The province of Mardin, overlooking the Mesopotamian Plain, has preserved the old- style carving in its houses. Dating from 1385, the Sultan Isa Medresse is an interesting, beautiful Turkish monument with its magnificent carved portal. The Kasim Pasa Medresse, is also significant for its dome of beautiful stonework and the Ulu Mosque with its well-decorated minaret, is another sightseeing spot. On a hill, 7 kms east of Mardin, you will see something you do not expect: Deynulzaferan, a Syriac- Jacobite monastery. Several kilometres further, there is another Monastery, Deyrelmur dating from the 5th- century. If you would like to see the best examples of Artutid architecture then you have to head for Kiziltepe, 21 kms south of Mardin, 13th- century Ulu Mosque with its fine mihrap relief and beautifully decorated portal. At Hasankeyf which is on the borderline with Batman province, you will see the ruins of the ancient 12th- century capital of the Artutids. The bridge which once connected the two parts of the city over the Tigris and the palace, are others. The 15th- century Zeynel Bey Mausoleum nearby, is attractively decorated with blue tiles.
city, capital of Mardin il (province), southeastern Turkey. It lies on the southern slopes of a broad highland that rises to an altitude of 3,450 ft (1,052 m) and overlooks extensive limestone plateaus. The locality receives more rainfall than the lower plains and has hot summers and cold winters. A ruined Roman citadel, rebuilt in medieval times, crowns the summit of the highland as evidence of Mardin's earlier existence as the
Marida (Marde, Maride, Merida) of antiquity. Marida was taken by the Seljuk Turks in the late 11th century and was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire by Sultan Selim I in 1516. The Ulu Cami (Great Mosque), dating from the Seljuk period, and the Sultan Isa Medresesi, a religious school built in the 14th century, are still standing.
Mardin is an important regional trading center on the east-west trade routes of southern Anatolia. It is connected by a branch line with the Istanbul-Baghdad railway and is linked by roads with Gaziantep (west), Aleppo (in Syria), Nusaybin (southeast), and Diyarbakir (northeast).
Mardin il (4,973 sq mi [12,879 sq km]), bordered on the south by Syria, is an agricultural area chiefly producing wheat, barley, and sesame. Angora goats are raised for mohair, and there is a small cotton- and woolen-weaving industry. In addition to the Turks, the il has a large population of Arabs and Kurds. Pop. (1980) city, 39,137; (1983 est.) il, 591,200.
inancmardin.jpg (22108 Byte)
Monastery of Deyrulzaferan
From a distance, the golden stone of Mardin houses blend into the rock of the hills on which the city is built. On closer inspection, the stone carving and decoration of the houses an public buildings reveals the city as an architectural treasure-chest. Among the jewels are the ancient citadel and several mosques, in particular, Ulu Mosque. The 15th century Kasim Pasa Medrese is remarkable for its fine stonework. At the lovely Isa Bey Medrese from the 14th century, you can admire the magnificently carved portal and climb to its roof to enjoy the fantastic view over the Mesopotamian Plain.
Only 7 kilometers east of mardin.htm is the Syriac-Jacobite Monastery of Deyrulzaferan, which once was a thriving religious community. Nearby at Kiziltepe, the 13th century Ulu Mosque, one of the best examples of Artukid architecture, has superb mihrab reliefs and a beautiful portal.
Midyat, famous for its silver objects known as 'telkari', has many elegant, historic houses. Eighteen kilometers east of town is the actively functioning Syriac-Jacobite monastery, Deyrelumur(San Gabriel)which dates from the beginning of the fifth century.
