Photo:AP

The Underwater City of Halfeti: Where Roses Turn Black Above Sunken Ruins

Halfeti, nestled on the banks of the Euphrates in southeastern Türkiye (Turkey), is a town of contrasts—half historic settlement submerged under a reservoir, and half modern community alive with legends, tourism, and one of the world’s rarest floral phenomena: the Halfeti black rose. This is a story of architectural loss, botanical miracle, cultural myth, and economic revival.

A Town Drowned—History Beneath the Waters

In 2000, the Turkish government completed the Birecik Dam as part of the massive Southeastern Anatolia Project, flooding vast tracts of land to generate hydroelectric power (about 2,500 GWh/year) and irrigate roughly 70,000 hectares of farmland. This transformation submerged approximately 40% of Old Halfeti, including historical stone houses, shops, and part of the 19th‑century central mosque (Merkez Camii). Over 6,000 residents were relocated to a newly constructed town, built uphill above floodwaters, while dozens of local villages vanished beneath the reservoir.

Today, tourists can glimpse the past via boat tours, flyboarding, and even diving into sunken ruins, including ancient caves, submerged piers, and the mosque minaret rising like a lonely needle from calm waters. Guides recount how the reservoir reshaped not just the landscape, but local identity, replacing farming and seaside life with tourism-driven livelihoods.

The Black Rose: Legend, Botany & Soil

Among Halfeti’s most enchanting features is the dark-colored rose known locally as Karagül (“black rose”), sometimes called the Arab Bride or Arab Beauty. Although its petals are not truly black, they appear as a deep, wine-red or maroon—particularly in bud stage under Halfeti’s unique ecological conditions.

Botanists—including Professor Ali Ikinci of Harran University—identify the rose as a variant of Rosa odorata, possibly akin to the 19th-century French “Louis XIV” rose, but note that its dramatic coloration emerges only from Halfeti’s acidic soil, microclimate, and mineral-rich irrigation from the Euphrates. Ikinci explains the rose is not endemic, but the combination of environmental factors there produces a darker bloom than anywhere else; outside the valley, the petals fade to lighter red tones.

The acidity and mineral content—especially closer to Syria—elevate a natural hue into visual drama. As you move southward, the petals deepen; shade and humidity accentuate the maroon tint, making it visually near-black to the casual eye.

Myths of Love and Sorrow: Folklore Behind the Bloom

Karagül is as steeped in legend as it is in biology. One tale speaks of Vartuhi, a woman forbidden to love Firat, an orphaned boy. In despair, they drowned themselves in the Euphrates, and from their tragic union, the roses turned black as symbols of eternal sorrow and forbidden love.

Another version names the rose a creation of the Devil, cursed after an innocent girl died in the water—hence, the rose flowers only in the place of her death, growing dark and fragrant in the soil charged by grief and vengeance.

These legends imbue the rose with emotional gravitas, strengthening Halfeti’s identity as a place of haunting beauty and memory.

Rescue and Remarkable Revival: Greenhouse Efforts

Following the flooding, villagers attempted to transplant the rose to higher ground—but many failed under the new soil and dry conditions. Determined officials from the local agriculture department intervened, constructing greenhouses above the flood line, where over 1,000 roses are now carefully cultivated under controlled temperature, humidity, and soil acidity.

The rose eventually became a community trademark, as locals realized its unique market appeal. A greenhouse project preserved both the plant and a piece of cultural heritage at imminent risk of disappearing beneath the reservoir for good.

From Rose to Revenue: Economic Transformation of a Town

Today, Karagül drives Halfeti’s tourism and economy:

• Florals are distilled into ice cream, Turkish delight, soaps, teas, perfumes, and even proposed rose wine, with petals often shipped to Istanbul and beyond.

• British perfume brands, like Penhaligon's, offer fragrances named “Halfeti,” capitalizing on the rose’s mystique.

• Villagers turned homes into boutique cafes and hotels; boat tours, artisan stalls, and harvest festivals now define Halfeti’s cultural economy .

What once sustained residents through farming and pistachio agriculture now thrives on tourism and rose-infused commerce. Local storytellers, handicraft artisans, and guides contribute to creating a multi-sensory destination built around blossoming legend and history.

Tourism Experience: Visit the City Above Water and Roses

Visiting Halfeti today is an immersive blend of geography, history, and bloom. Typical experiences include:

• Boat tours that pass by sunken mosques, old stone terraces, and limestone caves, punctuated by floating restaurants serving grilled carp and rose-flinfused desserts.

• Visits to Rumkale Fortress, perched above the gorge, offering views of Byzantine and medieval Armenian architecture overhanging the river.

• Rose garden tours and seasonal harvest events, where visitors can observe Karagül blooms at their darkest, sample rose ice cream or tea, and learn local legends from elders.

Halfeti’s designation as a Cittaslow (slow city) in 2013 reinforces its commitment to culture, heritage, and mindful tourism—preserving both memory and ecosystem integrity.

Conservation and Considerations: Protecting the Legacy

Despite its popularity, Karagül faces threats. Overharvesting, climate fluctuations, and dependency on greenhouse conditions can reduce genetic diversity. Experts recommend:

• Establishing heritage seed banks for rare genotypes

• Encouraging community-led breeding programs

• Restricting overdevelopment in rose-growing zones

• Promoting sustainable harvest and tourism practices 

Preserving Karagül is not only biodiversity preservation—it’s safeguarding a cultural relic, folklore, and regional identity.

Global Symbol: The Rose as History, Legend & Botanical Marvel

Halfeti’s story resonates far beyond the Euphrates valley:

• Memory submerged: a town lost to modern development, mirrored by a flower embodying resilience and beauty.

• Nature and myth entwined: where mythology and ecosystem converge in pigment, fragrance, and folklore.

• Redemption through commerce: transforming tragedy into tourism, legend into livelihood.

The rose's story speaks to broader themes—how societies adapt to ecological disruption, how plants become cultural icons, and how visitors seek connection in places layered with history and myth.

Looking Ahead: The Future of the Black Rose and Halfeti

Potential paths forward include:

• Expanded, climate-controlled cultivation to lengthen bloom seasons

• International marketing partnerships in fragrance, gastronomy, and wellness

• Infrastructure improvements in heritage preservation and tourism

• Educational programs highlighting the intersection of botany, culture, and climate

Halfeti’s challenge will be balancing growth with guardianship—ensuring that the Black Rose remains both a living legend and a biological wonder.

Submerged City, Blooming Memory

Halfeti may lie partly beneath the Euphrates, but its legacy thrives above the water—where dark roses bloom from acidic soil, and legends, art, and commerce converge. This is a place where loss became transformation, ruin met resilience, and myth merged with ecology.

For travelers, scholars, and dreamers alike, Halfeti offers something rare: a repository of history, a floral miracle, and a lesson in how beauty can root itself in even the most unlikely of soils.