Diyarbakir travel guide — Diyarbakir tourism and travel information

Diyarbakir travel guide

about Diyarbakir

Diyarbakir (Zazaishand Kurdish: Amed; correct Turkish spelling: Diyarbakır) is a city in Turkey, situated on the banks of the River Tigris. with a population of 589,000 (2003). However it is estimated that including the slums surrounding the city the population is above 1 million.

It is nicknamed "The Paris of the East". It is capital of the Diyarbakir Province.

The city is the unofficial capital of the Kurdish regions of Turkey. Situated in the fertile crescent, it is a city of great antiquity having been inhabited for at least 5,000 years. It was the capital of the ancient Armenian empire, then known as the Armenian name Tigranakert. It was known as Amida in Roman times, and was renamed Diyarbakir (tr. Bakr's Dream) after being captured by the Arabs in 629.

The city is surrounded by a dramatic and fully intact set of black basalt walls, first constructed in 297, extending in a 5.5 km circle around the old city. The dramatic warren of alleyways and old-fashioned tenement blocks which makes up the old city contrast dramatically with the sprawling suburbs of modern apartment blocks and gecekondu slums to the west. Diyarbakir boasts numerous medieval mosques and madrassahs, crowned by the 11th Century Ulu Cami (tr. Great Mosque) constructed by alternating bands of blacks basalt and limestone. The same patterning was used in the 16th Century Deliler Han Madrassah, which is now a hotel, and the 12th Century Castle Mosque (Kale Camii).

The Assyrian Orthodox Church of Our Lady, was first constucted as a pagan temple in the 1st Century BC, and is still in use as a place of worship today.

Diyarbakir also boasts one of the region's most lively and dramatic street markets.

The 20th Century was a turbulent one for Diyarbakir. During World War One most of the City's Assyrian and Armenian population were driven from the City. After the surrender of the Ottoman Empire, French troops attempted to occupy the city, while in 1925 it was the centre of the great Kurdish rebellion against Kemal Atatürk.

Always a centre of Kurdish nationalism, Diyarbakir became a strong hold of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) after the beginning of the guerilla war in southeastern Turkey in 1984. During this conflict, the population of the city grew dramatically as villagers from remote areas where fighting was serious left or were forced to leave for the relative security of the city. Diyarbakir was also one of the areas where Turkish Hezbullah was most active in the early to mid 1990s, with this group often targeting PKK activists and the city's tiny Christian community.

After the PKK's cessation of hostilities, a large degree of normality returned to the city, with the Turkish government declaring a 15 year period of emergency rule over on 30 November 2002. The local economy is slowly improving and as of July 2004, Diyarbakir is safe to visit.

Near cities to Diyarbakir

• Batman travel guide 78 km
• Al Qamishli travel guide 130 km
• Tunceli travel guide 150 km
• Erzurum travel guide 240 km
• Ar Raqqah travel guide 250 km
• Gaziantep travel guide 270 km
• Dahuk travel guide 270 km
• Mosul travel guide 310 km
• Aleppo travel guide 330 km
• Trabzon travel guide 350 km

Near webcams to Diyarbakir

• Jerevan webcam 450 km
• Beirut webcam 620 km
• Beirut - Jounieh Highway webcam 620 km
• Nicosia webcam 690 km
• Paphos Beach webcam 780 km
• Tel Aviv - Hilton Beach webcam 820 km
• Tel Aviv - Beach webcam 820 km
• Jerusalem - Olive Hill webcam 820 km
• Jerusalem - Golden Gate webcam 820 km
• Western Wall webcam 820 km

back to top

Diyarbakir travel services

cheap flights to Diyarbakir

• book cheap flights to Diyarbakir »
• book cheap flights to Turkey »

City Travel Guide is exclusive partner of four main cheap airline tickets and cheap flights online booking systems. We are happy to offer cheap airline tickets Diyarbakir, cheap flights Diyarbakir, also available cheap airline tickets to Turkey and to the whole world. Up to date cheap flights Diyarbakir deals also available.

cheap Diyarbakir hotels

• book cheap hotels to Diyarbakir »
• book cheap hotels to Turkey »

City Travel Guide is exclusive partner of main cheap hotels and accommodation online booking systems. We are happy to offer cheap hotels in Diyarbakir, Turkey hotel guide and cheap hotels and accommodation in lot of other world-wide destinations. Up to date cheap Diyarbakir hotel deals and discount accommodation tips also available.

cheap Diyarbakir vacations

• book Diyarbakir vacations »
• book Turkey vacations »

City Travel Guide is exclusive partner of main cheap vacations online booking systems. We are happy to offer cheap vacations in Diyarbakir, Turkey vacation rentals and cheap vacations in lot of other destinations world-wide. Up to date Diyarbakir vacation deals also available.

cheap car rentals in Diyarbakir

• book cheap car rental in Diyarbakir »
• book cheap car rentals in Turkey »

City Travel Guide is exclusive partner of main car rentals online booking systems. We are happy to offer car rentals in Diyarbakir, car hire in Turkey and cheap car rental in lot other world-wide destinations. Up to date cheap Diyarbakir car hire deals also available.

Diyarbakir travel insurance

• Diyarbakir cheap travel insurance »
• cheap travel insurance for Turkey »

City Travel Guide is exclusive partner of Essential Travel Ltd., leading online travel insurance company, we can offer you health travel insurance for Diyarbakir, accident health Diyarbakir travel insurance, all using our online Diyarbakir travel insurance form. We also offer travel insurance for other cities in Turkey. This offer is available for UK residents only.

Diyarbakir real estate

• Diyarbakir real estate guide »
• real estate listings in Turkey »

City Travel Guide comes with Diyarbakir real estate guide with several tips on home valuation, realtors comparison, secrets on finding the "right" home, loans guide and other helpful real estate advices. Our partners also maintain Diyarbakir property for sale and rental listings, real estate laws and reviews. We will try to help you with buying property in Turkey, choosing real estate agents, property finders, relocation help, and information for English speakers wanting to buy real estate in Diyarbakir.

back to top

Diyarbakir travel books

Diyarbakir travel guide books

• Diyarbakir travel guide books »
• Turkey travel guide books »

Diyarbakir maps and atlases

• Diyarbakir maps and atlases »
• Turkey maps and atlases »

back to top