Diyarbakır is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in Turkey due to its unique location. Tourism in Diyarbakır is captivating thanks to the abundance of heritage sites and attractions it offers. Diyarbakır, located in southeastern Turkey, welcomes tourists from all over the world.
Information about tourism in Diyarbakır, Turkey
Diyarbakır is considered one of the best tourist regions in Turkey and is one of the largest cities in southeastern Turkey, often regarded as the informal capital of Northern Kurdistan.
Situated on the banks of the Tigris River, it is the administrative center of Diyarbakır Province.
The area around Diyarbakır has been inhabited since the Stone Age, as evidenced by the discovery of tools from that period in the Hilar Cave complex nearby.
The pre-pottery settlement at Çayönü dates back more than 10,000 years; its remains are displayed at the Diyarbakır Museum.
Some crafts, such as jewelry making and other handicrafts, still continue today, although the fame of Diyarbakır’s artisans has diminished.
Folk dancing accompanied by drums and zurna (a type of pipe) is a part of weddings and celebrations in the region.
Diyarbakır is famous for its rich lamb dishes, which feature spices such as black pepper, sumac, coriander, rice, bulgur, and butter.
The most famous dish is Meftuni, made of lamb and vegetables covered with garlic and sumac.
Another well-known dish is Kaporğa Dolması, consisting of lamb ribs baked and stuffed with rice and many spices.
Diyarbakır is also known for its watermelons, which are exported internationally. One of the city’s biggest events is the annual watermelon festival.
Being situated on historical trade routes and founded on fertile lands, Diyarbakır—also historically known as Amed and Amid—has always attracted civilizations.
Over the course of 12,500 years of history, the city has been home to inhabitants from the Paleolithic to the Neolithic era, as evidenced by the Amine Tumulus located also in Eğil.
Escaliy, in fact, is a miniature depiction of Diyarbakır’s journey through time, aside from the tombs that also contain remains of the large Artuqid Anatolian palace.
What are the best tourist areas in Diyarbakır, Turkey?
There are many tourist areas in Diyarbakır, such as the Grand Mosque, and here are the top 13:
1. The Great Mosque
Located in central old Diyarbakır, it is part of a complex that includes two mosques, two schools, two enclosed kiosks, an ablution fountain, a swimming pool, and toilets.
The oldest monuments are the courtyard and the Grand Mosque on the southern side of it, with the kiosks at the western and eastern ends of the mosque.
The courtyard is an irregular quadrangle oriented east–west, surrounded by a portico on the north, east, and west sides.
Currently, it has three entrances: the northern entrance is like a corridor extending between the Shafi‘i Mosque, the toilets, and the Mas'udiyya school.
The southwest entrance opens into a narrow alley where the Zingeri school is located.
The entrance with the pointed arch opening onto Gazi Street features the most famous Seljuk-era carvings depicting scenes of animal combat.
Above the arch is a lateral molding representing a border at the top of a floral Kufic inscription stretching across the arch.
Beneath the inscription is a relief scene of a bullfight. On either side of the arch are panels of Kufic floral inscription belonging to the same band.
The combat scenes are carved from a single high-relief block using chamfer carving technique.
The triumphant animal is the lion, shown with its head facing forward while its body appears in profile—pointed ears, large eyes, flat and broad nose, mask-like cheeks. Muscular lines emphasized with deep grooves; only one foreleg is shown while the other is hidden behind. Powerful claws grip the bull’s back, while its tail spirals upward.
The submerged animal is the bull below, shown in full profile. The bull’s tragic collapse, kneeling and attempting to escape under the weight of the lion above, completes the scene.
The courtyard floor is paved with basalt blocks, and the mosque lies to the south. The prayer hall is rectangular, oriented east–west.
2. Sofrisi
As the most important meal of the day, the tradition of having breakfast has become more common. The breakfast culture, which comes to mind after a week’s fatigue on Sundays, fills up as friends gather to chat and drink tea.
Sofrisi in Diyarbakır is one of the many well-known places for a Turkish breakfast.
At Sofrisi, which serves breakfast and delicious pastries, you’ll find various types of breakfast.
We highly recommend trying the Ottoman breakfast, which gives your stomach a festive atmosphere with flavors like layered pies.
You can find plant-based products at Sofrisi, which has multiple branches.
