great admiration and pleasure today, are taken from the works of famous Ottoman period poets such as Fuzuli, Nedim, and Nevres. These compositions were listened to and admired not only by the intellectuals who had madrasah education but also by the residents of Harput. These folk songs, some of which can be listed as Yemen Türküsü, Meteris’den İneydim, Hayriye, Kövenk, Mamoş, Mezire’den Çıktım, Saray Yolu, Al Almayı, Yoğurt Koydum Dolaba, Dersim Dört Dağ İçinde, Sinemde Bir Tutuşmuş, Aş Yedim Dilim Yandı, Bir Ah Çeksem, Bir Şuh-i Sitemkâr, Yüksek Minare, Göremedim Alemde, Necibem, Havuz Başının Gülleri, Evleri Uçta Yarim, Gelin Ağlar, Harput’tan Aldım Bakır, Elazığ Uzun Çarşı, take Elazığ visitors on a journey of history and culture with different emotions, from sadness to joy.
Kürsübaşı Tradition
The Kürsübaşı Tradition emerged as a result of practice of people who come together to warm up, chat and have fun around the specially designed place that was used in the old Harput houses in winter and served as a stove. Over time, the meetings known by this name have become an important activity such as conversations, banquets, competitions, musical entertainment, and folk story telling both for local people to come together and have fun on winter days and to keep traditional items of Elazığ culture alive. This tradition has been on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List since 2010.
Elazığ Legends
Elazığ legends reflect the rich imagination and perspective of the local people on natural phenomena and relations between people. Red Woman, Ahmed-i Peyki’s Miracle, Fırat-Murat and Aras Rivers, The Sister, Beyzade Efendi, Dipsiz Lake, Fairy Girl are just a few of these legends. Even the emergence of the Çaydaçıra play has three legends known today.
Elazığ State Classical Turkish Music Choir
Elazığ State Classical Turkish Music Choir has been performing the pieces of various composers in its concerts since 1991 and interpreting folk music melodies in classical music style. With various classical music activities, the choir adds a different style and option to the activities that can be done in Elazığ.