14 Mayıs 2010 Cuma
The province of Mardin
The province of Mardin is somewhat off the beaten tourist trail, but well worth the effort. The jewel of Mardin is the old city of Mardin itself, spilling down the side of a towering hill, with a surprisingly modern city below. The old Christian quarter of Midyat is worth a visit, as well. The big draw in the area, however, is the hidden Orthodox churches and monasteries. They are exquisite. The plight of the Suriani has eased, and their position there has stabilized--for now. Finally, much of the region could be considered the upper Mesopatamian plain. The enormous GAP irrigation project in Turkey is transforming this area before your eyes. The formerly arid region is green with new agricultural enterprises and bustling with new development. An eye-opener.
Mardin - Historical, with religious tolerance
A former family home
Mardin has an old and a new part. This house, from the old part, used to be owned by the Sahtana-family, great-grandparents of one of travelmates. In the old days, three or for generations of the family lived together in the house (which is of the type called "Konak", or mansion).
Today it is used by PTT, the Turkish post service, and there is free access to see it, as well as the wonderful view of the Mesopotamian plains from the building's top. The building is made from the local yellow sandstone and is decorated with very nice, traditional (arabesque-like) stone carvings round the windows and doors. The external stairs, leading up three stories, are very impressive and with classical dimensions, giving the whole building a serene view.
The old city is a maze of narrow streets, with steps going up and down the hillside and alleyways going through buildings. In spite of the weatherworn look of many of the buildings, some of medieval origin, there is nothing decrepit about the impression - rather, one is half expecting an Aladdin to come sprinting past one, sharply followed by traders yelling "Thief, thief". There is a sense of timelessness, yet also of days gone by, about walking in this quarter.
Today it is used by PTT, the Turkish post service, and there is free access to see it, as well as the wonderful view of the Mesopotamian plains from the building's top. The building is made from the local yellow sandstone and is decorated with very nice, traditional (arabesque-like) stone carvings round the windows and doors. The external stairs, leading up three stories, are very impressive and with classical dimensions, giving the whole building a serene view.
The old city is a maze of narrow streets, with steps going up and down the hillside and alleyways going through buildings. In spite of the weatherworn look of many of the buildings, some of medieval origin, there is nothing decrepit about the impression - rather, one is half expecting an Aladdin to come sprinting past one, sharply followed by traders yelling "Thief, thief". There is a sense of timelessness, yet also of days gone by, about walking in this quarter.
Old Mardin from afar At the top of the hill-almost-mountain behind the city proper, an impressive castle can be seen guarding this place where the Silk Road in the old days met the Mazidag mountain range. The height, at 1083 m, was almost certainly why Tamerland in his conquest in the 14th century failed to capture this fortress. Inside the walls a self-sufficient city could be found, complete with mosque, church, bazaar and palace. But the same height that protected the fortress was probably also why tradesmen i later, more secure, times, preferred to stop halfway up the mountain and set up camp there - creating the Mardin we have today. |
The Saffron Town Mardin
Overlooking a spring green and brown plain, Mardin encircles a buttress-like fortress with narrow streets and old buildings: mosques, medreses, homes, and a hidden monastery. The plain descended imperceptively into Syria as the sun set over Mesopotamia.
Among these buidings was a thirteenth century kervansarayi called Artuklu, where Prince Charles stayed a few years ago. This is where I stayed, with atmospheric arched hallways and saffron-colored stone.
The kervansarayi housed travelers hundreds of years ago, as they wandered between the plains to the south and the mountains of Anatolia. This was also a junction between east and west, with people coming from Persia to Constantinople and beyond.
Ancient Syriac Cross Carving
Ancient Syriac Cross Carving
Behind rocky hills a few kilometers out of town was the Saffron Monastery--Deyrul Zafaran, probably named after the building stonework. Fifteen hundred years old, the monastery was still active. On the hilltop, carved in the rocks, was the ruined monastery of St. Mary's, dating to the beginnings of Christianity. Newly-plowed reddish fields surrounded the monastery.
I arrived on Sunday to hear Aramaic chanted during the service, with a vocal style similar to Muslim prayers today. Aramaic inscriptions adorned the inside of the church as a few children--orphans at the monastery--cleaned the room after the services.
