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Mardin, Turkey. Photo by Perencel.

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Mardin

Mardin is a historic city in southeastern Turkey. It is located on a hill near the Tigris River. It is one of the few cities in the world to be included as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This is justified because almost every corner, building, and street of this city echoes ancient history and rich culture, making it an open-air museum!

Its history dates back to the 14^th century BC, as a strategic town in the Middle Assyrian Empire.

As a central point in the successive civilizations in the region, Mardin retains traces of Syrian, Chaldean, Kurdish, Jewish, Arab, and Armenian influences, among others. It has its dark history taints as well, being one of the sites where Armenian genocide took place.

Mardin takes you  back in time and is a perfect adventure for any history lover. Here are the top 10 interesting facts about Mardin you might want to know!

 1. Mardin was one of the sites of the Armenian genocide

This was during World War I, which took place  between 1914 and 1918.  Referred to as the Great War, it is one of the worst wars to have taken place in history.

Genocides were witnessed in the Ottoman Empire. The Armenian Genocide was one of them, with a mass murder of about one million Armenians during death marches to the Syrian desert.

  Before the war, Mardin was occupied by over 8,000 Armenians and an estimated 12, 000 Assyrians.   As the war progressed, many were sent to desert camps near Ra’s al-Ayn; a city on the Syria-Turkey border.

These were synonymous to death camps  as the deportees were killed on the way. Today, these tragic events are referred to by Mardin residents as ‘firman’ to mean ‘government order.’ 

2. It became an administrative capital in 1923

A street in Mardin, Turkey. Photo by Ben Bender.

As the Republic of Turkey was founded in 1923, Mardin was made the capital of the Mardin Province. It still is.

Most of its Assyrian population fled from Mardin later on during the 1940s. Conscription to the Turkish had been made compulsory.

Presently, Mardin’s majority population is Arabic. In 2012, a law was passed making Mardin a metropolitan municipality.

3. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Mardin’s old houses on a hill. Photo by Nevit Dilmen.

UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It has listed numerous historic monuments and sites as World Heritage Sites to safeguard their preservation for future generations.

Mardin is one of such sites. The entire city! It is one of the very few cities to be listed as heritage sites by UNESCO.

New constructions or any significant alterations in Mardin are forbidden to preserve the old town’s state.

4. Mardin is home to the 5^th Century Mor Hananyo Monastery

Mor Hananyo Monastery, Mardin. It is an important Syriac Orthodox Monastery. Photo by Izabela Miszczak.

This is a Syriac Orthodox monastery still in use. It dates back to the 5^th century AD, although it was renovated in the 8^th century and over time now.

It is located a few kilometers south of Mardin, in the Tur Abdin region. It has been referred to as the ‘Saffron Monastery’ due to the colors of the stone used.

The monastery is quite large, with a record of 365 rooms! Notably, too, it is one of the few ones which still use Aramaic as its liturgical tongue.

5. It has the oldest surviving Syriac Orthodox monastery in the World

Mor Gabriel Monastery. Photo by Nevit Dilmen.

Mardin prides itself on having the oldest Syriac Orthodox monastery. This is the Mor Gabriel, situated near Mor Hananyo.

It is located in the Tur Abdin region. Mor Gabriel monastery dates back to the 4^th century and you’ll be surprised to learn that it is still in use today.

Monks are on site, tending to local gardens during the day and making prayers and studying. It is closed after dark.

6. The Grand Mosque of Mardin is a sight to see!

Mardin. Photo by Ugurgulervikipedia.

Mardin is undoubtedly a religious haven of sorts.

From ancient, magnificent Catholic and Orthodox churches, to grand Mosques, religion is a significant feature imprinted on the city’s history.

The Grand Mosque of Mardin is a spectacle in its own right. It was built in the 12^th century. It was destroyed in the early 19^th century during a siege and later rebuilt.

Picture its tall minaret reaching out into the city’s blue sky. It’s one of the most striking sights to see.

Originally, it had two minarets, but one got destroyed. Only the north wall of the original mosque remains.

7. The Ancient City of Dara ruins still stand at Mardin

This is an ancient Roman city with great historic significance. It was a strategic city during the Roman era, and it features many Roman-Persian conflicts in the 6^th century.

This includes the famous Battel of Dara fought in 530 A.D.

Dara also holds great religious status to the Latin and Syriac Catholic Church. It has been listed as an official titular see.

Marvel at this city’s ruins, stunning rock-cut buildings, and its reverent history.

8. Mardin has a museum showcasing its history

Mardin Museum. Photo by Nevit Dilmen.

The Mardin Museum was opened in 2000. It is an archeological museum that showcases the city’s rich history.

It is housed in the former Syriac Catholic Patriarchate building, near the Meryem Ana Church. The three-story building was constructed by the Syriac Catholic Church of Antioch in 1895.

Cut limestone was used.  It was purchased in 1995 by the Ministry of Culture, restored, and opened as a museum.

The archeological hall houses exhibitions of tools from the Bronze Age, Assyrian, Roman Empire, Artukids, and the Ottoman Empire among others.

The ethnography hall houses silver ornaments including bracelets, necklaces, diadems, and earrings. Swords, clothes, and coffee sets are also exhibited.

9. It has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate

The summers are very hot and dry, with temperatures easily reaching 40 degrees Celsius the highest recorded temperature is 42.5 degrees.

Wintry weather is occasional between the months of December and March, and it’s chilly, wet, and snowy. Visiting in summer is mostly preferred.

10. Mardin has an agricultural economy

Located in the Mediterranean region near the Tigris River, Mardin’s climate favors agriculture. The province produces sesame, wheat, corn, and barley.

Goats are kept as well and there is a small wool industry. Most agricultural ventures are however mostly small and family-based.

Historically, Mardin was one of the regional trading centers on the routes between Mesopotamia and northern Syria.