Bosphorus Restaurant, serving since 1906, almost defies time.
This place, which loves itself every time it lives, continues to feed children, youth, adults, and the elderly.
When you come to Bosphorus Restaurant, serving 65 different meals daily, you will find it difficult to decide what to eat.
If you need advice, you are sure to ring our bells by trying the Ankara Pan.
This wonderful taste of the pearl will embrace you and never let you go in this place that continues to serve in Tendayi.
İnafavtalar Street, where the restaurant is located, is a half-hour walk from the center of Diyarbakır, but you can also take a taxi.
Diyarbakır kebab is a local dish with its own special flavor, and it cannot be eaten well everywhere.
You cannot reach the kind of flavor you are looking for and must convince yourself.
That’s why we have advice to make you smile: Mr. Sadiq Sadiq Usta, also known as Mr. Adana Kebab. It includes and covers flavor, made almost entirely from Turkish food-grade butter, with interesting decorative features.
3. Sauce Paris de Paris
It captures the hearts of meat lovers in Diyarbakır.
There are many flavors that can be recommended here, bearing delicious tastes from Diyarbakır to Ankara.
This is why we recommend you try mumbar, which you are less likely to eat anywhere else, and you can get it from the stand—very clean and delicious.
It carries the address of the first café in Diyarbakır, a journey through time with a vintage theme.
The fame of Sauce Paris de Paris café, which will soften your mouth as soon as you see it on the signboard, has spread.
Each café contains many customers from outside the city who recommend this taste.
Moreover, this place wants to create a flavor that suits the mouth.
The “Historical Kitchen” restaurant in Diyarbakır is famous for the tandoor.
In fact, this place, formerly known as the famous Tandırcı, has brought this taste to a legendary level over time. In Tarihi Mutfak, dinner comes several times, and kebab and reğayi chicken are very popular.
Moreover, students prefer it even if it’s budget-friendly; if you are looking to meet these flavors, it provides service oriented to customers.
As if the onion wrap with sauce wasn’t delicious enough, this place has succeeded in attracting wrap lovers with the salad and French fries served.
The semolina ice cream you’ll eat from behind is so beautiful that you cannot find its counterpart anywhere else.
If you love beef liver, we strongly recommend visiting Siyer when you are in Diyarbakır; the taste of those lungs in the bottle is very different.
4. The Mitanni Hittite Kingdom – a major historical landmark
The strong fortifications in Diyarbakır date back to ancient times and consist of a massive double set of city walls stretching about 6 km, plus a citadel.
The first major civilization to establish what is now Diyarbakır was the Mitanni Hittite Kingdom, which made it its military and trade capital. The city was then ruled by nearly every power controlling Upper Mesopotamia—the Assyrians, Urartians, Medes, Seleucids, and Parthians.
At some point during this ancient period, the massive city walls were built for the first time.
After Roman colonization, the city (then called Amid) was expanded under Roman Emperor Constantius II, who also built new walls around the city in 349 AD.
However, shortly after these new walls were built, the city was besieged (359 AD) by the Persian Emperor Shapur II (the tenth king of the Sassanid Empire) in a siege that lasted 73 days.
Diyarbakır (Amid) was repeatedly changed in subsequent wars between Romans and Persians and was in Byzantine hands when the Arabs took it in 639 AD.
The city was then ruled by several Arab, Turkish, Mongol, and Persian dynasties until Ottoman Sultan Selim I captured it in 1516. Diyarbakır became a large and important provincial capital under the Ottomans.
Its location near the Persian border gave it strategic significance, and the city was used as a base for armies facing the Safavid Empire of Persia.
The triple walls (or more precisely, double walls plus the citadel) in Diyarbakır are an excellent example of medieval military architecture in the Middle East.
They were significantly expanded and restored during Arab and Turkish periods.
The old basalt city walls largely remain (the lower outer wall is mostly gone). It runs about 6 km (3 miles) with 82 towers and 4 gates.
5. Diyarbakır Sülüklü Han (Leech Inn)
One of the most important historical buildings in Diyarbakır, dating back to the 17th century. It is a must‑visit stop on your Diyarbakır tour.
The inn, which was a significant health center in its time, was renovated in 2010 and opened to visitors.
Doctors used to frequent it to treat themselves using leeches from the courtyard well.