In the monastery was a room with the Patriarch's throne: this was one of the earliest Christian churches in the world, part of the Syriac Orthodox Church, better known maybe as the Jacobites. The first bishop of this lineage was Saint Peter, who in 33 AD began the first Christian Church in Antioch, where I'm writing this right now.
The throne was made of old walnut. Today, there wasn't a walnut tree in sight. The friendly attendant and guide, who was Aramaic, said that a long time ago there were walnut trees and forests here, but the ancient landscape had been completely deforested and tamed Aramaic Inscriptions, Crypt
Aramaic Inscriptions, Crypt
.
Around town, I ate lamacun baked in a charcoal oven at the Izmir Pide Firini and walked the narrow and steep streets between mosques and medresesi, with their intricate minarets and charm. The town was quiet as it was the Sabbath, with most places in the bazaar closed. Children played outside, one group yelling "touriste" and "tssst tssst" or "money, money" and others saying kindly "welcome to my town," in English.
Despite the beauty in Mardin, still the streets displayed a modern dirtiness: a used disposable diaper in the middle of the street, plastic bags everywhere. The current transition between old and new here is not clean. At the same time, shopkeepers swept in front of their doorways in the morning.
Leaving Mardin in the evening, everyone on the bus watched Austin Powers fighting "Dr. Shaitan" (Satan), but the channel was changed as news of the Turkish assault in Northern Iraq continued. The television presented the fighting against the PKK terrorists as if it were a movie, with dramatic music and special effects!
Among these buidings was a thirteenth century kervansarayi called Artuklu, where Prince Charles stayed a few years ago. This is where I stayed, with atmospheric arched hallways and saffron-colored stone.
The kervansarayi housed travelers hundreds of years ago, as they wandered between the plains to the south and the mountains of Anatolia. This was also a junction between east and west, with people coming from Persia to Constantinople and beyond.
Ancient Syriac Cross Carving
Ancient Syriac Cross Carving
Behind rocky hills a few kilometers out of town was the Saffron Monastery--Deyrul Zafaran, probably named after the building stonework. Fifteen hundred years old, the monastery was still active. On the hilltop, carved in the rocks, was the ruined monastery of St. Mary's, dating to the beginnings of Christianity. Newly-plowed reddish fields surrounded the monastery.
I arrived on Sunday to hear Aramaic chanted during the service, with a vocal style similar to Muslim prayers today. Aramaic inscriptions adorned the inside of the church as a few children--orphans at the monastery--cleaned the room after the services.
In the monastery was a room with the Patriarch's throne: this was one of the earliest Christian churches in the world, part of the Syriac Orthodox Church, better known maybe as the Jacobites. The first bishop of this lineage was Saint Peter, who in 33 AD began the first Christian Church in Antioch, where I'm writing this right now.
The throne was made of old walnut. Today, there wasn't a walnut tree in sight. The friendly attendant and guide, who was Aramaic, said that a long time ago there were walnut trees and forests here, but the ancient landscape had been completely deforested and tamed Aramaic Inscriptions, Crypt
Aramaic Inscriptions, Crypt
.
Around town, I ate lamacun baked in a charcoal oven at the Izmir Pide Firini and walked the narrow and steep streets between mosques and medresesi, with their intricate minarets and charm. The town was quiet as it was the Sabbath, with most places in the bazaar closed. Children played outside, one group yelling "touriste" and "tssst tssst" or "money, money" and others saying kindly "welcome to my town," in English.
Despite the beauty in Mardin, still the streets displayed a modern dirtiness: a used disposable diaper in the middle of the street, plastic bags everywhere. The current transition between old and new here is not clean. At the same time, shopkeepers swept in front of their doorways in the morning.
Leaving Mardin in the evening, everyone on the bus watched Austin Powers fighting "Dr. Shaitan" (Satan), but the channel was changed as news of the Turkish assault in Northern Iraq continued. The television presented the fighting against the PKK terrorists as if it were a movie, with dramatic music and special effects!
