Stand at Dağ Kapı and the city opens in front of you: a gate in a wall of black basalt, first raised by the Romans and repaired by almost everyone who came after. Beyond it, the Sur district holds most of what you have come to see, and the Tigris runs below the eastern edge of the plateau.
Diyarbakır suits travellers who are interested in layers of history, in Syriac and Armenian and Kurdish and Turkish presence in the same streets, and in walking a circuit of walls rather than ticking off a list. It rewards slow days and comfortable shoes.
This guide covers the sights inside and around the walled city, the gardens and bridges along the river, and one longer trip out of town.
Top things to do in Diyarbakır
1. Walk the walls from Dağ Kapı
Dağ Kapı, or Mountain Gate, is the north entrance into the Old City and the natural place to start. The great black basalt walls were first erected in 297 AD by the Romans and have been repaired ever since; they run for 5.5 km, though the eastern section is tumbledown.
Walk about 2.5 km from Dağ Kapı to Mardin Kapı rather than attempting the whole circuit. Tek Kapı, a small city gate, is 300 m west of Dağ Kapı and is still passable by small vehicles, while Urfa Kapı is the west gate 1 km from Dağ Kapı, at the foot of the busy avenue towards the railway station.
2. Diyarbakır Fortress
The fortress sits in the northeast corner of the walled city and is open Tuesday to Sunday, 08:30 to 16:00. The outer fortress is free to enter; the inner fortress holds the main sights, including the archaeology museum, Saint George Church and the Atatürk Museum.
Allow time for all three once you are through the gate. Saint George Church is a ruin of uncertain date, restored in 2020 as an exhibition hall within the museum, and the Atatürk Museum is a mansion with a couple of rooms depicting his stay as military commander.
3. Great Mosque (Ulu Camii)
The oldest mosque in Anatolia, on Gazi Cd, was built in 1091 by Malikh Shah, Emir of the Seljuk Turks. Entry is free.
It sits in the centre of the Old City, so it combines easily with the houses and hans around it. The Ziya Gökalp Museum, commemorating that writer, is 100 m west of the Great Mosque and open daily 08:30 to 16:30.
4. Sülüklü Han
This caravanserai, built in 1620, is a block east of the Great Mosque on Değer Sk. It is open daily 08:00 to 23:00 and is free to enter.
It now works as a courtyard with cafes, bookstores and souvenir shops, which makes it a sensible stop between sights rather than a quick look. Its long opening hours mean it also works at the end of the day.
5. Surp Giragos Armenian church
On Göçmen Sk 17, this is the largest Armenian church in the Middle East, founded in 1515 and built in its present form in 1883. It stood derelict for decades before being restored and reopened in 2011, was badly damaged in civil strife in 2016, and reopened for services in 2022. Entry is free.
Its recent history is part of what you are seeing, so read up before you go rather than treating it as a monument alone.
6. Virgin Mary Church (Meryem Ana Kilisesi)
A Syriac Orthodox church founded in the 3rd century, on Uçak Sk 10, open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 17:00. Adult entry is 100 TL.
The Diyarbakır Protestant Church, a modern building affiliated to American Evangelists, is on Ana Sk opposite, so the two can be seen together.
7. Sheikh Mutahhar Mosque and Dört Ayaklı Minare
The mosque was built in 1500, a block south of Sülüklü Han at Yenikapı Sk 25. It is best known for its much older four-legged minaret, Dört Ayaklı Minare.
The minaret is accessible 24 hours, so this is one to save for the evening if your day is full. Pair it with Sülüklü Han, which is a short walk away.
8. Hazrat Suleiman Mosque and Nasuh Paşa Mosque
Hazrat Suleiman Mosque was completed around 1160 AD and rebuilt in 1631; it stands in the park south of the fortress complex. Nasuh Paşa Mosque, just south of the fortress, was built in 1619.
Both sit close to the fortress, so visit them on the same outing rather than making a separate trip.
9. Mardin Kapı and Hazreti Ömer Mosque
Mardin Kapı is the south city gate, now bypassed by a modern avenue. Hazreti Ömer Mosque next to the gate was built in 1190.
This is the far end of the walk along the walls from Dağ Kapı, which makes it a natural finishing point. Keçi Burcu, the Goat Tower, is 100 m southeast of the gate; the tower and the adjacent Güneş Mabedi have been used as art spaces but have been closed for years, so do not plan around them.
