Mardin Things to Do

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Mardin is famous for its old town on top of the mountain lined with its historic golden honey coloured houses made of limestones which are pretty enhanced during sunset. The houses are built in layers on the sides of the rock steep mountain. It’s a magical setting or fairy tale if I may use the adjective, with the castle perched on top, you could easily imagine the distant past of a kingdom with its king’s castle on the high hill with its constituents residing around it.

Most of the houses which are decorated with ornate old carvings are big enough to fit extended family members.

Here’s a trivia --- Houses that have a carved picture of the Kaaba in Makkah on its doors means that the owner has already made the pilgrimage to Makkah.

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Melik Mahmut Mosque, also called Bab’es Sur was built during the 14th century. It is known for its large gate which features elaborate stonework.

According to an inscription, it was built in the third quarter of the 14th century. The main portal facing the main square and road is an elaborately decorated stonework. The mosque has a central dome and is flanked by two barrel-vaulted sections.

The empty square mausoleum of Melik Mahmut is located in the courtyard.

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The mosque and madrasa (Islamic school) was built by Sultan Melik Nasruddin Artuk Aslan in 1214

The madrasa has a courtyard surrounded by porticos, several iwans, and a mosque. The ribbed and intricately carved minaret with two balconies was added later between 1916-1917 hence it contrasted in style to the rest of the structure.

There is a big elevated terrace on the right side serving as an open air café.

Sultan Atuk Aslan was buried in this madrasa.

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I walked along the main road and just infront of the Cig Kofte – the building with layers of terraces there is a long wide stairs going up so I climbed it and there it is the intricately decorated gate of the madrasa.

The madrasa (Islamic school) is constructed in 1385 by Melik Necmeddin Isa Bin Muzaffer Davud Bin El Melik Salih – Sultan Isa for short.

It is a large complex that includes a mosque and the tomb of Sultan Isa. The two storey building houses two courtyards in its 2 levels, a mosque, mausoleum and other chambers. There are beautiful ribbed domes on both ends of the roof and a high massive portal to the east. It served also as an observatory owing to its high elevated position. In the middle of the courtyard passed the arched porticos is a fountain.

The madrasa used to be the old Mardin Museum until it was transferred to the new (church) building along the main Cumhuriyet Cad.

At some point in history when Tamerlane – the founder of Timurid Dynasty – conquered Mardin, Sultan Isa was imprisoned in this madrasa.

From the courtyard of the second level, you can have a good view of Mardin castle above.

Entry is free.

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Every city in Turkey has its grand mosque and Mardin is no exception. The grand mosque of Mardin is located further down the edge of the mountain so much so that looking at it from above a distance, the several green mounds of plains below serves as a dramatic background including the horizons which I believe is where the country of Syria lies.

The grand mosque was built during the 12th century by the ruler of the Artukid Turks, Qutb ad-din Ilghazi. Its tall Artuqid minaret dominates the skyline of the city. It is divided into four decorative sections with carved rings and a muqarnas balcony. Kufic compositions inscribed in tear drop motifs and medallions adorn the lower two sections, while the third section and the octagonal tower above the balcony are decorated simply with blind niches and arcades framed by carved moldings.

There were originally two minarets, but one collapsed many centuries ago. The ribbed dome is quite interesting against the seemingly endless horizon.

I went to this coffee teahouse with an entrance along the Cumhuriyet Cadessi as you will have a really nice view of the minaret and the dome on top of the mosque, against the plains.

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This mosque along the main thoroughfare of Cumhuriyet Cad. is built on the foundation of an old church. Built in 1960, the arched entrance is intricately decorated with flowers in vines and geometric designs and a two stars on both sides. Some Arabic inscriptions too around the name of the mosque.

One minaret is attached on one side of the mosque.

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Up to the time of visit, the 3,000 years old castle is closed to the public at least for the past 50 years. Because of its strategic position – at more than 1,000 meteres high from the ground level – it was deployed by NATO during the cold war, and was used by Air Radar Position Commandership for 50 years.

The castle, which has hosted Subari, Sumerian, Babylonian, Mitanni, Assyrian, Persian, Roman, Byzantine, Ummayad, Abbasid, Hamdani, Seljuk, Artuqid, Qaraqoyunlu, Akkoyunlu and Safavid rulers and the Ottoman sultan, was never conquered by any other army. It was besieged several times but never occupied.

Plans has it that it will undergo a TL20 million worth of restoration and will then be opened to the public to attract more tourists to come to Mardin.

This is a long awaited moment for the people of Mardin and for tourists as well.

But for the moment – getting beyond the prohibited boundaries surrounding the castle is strictly prohibited and will put tourist crossing the line in danger from possible military assault.

I just content myself getting to the best possible distance that I could have a good view of the castle above from below.

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On the right side of the Mardin Museum there is a stairs with a dilapidated building and on the left is a gate (closed) with a sign that says "Meryem Ana Kilisesi or the Church of the Virgin Mary with a year - 1895.

It is a Syrian Catholic Church built by Antun Semhari.