On the upper floor, rooms near the entrance were used for guest relaxation and now operate as a café.
This inn, formerly one of the most popular sites for visitors, served as military quarters during the War of Independence.
In an authentic environment where you can chat, you can drink your coffee and it is one of the most popular places in recent days—after passing a blacksmith’s workshop on the left.
A place imbued with a historic scent: many people do not realize the historic beauty of the city. The routine of daily commercial life imposes a lifestyle that is natural and sometimes prevents people from appreciating the historic beauty they pass every day.
6. The Tigris River
The name Tigris comes from an old Persian word that can be translated as “swift” or “arrow-like.” The ancient Sumerians called the Tigris “Diyamina.”
The Tigris River is about 1,850 km long and originates in the eastern Taurus Mountains, historically known as Armenia. It generally flows southeast, passing through Amid (modern Diyarbakır).
As it crosses the royal road from Assyria to Anatolia, it passes Nineveh and Assur. It receives waters from the Batman, Great Zab, Little Zab, and Diyala rivers.
Upon meeting the Diyala, the city of Opis was built, somewhat similar to modern Baghdad. This is where the river becomes navigable for shallow-draft boats; above it, the river is very irregular, though rafts could reach Nineveh.
In Opis, the river reaches the Babylonian plain and turns south, becoming meandering.
There are not many large cities due to flooding: the river receives runoff from the Armenian snowmelt in March. Tigris flooding reaches Babylon from May to June, a particularly unlucky time because it is harvest season in April.
Moreover, the Tigris, which receives rainwater from the Zagros via its tributaries, can have violent and unpredictable floods that cannot be controlled.
As a result, in the 4th millennium BC, people built dams and dug canals. It is often said that this was a root cause of city and state development.
Today, the Tigris and Euphrates rivers unify about 165 km northwest of the Persian Gulf shoreline; their combined path is known as the Shatt-al-Arab, near the ancient city of Khorez.
7. Hevsel Gardens – among Diyarbakır’s best tourist areas
Hevsel Gardens are considered one of the best tourist areas in Diyarbakır; they have been described as the Garden of Eden.
Formed southeast of the city on fertile land nourished by the Tigris.
The gardens, home to many fruit trees and vegetable patches, along with the city walls, have provided Diyarbakır with produce for thousands of years.
These fertile gardens along the Tigris host migratory birds. The birds recover there and about 108 bird species make their home in Hevsel, close to the Goat Tower.
This unique beauty was recorded in UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 2015.
The city walls of Diyarbakır—one of the oldest and strongest in the world—are second in length only to the Great Wall of China. They stretch about 5.5 km and rise to 8 m high; they are divided into inner and outer walls and made from basalt blocks.
It’s not known exactly when or by whom the walls were built. Nearly all of the walls are intact and encircle the old city, known today as Diyarbakır.
From a general view, Diyarbakır Castle appears like a turbot.
Ornamental bands of carved inscriptions and decorations surround the upper part of the walls.
The citadel includes 82 watchtowers—square, polygonal, and circular—including the infamous Goat Tower, Seven Brothers Tower, Evli Bedin Tower, Dikapı Tower, and Nur Tower.
The castle has four gates opening in four directions.
The animal and plant motifs, double‑headed eagle, sphinx, bull and lion combat, and inscriptions adorn the gates and towers—thus, Diyarbakır is called the “Castle City,” as its history is literally written on the stones.
8. Sourp Giragos Church – a major tourism landmark
Armenians from all over the world flocked to Sourp Giragos Church in Diyarbakır on October 22 to attend the consecration of the largest Armenian church in the Middle East and the Badarak service the following day.
Hundreds gathered inside Sourp Giragos on Saturday for the consecration service.
They were welcomed with Armenian-language banners, and Armenian music played in the streets, cafes, and hotels across the city.
The church was restored by Sourb Giragos Armenians and with support from the Kurdish-led municipality.
The church, which witnessed a century of destruction, neglect, and denial, now stands defiantly against all powers suppressing freedom in Turkey.
As believers from different religions came in complete harmony, its political message was not lost on anyone.
Diyarbakır Mayor Osman Baydemir emphasized the importance of confronting the past and seeking justice as part of reconciliation and democracy.
