Diyarbakir: the unofficial Kurdish capital.

Diyarbakir, the city of culture and history, the pearl of the East, has been a political center for the region’s Kurds since before the Ottoman Empire.The city has been considered vital during every historical period, as it set in the (upper Mesopotamia area between the Tigris and the Euphrates river), is considered to be one of the oldest cities on Earth. It was a natural point passage and a gateway between Asia Minor, the Middle East and the Caucasus. Throughout history, it has variously been called Amida,  Amid,  Kara-Amid,  Diyar-Bekr, Diyarbekir  and Diyarbakir. Archeological excavations in caves in the environs of Diyarbakir have found historical traces from Paleolithic and Neolithic times.

Since 3000 B.C., the city has been at various times controlled by Assyrians, Aramites,  Urartians,  Iskits,  Medians, Persians, Macedonians, Selucians, Parthians,  the Great  Tigran administration,  Romans,  Sassanids, Byzantines, Emevites, Abbasids, al Sheikhs,  Hamdanians,  Mervanians, Seljuks, Inanogullari, Nisanogullari, Artuks,  Eyyubids,  Mongols, White Sheep (Turks),  Safevis  and Ottomans.The civilizations that have contributed the most to the city have been Roman, Abbasid, Mervani, Seljuk,  Artuk,  Christian and Ottoman. The city also has been home to many different religions over the centuries. Before the advent of Islam, three religions dominated the people of the region: Shemsis (sun worshipers) ,  Jews and Christians. Religious buildings constructed by the practicers of these religions, while mostly in disrepair, are still standing around the city and include the Virgin Mary Suryani Kadim Church, Keldani, Surp Gregos, Surp Sarkis (Celtic church), Saint George (Kara Papaz), and Catholic and Protestant churches. The city is also the capital of north Kurdistan, has been a political centre for the region’s Kurds since before the Ottoman Empire and has spent many decades under various forms of emergency rule.

  City's walls, a unique masterpiece.

The Citadel and the Walls of Diyarbakir fashioned out of chiseled basalt, guarding the city for thousands of years, as if it was guarding a holy relic by surrounding the city magnificently. With its length of 6 kilometers, Walls of Diyarbakir is the second largest city walls in the world after the Great Wall of China. Perfect examples of the military architecture of the middle ages.

 

Although there were Roman and probably earlier walls here, the present walls, date back to early Byzantine times. It welcomes the visitors with relieves and figures on it by telling about the civilizations that lived neighbor on the walls throughout history. There are four main gates along the wall into the old city called as Dag Kapi, Urfa Kapi, Mardin Kapi and Yeni Kapi, each of which deserves a visit along with their inscriptions and reliefs. It also includes 82 watch-towers, which were built in antiquity, approximate 3,000 years ago, restored and extended by the Roman emperor Constantius II in 349.

  Old city, the pearl of the East.

The old city, is adorned with caravansaries, palaces, fountains, inns and arches and is a wonderful place to explore.  As you walk around the walls, you come across a historic artifact at every corner. Foremost among the city’s many historical attractions are two mosques, the eleventh-century Ulu Camii, built around a lonesome rectangular plaza, and the sixteenth-century Nebi-Camii, sporting the alternating black and white stone banding that is characteristic of old Diyarbakir. The great mosque at Dagkapi, one of the city’s most important centers, has the distinction of being one of Anatolia’s first  so-called great mosques. A center of attraction where trade routes intersected down the ages, Diyarbakir’s medieval Hans are among the city’s must-see sights. Their dates of construction expressed in centuries, these Hans draw attention for their spacious courtyards and original architecture. All products of the Ottoman period, they are used today mainly as shopping centers and hotels.

 Among the Hans, almost each one of which has a story to tell, Hasan Pasa Hani, the Cifte or Double Hani, and Suluklu Hani are just a few for which you should set aside time. At Hasan Pasa Hani in particular you can sample outstanding dishes that appeal to both the eye and the palate in the local coffee salons.  A favorite  gathering place for more than 400 years and a lively place to have a look at Kurdish life via weddings taking place in the courtyard.

 Visiting the old bazaar is an eye-opening experience.

The old bazaar opposite to Ulu Camii offers some excellent background motifs for photo shots and is a great place to see and to be seen in this historical city on the Tigris. Because Diyarbakır was an important stop on the Silk Road, it was also famous for its markets and inns which were a hub of trade in the past.This colorful and chaotic bazaar is the heart of the Old City and has been so for centuries. Vividly colored spices are displayed alongside jewel-like locum (Turkish delight) at this traditional marketplace, providing eye candy for the thousands of tourists and locals who make their way here every day.On the west side of the market there are outdoor produce stalls selling fresh  food stuff  from all over Anatolia, including a wonderful selection of cheeses, as well as spices, stalls sell caviar, dried herbs, nuts and dried fruits. Diyarbakir’s old bazaar is a great place to get lost for a few hours, is a pleasure to explore, because there is so much to see even if one is just window-shopping. Going to the market is an awe-inspiring experience.

Not many markets can give that sense of wonder. More than and individual site, Diyarbakır’s real attraction lies in its general atmosphere, a vibrant “Middle Eastern” atmosphere, rivaled (in Turkey) only by Urfa. Staying in the heart of the old city you can experience the authentic life of the Kurdish community. Kurdish people can be very hospitable and accommodating, despite obvious language barriers. Have meal in a traditional restaurant, the food is so good that you will almost lick the plates clean, and knock back a few glasses of Turkish coffee at Hasan Pasa Hani. The Turks are very proud of their coffee and describe Turkish coffee as their gift to the world. So, leave your stereotypes behind and visit this bustling city on the Tigris.  

 There are many children on the streets of Diyarbakir.

Some of them are very aggressive. Keep in mind that this city is under prompt  threat against the Kurdish identity and their culture. The Kurdish case  shows that nowadays it is the biggest ethnic group without its own country and which was harassed in the past because of that culture. The freedom of Kurds is not a bad thing for other nations. It would actually be a positive thing for Turks, Persians Arabs if Kurds lived in their own state. Freedom for Kurds means peace and stability for the whole region. We hope that the 21st century will be the century of Kurds…