The Old City
Slowtravelguide
Although the word ”Merdin”, which means ”castles”, has changed to Mardin over time, the majority of the people still call the city Merdin.
It is one of the poetic cities of the Southeast; Mardin gives the visitor the impression that time has stopped here.
It has a treasure of architectural, ethnographic, archaeological, historical and visual buildings. Mardin hosts mosques, mausoleums, churches, monasteries and other religious artefacts that have a great historical and artistic value.
Mardin, Overlooking Mesopotamia
One Of Mardin Attractions
Blue Painted Doors Against Scorpions And Bad Luck
Ancient And New Buildings
Mardin houses, descending from the slopes at the skirts of the castle, were built of yellow limestone, which is unique to the region. Since it is a very soft and easily workable stone, rich motifs are seen on the facades of the houses. The door and window openings of the houses, which usually consist of rooms surrounding the courtyard in the middle, are left small depending on the climate.
The rooms face south for more light, and the kitchens face north for more extended storage. In this architecture, which has been seen since antiquity, the houses are lined up on the skirts of the castle so as not to interrupt each other’s light. The middle courtyards, called ‘Hayat’, are the shared living spaces of crowded families.
An Inviting Entrance
Mesopotamia Plains
The streets of Mardin, where the Abbaras are lined up one after the other, were built in the form of stairs on the steep slopes climbing towards the castle. In the streets where vehicles cannot enter, all kinds of transportation were done with donkeys. In Mardin, where municipal services such as garbage collection were provided by donkeys, over time, saddlebags called kilbiş, which are hung on donkeys, have also become a unit of measurement.
Abbaras, are the gateways connecting the houses of two related families; these tunnels protect passers-by from the burning effect of the sun in summer and the heavy rains of Mesopotamia in winter.
The Walk To The Zinciriye Madrasah
Zinciriye Madrasah View
The Sehidiye Mosque Minaret Viewed From The Mardin Museum
The Mardin Museum
The building of the Mardin Museum served for many purposes for a long time, religious, as a military garrison, headquarters of various political parties, cooperative structure, health centre and even a police station. It has been in use since 1947.
Mardin Museum
More Than A Museum
Mardin Museum is located in two separate historical buildings on the city’s square. There are exhibition halls, laboratories, training areas and variety of activities that have been renovated to a contemporary museum. The building has all the characteristic features of the traditional “Mardin House” architecture with its U-plan and three-story structure facing south (to the plain).
Artefacts At Mardin Museum
The Emir Hamam (Emir Bathhouse) By Night, Overlooking The Plains
At sunset, you should go to one of the high terraces at the foot of the castle and watch the Mesopotamia plains.
The Emir Hamam (Bathhouse)
The healing waters used in this Hamam comes from a source under the Mardin Fortress. It reaches the Hamam through a natural watercourse that has been in use since the 13th Century.
The Hamam is a fine example of old stonework. The water for the baths is heated with almond shells that are burned in their furnace. You enter the Hamam through a narrow door in the centre of the market street.
Mor Mihael Church
Mardin is located on a hill overlooking the Mesopotamian plains, not far from the river Tigris. Being close to the Syrian border, it is on the main road connecting Turkey with Syria and Iraq.
What To Expect
How To Get There: Private, rental car and public transport (check the map below).
Nearest Airport: Mardin Airport.
Parking: Yes.
Terrain: Easy.
Stroller: Yes.
Income: Free (except the museums, madrasah and monastery).
Facilities: Yes.
Best Time To Visit: April, May or September, October
We recommend you to reserve at least 3 or 4 days to get lost in the streets of this amazing city, which is the meeting point of civilizations and feels history everywhere. You will be amazed by its unique hospitality and Mardin cuisine.
In this article, we try to give you general information about Mardin. Before visiting this historical city, we recommend you to check out the articles about the Ancient City of Dara, the Deyrulzafaran Monastery and Mor Behnam Church.
If you have any questions about a place, feel free to ask. You can send us a message through our contact page or leave a comment on our Instagram or Facebook pages.
You can also join our group Turkey Travel Photography on Facebook to share your lovely photos or experiences about Turkey.
Practical Tips Before You Visit Mardin
You can choose Mardin new city (Yenişehir) district or Old Mardin for your stay. The distance between Old Mardin and Yen Decşehir is about 2 kilometers. However, since the streets are quite narrow in Old Mardin and some streets are closed to traffic, it is not preferred for traveling by car. If you choose to stay in Yenişehir, we recommend that you take a taxi or public transport to Eski Mardin. This way, you will also avoid the stress of limited parking space. Also, be sure that you will enjoy exploring these streets on foot. A walk through history.
Since Mardin is quite hot in summer, you should visit in spring or autumn.
Places Nearby
Dara Ancient Site was established as a military garrison city (32km)
Deyrulzafaran Monastery, the monastery built on the ‘sun temple’ (10km)
Mor Behnam Church, a church with miraculous events (200m)
Kasimiye Madrasah, 700 years old Madrasah (2km)
Places We Can Recommend
Mountain Nemrut
The Hierothesion on Mount Nemrut was constructed during King Antiochus I. Mount Nemrut is a central crossing point on the Upper Euphrates Valley. King Antiochus ruled during the most critical period of the Kommagen Kingdom. (Read more)
Dara Mesopotamia Ruins
Dara Ancient City, where scientific excavations and research have been carried out for 33 years, was built by the Eastern Roman Empire as a military base in the wars against the Persians and took its name from the Persian King Darius. (Read more)
Mor Behnam Church
There are several churches in the old part of Mardin. The Mor Behnam Church is located not far from the busy ’shopping street’ in old Mardin. The church entrance is only 100m away from this busy street—a short climb on the stairway that brings you to another less hectic world. (Read more)
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