In an interview with “Weekly,” the Kurdish politician said that many view the renewal as an act asking for forgiveness.
It’s unknown when and where Christianity entered Amid. Historically, early missionaries, either directly from Jerusalem (the seat of James) or dispatched from Antioch (seat of Peter) or from Edessa (seat of Thomas), introduced Christianity there.
Armenians assert that Thaddeus and Bartholomew preached in its midst on their way north to the Armenian highlands, while Syriac sources attribute the introduction to Thomas, Addai, and Mari.
No one can be sure that a church was established in Amid during the first century.
It’s also unclear who the first bishop was in Amid, and what kind of persecution the community faced during the first three centuries of Christian formation.
It is known that in 325 AD, a bishop named Simon from Amid attended the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea.
9. Assyrian Orthodox Church of the Virgin Mary
The present-day Assyrian Orthodox Church of the Virgin Mary dates back to the 3rd century in southeastern Turkey’s Diyarbakır.
Known historically as Saint Mary’s Church, it is a living monument of Syriac literature, culture, and heritage.
Over the years, the church held literature, culture, images—even a piece of the wooden cross on which Jesus was crucified.
Before this city was called Diyarbakır, it was named Amed, which in Syriac attests that it was formerly the seat of the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch.
It is also known that five patriarchs and saints were buried in the Church’s Mar Ya‘qub section.
The Church of Saint Mary is known, alongside its historical and religious importance, for its unique style—its holy images, intricately hand-carved walnut doors, stone walls, tile floors, and silver lamps (kandiller).
In recent years, the church has deteriorated and is in need of restoration and maintenance.
Preservation as a Syriac church is essential—everyone is obliged to preserve Diyarbakır’s Church of Saint Mary as one of the oldest symbols of Syriac culture and achievement.
When Diyarbakır was known as “Amed” in Syriac, it was the seat of some of the Assyrian/Syriac Patriarchs of the East. As such, it was a hub that produced many theologians and patriarchs.
The church contains several relics, including the bones of Apostle Thomas and Saint Jacob of Serugh.
The church also has a significant and highly valuable collection of manuscripts.
It is a Syriac historical church with a serene and magnificent décor.
On the day you visit, you may be lucky to meet the English-speaking priest, who will share some vibrant details about the history of his congregation. Admission is 2 Turkish lira.
10. Zerzivan Fortress – a tourism landmark in Diyarbakır
Zerzivan Fortress is located at a strategic point where military and civilians have lived. It was used from 882 until the arrival of Islamic armies in 639.
It is an important residential and military area, and it is mentioned that the fortress gained great importance, especially during Roman times.
It is a significant settlement between Amid and Dara, protecting border towns of Rome, especially on the old road.
Zerzivan is the modern name; its Roman name was Samajehi, and in Assyrian it was called Kinajub.
The 3,000-year-old fortress, including a Mithras temple in Diyarbakır, has attracted foreign documentaries and thus holds an important spot among Diyarbakır’s tourism landmarks.
Some archaeological excavations began this year at Zerzivan Fortress, which was used as a military settlement in the Roman period, near the Demirölk neighborhood, 13 km from the city of Sincar.
The Mithras temple, discovered last year—the last one known in the world—has captured the world's attention.
The temple belongs to the mysterious Roman religion; its rituals are hidden, and all temples are underground. It’s the sun god believed to control the entire universe.
Additionally, in the excavations there is a secret passage where soldiers stayed, where civilians and underground churches expressed their voice in the cosmos. Excavations in the fortress will last about 50 years.
The excavations in the Roman city called “Samajehi” will provide precise information about the period during which the settlement was first built.
The fortress walls and structures were restored during the reigns of Anastasius I (491–518) and Justinian I (527–565).
The fortification is 12–15 m high and 1,200 m long over an area of 60 acres, with a 21-meter defense tower, church, administrative building, dwellings, grain and weapon warehouses, a small underground church, and shelters.
11. Diyarbakır House (Dengbej House)
The building, now serving as the Dengbej house of Diyarbakır, has been around for approximately 100 years.
The house contains two large rooms and a large courtyard owned by the Dengbej.
Because it’s cool in summer, Dengbej regularly gather in the courtyard.
Every day 10–15 Dengbej visit this house and perform their artistic work, but on special occasions like festivals, the number of Dengbejlars there exceeds 30.
