Mardin
Mardin is a city in southeastern Turkey. The capital of Mardin Province, it is known for the Artuqid architecture of its old city, and for its strategic location on a rocky hill near the Tigris River that rises steeply over the flat plains. The old town of the city is under the protection of UNESCO, which forbids new constructions to preserve its facade.
Mardin is a 7000-year-old city that has hosted many different civilizations. It has also been a city of many religions and languages. A Turkish official labeled Mardin as the “capital of religions and languages”, a reflection of the numerous languages spoken in the province and of the co-habitation of people of different religious denomination. For this reason, the province is blessed with a great number of religious and cultural sites. Between 1160 and 1932 the city was the seat of the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch. Today the Patriarch lives in Damasc.
Syria but the existence of many churches and monasteries in the province of Mardin speak about a great Christian past. Starting with the 12th century the area was ruled by Muslims, Artukid Turks initially, succeeded by the Mongols, Akkoyunlu Turks and finally in the 16th Century the territory was conquered by the Ottoman Turks. They have built numerous religious structures (mosques, medreses, tombs, etc) creating an original Turkish-Islamic civilization.
There are many historical places such as museum, mosques, medreses, tombs. They are Zinciriye madrasah, Kasımiye Madrasah, Mardin Museum, Great Mosques, Mardin Bazaar, Deyrü'z-Zafaran Monastery etc. These historical places are very attraction to visit.
Mardin is a 7000-year-old city that has hosted many different civilizations. It has also been a city of many religions and languages. A Turkish official labeled Mardin as the “capital of religions and languages”, a reflection of the numerous languages spoken in the province and of the co-habitation of people of different religious denomination. For this reason, the province is blessed with a great number of religious and cultural sites. Between 1160 and 1932 the city was the seat of the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch. Today the Patriarch lives in Damasc.
Syria but the existence of many churches and monasteries in the province of Mardin speak about a great Christian past. Starting with the 12th century the area was ruled by Muslims, Artukid Turks initially, succeeded by the Mongols, Akkoyunlu Turks and finally in the 16th Century the territory was conquered by the Ottoman Turks. They have built numerous religious structures (mosques, medreses, tombs, etc) creating an original Turkish-Islamic civilization.
There are many historical places such as museum, mosques, medreses, tombs. They are Zinciriye madrasah, Kasımiye Madrasah, Mardin Museum, Great Mosques, Mardin Bazaar, Deyrü'z-Zafaran Monastery etc. These historical places are very attraction to visit.