Turkey's Old Jerusalem Mardin
Greetings from Mardin.
After Hasankeyf we decided to stop off at Mardin before hitting Urfa. After Hasankeyf Mardin was going to have to offer us something special if she was to capture our hearts and minds.
And she didn't disappoint. Mardin is a beautiful ancient town crowned with a castle overlooking the vast, roasted Mesopotamian plains that extend into Syria. The honey coloured houses of the town give it feel similar to old Jerusalem. Quite magnificent to behold to be honest.
We only really had 2 days in Mardin and it's said that the rambling bazaar is the most obvious attraction where donkey's still rule the roost 01 Us And The Mesopotamian Plains..
01 Us And The Mesopotamian Plains..
. The bazaar winds around the small alleyways of Mardin and sells eveything from donkey saddles to bananas, ornate jewellery to baby wipes. Essentially you name it, you can buy it.
It's also home to some ancient and ornate mosques and medresesi (Islamic school) as well as the most amazing post office we've seen thus far.
It also gave us the opportunity to sit down and have a good chat with some Italian friends we've seen throughout Eastern Turkey, Lorenzo and Stefano. Not sure what it is with the Milanese but they seem to love to travel to weird and wonderful places.
All in all Mardin was a great place to spend a couple of days' again the people were more than friendly, the place is a joy to behold and the setting couldn't be more amazing.
Hope all is well at home.
Next pod, Urfa - Turkey (our last stop in Turkey).
Love,
Nath and Kat.
After Hasankeyf we decided to stop off at Mardin before hitting Urfa. After Hasankeyf Mardin was going to have to offer us something special if she was to capture our hearts and minds.
And she didn't disappoint. Mardin is a beautiful ancient town crowned with a castle overlooking the vast, roasted Mesopotamian plains that extend into Syria. The honey coloured houses of the town give it feel similar to old Jerusalem. Quite magnificent to behold to be honest.
We only really had 2 days in Mardin and it's said that the rambling bazaar is the most obvious attraction where donkey's still rule the roost 01 Us And The Mesopotamian Plains..
01 Us And The Mesopotamian Plains..
. The bazaar winds around the small alleyways of Mardin and sells eveything from donkey saddles to bananas, ornate jewellery to baby wipes. Essentially you name it, you can buy it.
It's also home to some ancient and ornate mosques and medresesi (Islamic school) as well as the most amazing post office we've seen thus far.
It also gave us the opportunity to sit down and have a good chat with some Italian friends we've seen throughout Eastern Turkey, Lorenzo and Stefano. Not sure what it is with the Milanese but they seem to love to travel to weird and wonderful places.
All in all Mardin was a great place to spend a couple of days' again the people were more than friendly, the place is a joy to behold and the setting couldn't be more amazing.
Hope all is well at home.
Next pod, Urfa - Turkey (our last stop in Turkey).
Love,
Nath and Kat.
About Mardin Cont'd
The Breakfast at Erdoba was nothing special.
As I was walking around the post office, I came across a local guide called Galip. He took me to every single spot listed in Lonely Planet.
I have visited numerous cities in Anatolia. None of them had the overwhelming ambience that Mardin has. The light yellow colored Midyat stone, which has been used in most of the buildings, is a significant contributor.
Galip: 15; has a meticulous hair cut and wears maroon shoes that are much bigger than his feet; his father is a partner at a barber shop, but he doesn't work there as an apprentice; instead, he has chosen to become a tour guide; says that there are way too many barbers in Mardin; when he grows up, he would like to be a military officer; he is contented with Mardin; has a single sibling; only prays on Fridays; he is an Arab.
Samuel: mid 30s; the Syrian Christian at the Forty Martyrs Church; he says that they are happy living within a predominantloy muslim society; there are approximately 500 Syrian Christians living in Mardin and they speak Arabic among each other; however, they learn Assyrian as they grow up; foreigners are allowed to attend the Sunday service, but this Sunday the service was not held at the Forty Martyrs.
