
MARDIN
There are many rumors about where the name Mardin comes from. First, it is claimed that it comes from the Marde people who settled in Mardin in the 3rd century. Second, it comes from Merdin, which means castles in Syriac. Third, an Iranian ascetic settled on the top of the mountain where Mardin is located. He was subsequently killed by a commander sent by Heraclius. After this incident, a castle was built here by the locals and the name Mardin emerged from the Arabic “Mete-Din” meaning “Din is dead”. Fourth and lastly, the change of weather of Mard, the sick son of one of the Iranian rulers After he was brought to Mardin to make it happen, his name was given to Mardin.
Important Sights of Mardin
Deyrulzafaran Monastery : The Monastery, which was built by the architects of the period in the 5th century but whose additions continued until the 18th century and took its current form in the 18th century, was built on a complex that was used by the local people as the Temple of the Sun before Christ and later used as a castle by the Romans. It was the residence of the Syriac Orthodox patriarchs from 1292 to 1932. It is one of the religious education centers of the Syriac Church and the place that brought the first printing house to the region. It is a place visited by Assyrians to pray and receive blessings.
Mor Gabriel Monastery : It is the oldest surviving Syriac Orthodox monastery in the world. It was founded in 397 by Mor Şmuel and Mor Şemun, and expansion and renewal processes were carried out at different times. Mor Gabriel Monastery, which has been the residence of the patriarchs for 640 years, has attracted the attention of everyone who visits the region with its architecture, historical, cultural and artistic value.
Kasımiye Madrasa : The construction of Kasımiye Madrasa, which started during the Artuqid period but was left unfinished by those responsible for the construction due to Mongol attacks, was completed at the end of the 15th century during the reign of Akkoyunlu sultan Kasım ibn Cihangir. It was one of the most important educational centers during the period in which it provided education. The flow of water in the pool in the courtyard of the madrasah symbolizes the life of a person from birth to death and beyond.
Dara Ancient City : It was built in 505 as the city of the Eastern Empire. It is one of the most important settlements in Mesopotamia. There are parts of the palace, church, bazaar, dungeon, armory and aqueduct ruins that can still be seen in Mardin.
Midyat : Midyat, a district of Mardin, includes many religions and languages. It fascinates its visitors with its architectural, cultural and natural beauties. Midyat, which contains several historical sites that I mentioned before, is among the most important districts of Mardin.
Mor Jacob Monastery : It is a Syriac Orthodox church and monastery located in the Nusaybin district of Mardin. It was built in 419 AD by Mor Yakup, who served as the bishop of Nusaybin. Mor Jacob Monastery, known as one of the oldest churches in Upper Mesopotamia, also contains the tomb of Mor Jacob. The monastery became an important center of the city in fields such as Syriac education, philosophy, logic, literature, geometry, astronomy, medicine and law. The monastery, which maintained human traffic until the First World War, revived in 1965. There are three churches, a baptistery, a library, a dining hall and a guest house within the monastery. It is also on the walls of the monastery. There are inscriptions with the names of priests, monks, patriarchs and other clergy who died there between 770 and 1364.
Mardin Center (Old Mardin) : Walking through the streets of Old Mardin, which is famous for its narrow streets and maze-like structures, exposes you to the atmosphere that will take you on a journey to the past. In parallel with different religious beliefs, there are mosques, mausoleums, churches, monasteries and similar religious buildings that have historical artistic value. Mardin airport, which is home to many beliefs, will impress you the moment you land.