Mardin is a historic city in Southeastern Anatolia, Turkey. The city is known for its fascinating architecture and location: heavily decorated stone buildings cascading down a mountain, overlooking the vast expanse of the Mesopotamian plains below.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Mardin lies at the heart of the homeland of the Assyrians (also Syriacs, Turkish: Süryaniler), an ancient people who trace their origin to the Akkadian Empire, established in Mesopotamia around 2200 BC. Syriac is a Semitic language directly related to the native tongue of Jesus Christ, Aramaic. Syriac Orthodoxy was established after one of the earliest divisions in Christianity in the 5th century, much earlier than the Great Schism of the 11th century between the churches of Rome and Constantinople.
Minibuses (dolmuş) M6, M7A, and M8 connect Yenişehir (the new city) with Eski Mardin (the old city). They cost about 20 TL/person (in 2025). The steep road between the new and old cities might be taken in 30–40 minutes on foot, however it will surely be a very demanding walk, particularly during the peak of summer heat. Small yellow buses operated by the city ply various routes between the State Hospital (Şehir Hastanesi) and the Old City extremely frequently. These can be paid for by contactless card or cash. The old city is small enough to be negotiated on foot; the distance between either end of the main street can be taken in about half an hour.
Most of the sights of Mardin are located in the old city and some are located in Midyat, Mardin. 1 More (Saint) Gabriel Monastery (Deyrulumur Monastery), ☏ +90 482 213 75 13. 09:00-11:30 am /13:00/17:00 pm. Mor (Saint) Gabriel Monastery (Deyrulumur Monastery) is located 23 kilometers southeast of Midyat district. The monastery is one of the famous and great works of the Orthodox Syriac Community. 100 ₺. (updated Dec 2024) 2 Virgin Mary Church and Patriarch. (Yoldath Aloho (Mother of God)), Anıtlı, 47500 Midyat/Mardin. The church, unique from an architectural point of view, is located in the southern part of Anıtlı Village.
Walk the alleys of the old city to grab more of local atmosphere and architecture. Watch the Mesopotamian plains everywhere you can grip a good sight. The perspective is such that it's easy to assume the plains extend to the end of the world. Enjoy one of the closest shaves in the Middle East. There are several small barber shops along the main street through the old city centre. Most offers include double shaving, head massage, a good conversation and of course a cup of tea.
1 Leyli Muse Mutfak, Şar, 227 çayırlı sokak No.2, ☏ +90 482 213 20 87. daily 12:00-22:00. It is very traditional both in the appearance of the restaurant and the food itself. (updated Jan 2021) 2 Revan Kafe Restoran, Latifiye, 1. Cadde, 152. Tepe Sokak No: 2, ☏ +90 542 548 81 92. daily from 07:30-late at night. If you are looking for falafel, this won't disappoint. (updated Jan 2021) Al Hayaal, 1. Cadde, 242. If you are looking for local cuisine. (updated Apr 2025)
Süryani şarabı is the local red wine, found in some shops and restaurants. Local tap water is far too chalky to be tasty and may be unsafe to drink. Buy bottled water instead. Mezopotamya Cay Bahcesi (on the main street, towards the end of the city, next to a mosque). Open till late (midnight?). An open-air tea garden shaded by trees with a good view of the Mesopotamian plains below (though not as wide as you can see near the citadel because of a neighbouring building). 0.50 TL for a glass of tea.
The safety situation has been vastly improved since the 1990s, and Mardin and its surrounding area seem to be very safe with an overly heavy presence of policemen in the old city.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Aug, Mardin typically sees ~36°C daytime highs and 0 rainy days.
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