10. Hüsrev Paşa Mosque
Built as a medressah, a religious school, in the 1520s, it was converted to a mosque in 1728 and the minaret was added then. It is on Çukurlu Sk near Mardin Kapı.
Because it is close to the gate, it fits neatly at the end of a walk along the southern stretch of the walls.
11. Nur Burcu
This turret stands at the most southerly point of the walls and is known for its elaborate carvings.
It is a detail rather than a destination, so fold it into your wall walk rather than setting out for it alone.
12. Hevsel Gardens
The green riverside area east and south of the Old City is a mix of parkland, market garden, floodplain and unauthorised buildings.
Come here when you want to step out of the stone for an hour. It sits below the walls, so it pairs naturally with the fortress end of the Old City.
13. Gazi Kösk
This is the mansion where Atatürk stayed during the War of Independence. It is set in a pleasant park with teahouses and gazebos, where you loll on cushions and drink tea while looking onto the Tigris below.
This is an afternoon or late-afternoon stop rather than a morning one. The point is the sitting and the view, so leave time for it.
14. Ongözlü (Ten-Arched) Bridge
The bridge across the Tigris was completed in 1065. It is 3 km south of Mardin Kapı and became a footbridge in 2009 when traffic was shifted to a new bridge 1 km further south.
It is now a popular spot for people to laze, so treat it as a place to sit rather than a quick photo stop. Combine it with Gazi Kösk, which also looks onto the river.
15. Zerzevan Castle
This Roman citadel on a hillock, 45 km southeast off D950, guards the trade route through the valley and is open daily 08:30 to 19:00. Entry is free. The site was fortified at least as far back as the 7th century BC, but what you see now is mostly a rebuild in the 5th and 6th century AD under Emperors Anastasius I Diocus and Justinian I. It was abandoned after the Arab takeover of the region in the 7th century AD, though there was brief civilian resettlement from time to time, the last from 1890 to the 1960s.
Archaeological work only started in 2014 and continues. Ruins uncovered so far include residences, a palace, cisterns, baths, an 800-m long water channel, grain stores and an arsenal, and the star attraction, carved into the rock at the east end, is the temple to Mithras. Wear stout shoes: there is a good path but it is a bit of a climb from the entrance and there is a lot of uneven ground.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at Dağ Kapı and walk the walls about 2.5 km to Mardin Kapı, then double back into the Old City for the Great Mosque (Ulu Camii) on Gazi Cd and the Ziya Gökalp Museum 100 m west of it. Stop at Sülüklü Han for coffee in the courtyard.
Afternoon. Head to Diyarbakır Fortress in the northeast corner of the walled city, which is open Tuesday to Sunday 08:30 to 16:00, and see the Diyarbakır Archaeological Museum, Saint George Church and the Atatürk Museum inside the inner fortress. On the way, take in Nasuh Paşa Mosque and Hazrat Suleiman Mosque, both just south of the fortress. If time allows, walk down into the Hevsel Gardens.
Evening. Go to Gazi Kösk to drink tea on cushions in the park looking onto the Tigris, then continue to the Ongözlü (Ten-Arched) Bridge to sit by the water. Finish at the Dört Ayaklı Minare by Sheikh Mutahhar Mosque, which is accessible 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time of day to see the fortress?
Diyarbakır Fortress is open Tuesday to Sunday 08:30 to 16:00, so it needs to be a daytime visit. The outer fortress is free to enter, while the inner fortress holds the archaeology museum, Saint George Church and the Atatürk Museum.
Which sights cost money and which are free?
The Great Mosque, Sülüklü Han, Surp Giragos Armenian church and Zerzevan Castle are free. The Diyarbakır Archaeological Museum charges 160 TL for adults, and the Virgin Mary Church charges 100 TL.
Can I see the sights without walking the whole circuit of the walls?
Yes. The walls are 5.5 km long but the eastern section is tumbledown, so the usual walk is about 2.5 km from Dağ Kapı to Mardin Kapı. Most of the sights are inside the Old City, or Sur district, rather than along the walls themselves.
Is Zerzevan Castle worth a separate trip?
It is 45 km southeast off D950 and open daily 08:30 to 19:00 with free entry, so it takes a half day or more. The temple to Mithras carved into the rock at the east end is the highlight, and the ground is uneven, so wear stout shoes.
Work out which of these fit your days, check the opening times that matter to you, and start building the trip around the walk from Dağ Kapı.