Southeast

With a history of 12,000 years, Şanlıurfa, believed by some to be the ancient city of Ur Kaśdim (Ur of the Chaldeans), proudly exhibits the legacy of all the civilizations that have prospered in the region. The neolithic settlements of Nevali Çori and the mounds of Lidar Höyük, Gre Virike, and Hessek Höyük are proof of the earliest inhabitants of the region dating back to 8500 BC. Şanlıurfa is regarded as a holy site by Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike. According to the Old Testament, the Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim), the "father of the three monotheistic religions," was born in the city of Ur Kaśdim and, together with his family, he migrated to Harran, the "home of patriarchs." In the second millennium BC, the lands of Şanlıurfa were home to a city of a Hurrite state. Some believe that Abraham was born in a cave near a place where the Mevlid Halil Mosque stands now. The site and the cave itself are regarded as sacred. Göbeklitepe Before the great monotheistic religions, before the Greek gods, before ancient Egypt, before the Hittites, there was one place in the world that was the earliest known sacred site: the world’s earliest known temple complex and pilgrimage site is Göbeklitepe in Türkiye. Göbeklitepe is located on the edge of the Fertile Crescent of Upper Mesopotamia, 12 km northeast of Şanlıurfa in the Tek Mountains. Massive carved stones about 11,000 years old, crafted and arranged by prehistoric people who had not yet developed metal tools or even pottery were placed in circular order in groups of 12 pillars. Göbeklitepe was built tens of centuries before the invention of writing and the wheel, preceding the pyramids of Egypt by 7,100 years and Stonehenge by 6,600 years. While Göbeklitepe preserves its mystery as one of the most important discoveries in the history of archaeology, nearby mounds such as Karahantepe and Harbetsuvan Tepe reveal similar monolithic pillars decorated with magnificent reliefs of animals and symbols.   The oldest known statue of a man, the Urfa man or Balıklıgöl statue, was found during construction work in the area of Urfa-Yeni Mahalle and dates back to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic period. It is estimated to have been created between 11000 BC and 9500 BC. It is slightly larger than life-size. Believed to be the ancient city of Harran mentioned in the Old Testament, today, Harran is known more for its unusual beehive dwellings than as the place where Prophet Abraham spent several years. Included among the archaeological finds are the ruins of the oldest Islamic university, the city walls dating from the AD  8th century, four gates, and a citadel.

Southeast Türkiye forms the northern border of the Fertile Crescent, a region with rich soil and history. Fed by the waterways of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers over thousands of years, the Fertile Crescent has been home to a variety of cultures, rich agriculture, and trade. At the westernmost point of this region in Türkiye, the city of Gaziantep is home to the ancient city of Doliche, known today as Dülük, formed over a mound in prehistoric times. Twin mithraea, underground temples for the worship of the god Mithras, were discovered in the caves of this ancient settlement dating back to the 1st-3rd century AD. These were important cult centers of Mithras in Southeast Anatolia. Further north of Gaziantep, along the shores of the Euphrates, the Roman castle Rumkale is an ancient citadel situated on high rocks.  A church was built in the memory of Saint Nerses I (Nerses I the Great) who died in Rumkale in 1773. The church was transformed into a mosque in the 17th century. Barşavma Monastery, located on the north of the flooded citadel, was built by Saint Yakubi Barşavma in the 13th century. Some parts of the two adjacent constructions have also survived. The location holds an important place in the history of Christianity since St. John the Apostle, one of Christ’s Twelve Apostles, resided here and wrote part of the Gospel of John in a room carved inside the rocks.  Mount Nemrut, one the highest peaks of Eastern Tauros Mountains, is crowned by the colossal statues of an hierothesion (temple tombs and a house of gods) built by Antiochus I (69-34 BC) who reigned over the Kingdom of Commagene, a kingdom founded north of the Euphrates. It is one of the most ambitious constructions of the era. The fascinating sculpture of a pantheon and the lineage of its kings, which can be traced back through legends, lie on the terraces of the 2,150-meter peak of Mount Nemrut facing the city of Kahta, Adıyaman, and vast plateaus. As you continue further east, you come across the city of Diyarbakır which was an important center during the Hellenistic, Roman, Sassanid, and Byzantine periods, through to the Islamic and Ottoman periods, and to the present. In the city’s historical citadel, known as İçkale, which is surrounded by the 6-kilometer-long Diyarbakır Fortress, there existed 22 churches belonging to various periods and faiths. Today, six of them remain standing. Surp Giragos Armenian Church, Surp Sargis Church and Armenian Catholic Church, Syriac Protestant Church,  Assyrian Orthodox Church of the Virgin Mary and Mar Yakub, Chaldean Mar Petyum Church, and Saint George Church (Black Priest, Kara Papaz) stand as historical evidence of the rich mosaic of faith that characterize this ancient region. Saint George Church or Mar Gevergis Church, whose exact construction date is unknown, is estimated to have been built in the 2nd century AD. The church, built of cut black basalt stone, is also referred to as the "Black Priest Church" (Kara Papaz) by the locals. During the Artuqid period, the function of the church was changed and it was used as the bathhouse of the palace located on Amida Höyük. Some sources write that Ismail al-Jazari’s (El Cezeri) automata were used in the bathhouse. Considered one of the pionners of robotics in the Golden Age of Islam, El Cezeri or al-Jazari was the first scientist and engineer to carry out work on cybernetics. Following restoration work, today, St. George Church is used as an art gallery. The latest temple of Mithra to be discovered was unearthed in Diyarbakır in 2017. Mithra’s origins are Persian and date back to the 600s BC. He was known as the god of light and the "invincible and indestructible god" among the Roman soldiers. Archaeological excavations revealed the Temple of Mithras in the Zerzevan Castle, the eastern border garrison of the Roman Empire, in 2017. All temples of Mithraism, a religion that was difficult to enter, were built in natural underground caves or were artificially constructed beneath ground level. According to Western researchers, the first Mithras temple built in the Roman Empire was in Diyarbakır.