Remember that Mardin has been established on a hill. Kurds occupy the lowest altitudes; Syrian Christians live in the middle and Arabs live at the top.
Most of the historical buildings found in Mardin are from the Artuklu period. (roughly 12th Century AD)
Housing units are connected to each other via long tunnels, like the ones featured in the Pontecorvo film, the Battle of Algiers.
Cercis Murat Konagi features delicious local food in an authentic setting.
Mardin has as many internet cafes as it has barber shops. It is a major industry with its high-speed internet and extensive snack menu. The situation was similar in Urfa.
At Erdoba, the baker in charge of the brick oven is really good. I had a meat, cheese, tomatoe and pepper pide (Turkified pizza) for dinner.
As I was walking around the post office, I came across a local guide called Galip. He took me to every single spot listed in Lonely Planet.
I have visited numerous cities in Anatolia. None of them had the overwhelming ambience that Mardin has. The light yellow colored Midyat stone, which has been used in most of the buildings, is a significant contributor.
Galip: 15; has a meticulous hair cut and wears maroon shoes that are much bigger than his feet; his father is a partner at a barber shop, but he doesn't work there as an apprentice; instead, he has chosen to become a tour guide; says that there are way too many barbers in Mardin; when he grows up, he would like to be a military officer; he is contented with Mardin; has a single sibling; only prays on Fridays; he is an Arab.
Samuel: mid 30s; the Syrian Christian at the Forty Martyrs Church; he says that they are happy living within a predominantloy muslim society; there are approximately 500 Syrian Christians living in Mardin and they speak Arabic among each other; however, they learn Assyrian as they grow up; foreigners are allowed to attend the Sunday service, but this Sunday the service was not held at the Forty Martyrs.
Remember that Mardin has been established on a hill. Kurds occupy the lowest altitudes; Syrian Christians live in the middle and Arabs live at the top.
Most of the historical buildings found in Mardin are from the Artuklu period. (roughly 12th Century AD)
Housing units are connected to each other via long tunnels, like the ones featured in the Pontecorvo film, the Battle of Algiers.
Cercis Murat Konagi features delicious local food in an authentic setting.
Mardin has as many internet cafes as it has barber shops. It is a major industry with its high-speed internet and extensive snack menu. The situation was similar in Urfa.
At Erdoba, the baker in charge of the brick oven is really good. I had a meat, cheese, tomatoe and pepper pide (Turkified pizza) for dinner.
About Mardin
Tony moved on to Gaziantep. I started off the day with a cream and honey breakfast at Zahter, a restaurant that serves breakfast only.
I took a minibus from the main bus stop to Harran. The driver was Arab. I realized for the first time that there is a significant Arabic speaking group in Turkey.This is perhaps because they keep quite and stay away from the headlines...
Kurds seem to love pink, purple and their shades. I have seen an unusual amount of men wearing violet pusis to cover their heads.
At Harran, the locals no longer use the behive houses. They are used as storage space or for touristic purposes. One of these 150-year-old structures was actually replaced by a concrete building Deyrulzafaran Monestary
Deyrulzafaran Monestary
. When I asked my local guide Cemal what the government's take was on the replacement of the historical houses his response was succinct: "It's election season..."
Stupidly enough, I hadn't told my hotel manager how long I would be staying. So I missed the check out deadline and they ripped me off by making me pay for an extra night. I got mad both at them and at myself.
I arrived in Mardin with the Yeni Midyat bus company, in 3 hours. It cost 20 YTL. The bus dropped me off at a Ford Auto-gallery owned my a family friend. When I entered the owner's office he was conversing with his Syrian brother-in-law in Arabic. He could not understand why I wanted to backpack the world. Unfortunately, many people can't...