The word Dengbej is actually composed of Kurdish “deng” (voice) and “bej” (to say). Dengbej express tragedy, sorrow, joy, love, etc.
They emotionally process events and phenomena.
Adorned with rhythm and melody, they mature through musical enchantment and convey this to the audience at Diyarbakır’s tourist sites.
Dengbejlars are not only singers or storytellers, but also bearers of Kurdish culture, oral literature, history, and music—they are messengers of history.
With strong voices and expressive techniques, they appear in global sociology dictionaries: “The word flies, the writing remains.”
They are not only vocal artists but also legends, storytellers, folklorists, poets, composers, and musical geniuses.
They are the Homer of the Kurds, referencing everything related to humanity and life in their artistic narratives, studying every social issue.
One important point about Dengbej is that most of them are men, but there are very important women Dengbej such as Goldal and Merimkhan.
12. Teen‑Ayed Bridge (Bridge of Two Eyes)
The “Eyes” of the Teen-Ayed Bridge—one of the symbols of the Tigris Valley in Diyarbakır—were filled with soil and turned into a tea garden.
No explanation was issued by the ministry or local authorities regarding this matter or the execution.
In addition to the bridge’s landscape, two out of every ten arches of the Tigris River bridge—known as Teen-Ayed Bridge—were filled with soil and converted into a “tea garden.”
The project began in 2008, and the bridge was closed to vehicular traffic; some landscaping modifications around it were implemented.
Meaning: due to the density in an area that became a recreational zone for Diyarbakır residents, the idea to work around the bridge became increasingly appealing.
As part of the “urban design and landscaping applications in Dicle Valley,” the recreational Kiriklar Hill area in Diyarbakır was constructed by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization; while works were ongoing around Kiriklar Hill, it was understood that the land on both sides of the bridge was filled with soil.
The land filled with soil quickly turned into a kind of tea garden after this unqualified historical intervention and disrespect.
The stance of the ministry, which recently intervened intensively in Dicle Valley, the castle, and its surroundings, is that planned arrangements here will harm the sensitive and complex structure in Diyarbakır.
The magnificent bridge—known as Yedi Bridge, Tigris Bridge, Silvan Bridge, Mervani Bridge—is located about 3 km west of Mardin Gate.
As understood from historical records, the construction of the Yedi Bridge is believed to date to the fitness period of Anastasius in the 6th century.
Tourism in Diyarbakır knows the inscriptions in the first three eyes of the bridge, indicating that the historic bridge underwent many phases of repair.
13. Süleyman Türbesi Mosque
One of the most important religious sites in the world for Muslims is the Süleyman ibn Ishaq Karam Mosque—the son of Sheikh Khalid ibn al‑Walid, Harith Süleyman.
Historian, author, and president of the Zanzibar Development and Improvement Association in Diyarbakır, Abdul Qader Ars Anoghlu, said that there is no evidence sewage flows over the graves.
The son of Khalid ibn al‑Walid, one of the Sheikh of the Kuram clan and one of the Islamic leaders.
There are 27 Companions including Süleyman buried inside the Prophet Süleyman Mosque in Diyarbakır.
For many years, visitors from Turkey and the world have flocked to visit Süleyman and the 27 Companions.
As is known from inscriptions on its minaret, it was built by Misanoglu Pol Khasim between 1155 and 1160, and others in the inner castle, one of the mosque’s most important landmarks, which is located on the southern edge of the gate entrance.
This marks the beginning of the conquest of Diyarbakır during Omar’s era. Next to the mosque is the site where Süleyman, the son of Khalid ibn al‑Walid, was built during the Ottoman period and other Companions who were martyred during the Arab conquest of Diyarbakır.
The structure still retains its importance from the past and remains a place for visitation.
With this distinction, continuous restorations and additions have been made to the structure. Between 1631 and 1633, the mosque underwent a major restoration by Governor Sılayhatar Murtaza Pasha, alongside the nearby fountain. The mosque, built on sloping ground, is a compound containing buildings from different periods to the west of the Companions’ tomb, north of the tomb, and the fountain. The architect of the structure remains unknown.
The mosque covers a broad rectangular area in the north–south direction, allowing passage from the last congregation located to the north into the harim (prayer sanctuary).