The history of Şanliurfa dates back to the Paleolithic Age. The city and its surrounding region experienced the domination of many civilizations including the Sumerians, Akkadians, Hittites, Babylonians, Chaldeans, Hurrians, the Kingdom of Mitanni, Arameans, Assyrians, Medians, and the Persian Empires. The city welcomes believers of different faiths and is known as the “City of Prophets,” located on the cultural and trade routes from Mesopotamia to Anatolia. Legend has it that Prophet Abraham was born and raised here, and that he incurred the wrath of King Nimrod who sentenced him to death when he did not condemn idolatry and because he had won the heart of his daughter, Zeliha. A huge pyre was built in the middle of the city but God saved Abraham. God ordered the fire, "Be cool and peaceful (with Abraham),” and just as Abraham was about to be consumed by the flames, they were transformed into water and the logs were transformed into fish. The streams of Halil-ür Rahman and Aynzeliha, where Prophet Abraham landed instead of the flames, now form the Pool of Abraham (Balıklıgöl). Both the pool and the carp that live in it are considerd sacred. The Pool of Ayn-i Zeliha is said to have been formed by Zeliha’s tears and it is believed that anyone who drinks from its waters will be struck blind. The cave where Prophet Abraham was born is next to the Mevlid-i Halil Mosque near the streams and is also open to visitors. Prophet Abraham lived here for 7 years.  The Grand Mosque, known as “Ulu Camii” in Turkish, was an ancient synagogue which was converted into a church under the name of Kızıl Kilise (Red Church) in the 5th century and is one of the city’s important religious symbols. The handkerchief on which Jesus wiped his face preserving his image for eternity was found in the well of Ulu Camii’s courtyard. Known as the Image of Edessa, the holy handkerchief is believed to have been a gift from Christ to King Abgar V. The Tomb of Eyyub (Prophet Job) is located in the village of Eyyub Nebi, approximately 20 kilometers outside of Urfa. Also on the skirts of the Viranşehir district is Job’s mausoleum, his wife Rahme’s tomb, and the location where Elyasa (Prophet Elisha) died. Today his tomb is located in the village of Eyyubi Nebi, a kilometer from the tomb of Job. It is believed that Şuayp (Prophet Shuaib) lived in the ancient city of Şuayb, 85 kilometers from eastern Urfa. The cave house, which is found among the ruins of the ancient city where it is believed he once lived, is open to visitors.

Mardin is situated at the center of Mesopotamia, the incredibly rich region between the two mighty rivers, Tigris and Euphrates. As a result, it is a fortunate city, blessed by history. Southeastern Türkiye, at the hearth of Upper Mesopotamia, is a multireligious and multicultural province. Mardin was the seat of the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch for hundreds of years. People of many beliefs live in Mardin and carry within them the legacy of the people and cultures that came before them. Deyrul Zafaran Monastery (Mor Hananyo in Syriac or Monastery of St. Ananias) is one of the oldest active monasteries in the world. It was built in the fourth century on the site of a 4,500-year-old pagan temple dedicated to the worship of the sun.  Following the Seljuk Turks, the Artuqid dynasty chose Mardin as its capital due to the city’s structure as an impregnable natural fortress. The influence of the Artuqids on local life can be seen in the numerous Artuqid structures in Mardin which outnumber those from the Ottoman era. The ancient city of Dara, 30 kilometers from Mardin’s city center, deserves to be visited. The city was an important settlement on the Silk Road. Founded in AD 506, the city was first named Anastasiopolis and due to its location on the historical Silk Road, it became important in religious, social, and commercial terms. The city was a location where people of different faiths, such as Assyrians, Muslims, Yazidis, and Christians, gathered throughout centuries. Excavations so far have unearthed architectural ruins from different historical eras. The Mardin Assyrian Church of the Virgin Mary and Patriarchate, built in 1860, now serves as the Mardin Museum. In the church, the patriarch's throne and the preaching area are decorated with elegant wood carving. The Patriarchate, which was built in 1895, was transferred to the Ministry of Culture in 1988. It was restored and opened to the public as a museum in 1995. Mor Behnam (Kırklar) Church was built in the 5th century. It attracts attention with its three front doors, the fine stonework displayed in the niche, its 400-year-old wooden mihrab doors, the 1,500-year-old root-dyed curtains, and the bell tower house in its wide courtyard. In 1170, the sacred relics of forty martyrs were brought to this church. Today, the structure serves as the Metropolitan Church of Mardin. The Mor Gabriel Monastery (Monastery of Saint Gabriel), also known as Deyrulumur, was founded in AD 397 on the Tur Abdin plateau near the ancient town of Midyat.