Mardin - The Treasure of History

Mardin is a museum city full of twelfth and thirteenth century examples of Turkish architecture in harmony with nature. The bird's eye view of the Mesopotamian Plain from the historical city, founded on the southern terraces of the hardened oil masses which were active during the geological ages, is very beautiful. The external facades of the houses in the city are ornamented like jewels. Midyat County is known especially for its extremely beautiful historical houses and silversmithing. A special silver processing art which was called "Filigree" spread throughout Turkey from here. Mardin Castle (tenth century A.D.), the Grand Mosque (twelfth century), the Latifiye Mosque (fourteenth century) and the Kasimiye Madrasah (fifteenth century), located in the city which is famous for its citadel, mosques and bridges are worth seeing. The Deyrulzaferan Monastery is among the interesting places around the city. The monastery, which is the religious center of the Syrian Christians, has a past of 1600 years. There are the graves of the Syrian patriarchs at the monastery. Another monastery, which was famous for its rich library and where Syrian scientists were educated, is the Deyrulumur Monastery which was constructed on a hill covered with forests.