Murathan Mungan once wrote, “Once Mardin enters your life, it follows you like destiny.” This is perhaps one of the most beautiful descriptions of Mardin, the Land of the Sun.Mardin is a hidden gem in Turkey, with its narrow streets and unique architecture where different civilisations live together. Once you visit this shining city at the top of Mesopotamia, you will already start making plans for when you can come again.
Mardin is also known as the Land of the Sun and the Capital of Stone, and it has the most beautiful views in Mesopotamia. It is a fertile area where many firsts have been born, and the city itself is very old and was formed by collapse. It is like a cultural passage from 8000 BC to the present day. It has a very deep history, and it is a region where cultures and trade points meet. For centuries, it has been a place where different cultures and religions have met and traded. Everyone wanted to own this beautiful and important region. Its location has made it a busy transport centre since ancient times. Today, it is still known as a unique place in Turkey.
Before we start this article, let us remind you: Download the Piri Guide mobile app to visit Mardin step by step with your personal and digital tour guide!
Where is Mardin?
It is a province in the Southeastern Anatolia Region. The city is in the Tigris Department of this region. Mardin, which also has 10 districts, ranks 26th among Turkey’s most populous cities. It is also close to cities such as Şanlıurfa, Diyarbakır and Batman. It has a border neighbourhood with Syria.
When's the Best Time to Go to Mardin?
It’s got a continental climate, so winters are pretty cold and summers are pretty dry.If you’re planning a visit, it’s probably best to avoid winter, but if you’re up for a bit of cold, go for it! Just expect to see a bit less.The best months to visit are April to June, when it’s nice and warm. But if you’re really keen, September and October are the best months to come. The weather’s not too cold and not too hot then.
Places to Visit in Mardin
We’ve put together a list of the places you should definitely see in Mardin below. But don’t forget, you can find so much more on the Piri mobile app. Piri will tell you the most beautiful routes to Mardin, detect your location and automatically start telling the story of wherever you are. Just put on your headphones and follow the route. . Make sure you download your very own mobile tour guide, Piri Guide.
Mardin Castle
The city starts to embrace you with Mardin Castle. The castle itself has taken the appearance of a rock today. The sloping parts are suitable for ascent and these parts are reinforced with walls. The castle is 120 metres above the sea. In fact, if you look at it from above, you will realise that the tower resembles the shape of a bow.
It is a bit uncertain when it was built because there is no concrete evidence. At least not yet. However, we can say that the castle system is a tradition of Anatolian civilisation since Neolithic times. In other words, these castles started to be built with the transition to the settled period. This is also the reason why there are fortresses and settlements underneath them everywhere in Turkey.
Deyrulzafaran Monastery
Deyrulzafaran Monastery is on a complex that was used as a fortress by the Temple of the Sun in BC and later by the Romans. When the Romans left, the bones of the saints were brought to this area and the building was turned into a monastery.
It is located 5 kilometres east of Mardin. The monastery is a historical building that should be on your sightseeing list. But be careful about visiting hours because there are small changes in the winter months. You can buy souvenirs from the part of the monastery’s reception building. At the same time, we recommend you to drink saffron tea or a simple Assyrian coffee in the cafeteria.
Kasimiye Madrasa
The construction of Kasımiye Madrasa started near the end of the Artuqid rule. A significant part of it was also completed during this period. It was left unfinished during the Timur invasion and Akkoyunlu oppression. According to the rumours, it was completed by the Akkoyunlu. Kasımiye Madrasa is one of the largest buildings in Mardin. It has a façade open to the plain on the south side.
We can say that Southeast is the ‘Land of Legends’. One of these legends is about the pool and water in the iwan inside the madrasah. Water has a very different importance in regions such as Şanlıurfa and Mardin. Water represents birth and childhood. This water flows with a thunderous flow and the period of manhood begins. Then it stops, pours into the pool and dies. But the water in the madrasah pool is not wasted at all. It continues on its way to irrigate the agricultural fields with the canals below.
Mardin Museum
Mardin Museum is located among a group of Assyrian houses in the centre of Mardin. It is a large building in appearance. We can observe that local Mardin stone is used here. It even feels like a palace when viewed from the outside.
Don’t look at what we call the Mardin Museum now. The building was used for many different purposes. For example, for a long time it provided religion-orientated services. However, in time, this list has extended from a military garrison to a co-operative building, from a health centre to a police station. The Ministry of Culture bought it from the Syriac Catholic Foundation and restored it. The Mardin Museum, formerly housed in the Zinciriye Madrasa, was moved here in 2000. Efforts are underway to preserve artefacts from Şırnak, Batman and Siirt here as well. In recent years, a fun Archaeopark was also built here.
Church of Virgin Mary
The building you will see adjacent to the east side of Mardin Museum is the Church of Virgin Mary. This church belongs to the Syriac Catholic Community. Antakya Patriarch Semheri built the church in 1986. The patriarchate was built in 1895. Since 1995, it has been open for use as a museum. The building has an Italian style in terms of architecture. The Armenian architect who built this church also built other buildings in the city.
What to Eat in Mardin?
I hope you weren’t thinking of going to Mardin without tasting its cuisine. Let’s list our favourites briefly then:
- Mardin’s ‘closed lahmacun’ sembusek
- Mardin kibbeh ikbebet
- Peksimet
- Kiliçe bun
- Mardin almond sugar that you can easily find in the bazaar
- Mardin Irok
- Mardin kibe
- And last but not least, stuffed ribs
Mardin is one of the places that shows you the unity and solidarity in the most beautiful way. Because you see so many different people and languages while walking on the streets of Mardin. Let’s call it the effect of the fact that various tribes and religions have lived since ancient times. That’s why the smell and energy of this city is completely different. Then, if you want to visit Mardin in more detail, don’t forget to check our digital tour called ‘Land of the Sun’ on Piri mobile app.
