Diyarbakir and the Arrival of Islam

You stand at the threshold of a city where every stone whispers legends of conquest, faith, and transformation. In 639 CE, Diyarbakır—then Amida—witnessed the arrival of Iyadh ibn Ghanm and his armies, an event that forever altered its destiny. Once a formidable Roman-Byzantine frontier, the city became a beacon of Islamic civilization in Anatolia. As you step beneath the shadow of the mighty Sur Walls, the world's second-longest defensive circuit, you'll feel the weight of centuries pressing close. The black basalt stones, quarried from ancient volcanoes, have borne witness to sieges, prayers, and the birth of new dynasties.

Your journey begins at the Mardin Gate, where caravans once brought treasures from Mesopotamia, and continues through the İçkale—the Inner Castle—where Roman command posts gave way to Islamic rule. At the Hz. Süleyman Mosque, you'll pay respects to the 27 Companions of the Prophet, whose sacrifice marked the dawn of a new era. The city's intellectual heart beats in the Zinciriye Medresesi, a 12th-century school echoing with the debates of scholars. Marvel at the Ulu Cami, a mosque built atop ancient foundations and revered as the fifth holiest site in Islam. Towering bastions like Ulu Beden Burcu and Yedi Kardeş Burcu proclaim the might of Seljuk and Artuqid sultans, their walls inscribed with symbols of faith and power. By the end, you'll have explored a living museum where the echoes of the Islamic Golden Age mingle with the laughter of present-day Diyarbakır.