As the manager of the Auto-gallery was showing me around, two guys either from the National Intelligence Service (MIT) or from the Police showed up and complained about how much terrorism-related work they had these days.
The Manager: early 30s; used to be involved in the textiles industry in Istanbul; then went bankrupt and returned to his home town of Midyat with increasing pressure from his family; happy with the local AKP government just because they are not the Kurdish party (DTP); of Arab descent; sometimes get bored of the conservative culture and the mundane lifestyle here Harran
Harran
.
Had stuffed ribs and stuffed intestine at Selim Amca, for dinner. The best I have ever had. Apparently, they have chains in Istanbul.
I'm staying at a renovated traditional Mardin house called Erdoba Konaklari. It's a boutique hotel with stylish yet dusty rooms. My hosts would not let me pay for it.
Mardin is a unique city in terms of planning. It is established on a hill with a single road sloaping towards the Mardin Castle. The view from the terrace of the hotel is terrific. Looks like the Bosphorous at night, because there are lights on both sides and pitch black in between.
As I was watching around on the way to Mardin, I noticed that the environment had changed completely. Up until this point, I had not seen purely rock and earth on a hill. There had always been fields or houses on the land. Looks like a war-zone.
There is no industry in Mardin. Before the War in Iraq, every household used to have a truck with which they smuggled goods like crude oil, from Iraq. That has died out along with many others.
I took a minibus from the main bus stop to Harran. The driver was Arab. I realized for the first time that there is a significant Arabic speaking group in Turkey.This is perhaps because they keep quite and stay away from the headlines...
Kurds seem to love pink, purple and their shades. I have seen an unusual amount of men wearing violet pusis to cover their heads.
At Harran, the locals no longer use the behive houses. They are used as storage space or for touristic purposes. One of these 150-year-old structures was actually replaced by a concrete building Deyrulzafaran Monestary
Deyrulzafaran Monestary
. When I asked my local guide Cemal what the government's take was on the replacement of the historical houses his response was succinct: "It's election season..."
Stupidly enough, I hadn't told my hotel manager how long I would be staying. So I missed the check out deadline and they ripped me off by making me pay for an extra night. I got mad both at them and at myself.
I arrived in Mardin with the Yeni Midyat bus company, in 3 hours. It cost 20 YTL. The bus dropped me off at a Ford Auto-gallery owned my a family friend. When I entered the owner's office he was conversing with his Syrian brother-in-law in Arabic. He could not understand why I wanted to backpack the world. Unfortunately, many people can't...
As the manager of the Auto-gallery was showing me around, two guys either from the National Intelligence Service (MIT) or from the Police showed up and complained about how much terrorism-related work they had these days.
The Manager: early 30s; used to be involved in the textiles industry in Istanbul; then went bankrupt and returned to his home town of Midyat with increasing pressure from his family; happy with the local AKP government just because they are not the Kurdish party (DTP); of Arab descent; sometimes get bored of the conservative culture and the mundane lifestyle here Harran
Harran
.
Had stuffed ribs and stuffed intestine at Selim Amca, for dinner. The best I have ever had. Apparently, they have chains in Istanbul.
I'm staying at a renovated traditional Mardin house called Erdoba Konaklari. It's a boutique hotel with stylish yet dusty rooms. My hosts would not let me pay for it.
Mardin is a unique city in terms of planning. It is established on a hill with a single road sloaping towards the Mardin Castle. The view from the terrace of the hotel is terrific. Looks like the Bosphorous at night, because there are lights on both sides and pitch black in between.
As I was watching around on the way to Mardin, I noticed that the environment had changed completely. Up until this point, I had not seen purely rock and earth on a hill. There had always been fields or houses on the land. Looks like a war-zone.
There is no industry in Mardin. Before the War in Iraq, every household used to have a truck with which they smuggled goods like crude oil, from Iraq. That has died out along with many others.
Kaydol:
Kayıtlar (Atom)