Diyarbakır's most impressive mosque is the Ulu Cami, built in 1091 by a Seljuk sultan. Incorporating elements from an earlier Byzantine church on the site, it was restored in 1155 after a fire. The rectangular layout is Arabic, rather than Ottoman. The entrance portal, adorned with two medallions figuring a lion and a bull, leads to a huge courtyard with two-storey arcades, two cone-shaped şadırvans (ritual ablutions fountains), elaborate pillars, and friezes featuring fruits and vegetables.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.35 MILES
Diyarbakır's single most conspicuous feature is its great circuit of basalt walls, probably dating from Roman times, although the present walls, around…
0.15 MILES
The Dengbêj Evi (House of Dengbêj) showcases the Kurdish tradition of Dengbêj, storytelling by song. Kurdish elders gather together in informal groups and…
0.44 MILES
Diyarbakýr's single most conspicuous feature is its great circuit of basalt walls, probably dating from Roman times, although the present walls date from…
0.58 MILES
Fortunately, the most easily accessible stretch of walls is also the most interesting in terms of inscriptions and decoration. Start near the Mardin…
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Diyarbakır's Archaeology Museum was closed at the time of writing, and scheduled to reopen in 2015 inside an old prison in İç Kale. Ask at the tourist…
0.62 MILES
Fortunately, the most easily accessible stretch of walls is also the most interesting in terms of inscriptions and decoration. Start near the Mardin…
0.52 MILES
Fortunately, the most easily accessible stretch of walls is also the most interesting in terms of inscriptions and decoration. Start near the Mardin…
0.17 MILES
The population of Diyarbakır once included many Christians, mainly Armenians and Chaldeans, but most of them were pushed out or perished during the…
Nearby Diyarbakır attractions
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The poet Cahit Sıtkı Tarancı (1910–56) was born in this two-storey black basalt house built in 1820 in a side street about 50m north of the Ulu Cami. It…
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The Şeyh Mutahhar Camii is famous for its minaret, but its engineering is even more interesting – the tower stands on four slender pillars about 2m high,…
0.15 MILES
The Dengbêj Evi (House of Dengbêj) showcases the Kurdish tradition of Dengbêj, storytelling by song. Kurdish elders gather together in informal groups and…
0.17 MILES
The population of Diyarbakır once included many Christians, mainly Armenians and Chaldeans, but most of them were pushed out or perished during the…
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The Behram Paşa Camii, in a residential area deep in the maze of narrow streets, is Diyarbakır's largest mosque.
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Persian in style, the Safa Camii has a highly decorated minaret with blue tiles incorporated in its design.
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At the main intersection of Gazi and İzzet Paşa/İnönü Caddesis, is Nebi Camii, featuring a detached minaret sporting a stunning combination of black-and…
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This Armenian church has been reopened after a wonderful restoration. Highlights include a superb wooden ceiling, and the church's cloisters showcase…