Middle East - Anthony Ham [512]
Another draw is the mosaic of people. With Kurdish, Yazidi, Christian and Syrian cultures, among others, it has a fascinating social mix.
Mardin has started to become popular with Turkish travellers. We recommend getting here before it becomes too touristy.
Sights
Strolling through the rambling bazaar, keep your eyes open for the ornate Ulu Cami, a 12th-century Iraqi Seljuk structure.
Mardin Museum (Mardin Müzesi; admission TL2; 8am-5pm), prominently positioned on Cumhuriyet Meydanı, is housed in a superbly restored mansion dating from the late 19th century. Back on Cumhuriyet Caddesi, head east and keep your eyes peeled for the three-arched facade of an ornately carved house.
Continue east, looking for steps on the left (north) that lead to the Sultan İsa Medresesi ( daylight), which dates from 1385 and is the town’s prime architectural attraction.
Opposite the post office, housed in a 17th-century caravanserai, you can’t miss the minaret of the 14th-century Şehidiye Camii. It’s superbly carved, with colonnades all around and three small domes superimposed on the summit.
Also worth visiting is the 15th-century Forty Martyrs Church (Kırklar Kilisesi; Sağlık Sokak), with the martyrs depicted above the doorway of the church as you enter. If it’s closed, bang on the door to alert the caretaker.
The Kasımiye Medresesi (1469), 800m south of Yeni Yol, is another must-see. It sports a sublime courtyard walled in by arched colonnades, as well as a magnificent carved doorway.
Sleeping & Eating
Otel Bilem ( 213 0315; fax 212 2575; Yenişehir; s/d TL60/120; ) A safe albeit unsexy choice in the new part of Mardin (Yenişehir), 2km northwest of Cumhuriyet Meydanı. Although its facade and lobby have been renovated, the Bilem is no architectural beauty queen, but it’s often full to the brim with tour groups.
Artuklu Kervansarayı ( 213 7353; www.artuklu.com; Cumhuriyet Caddesi; s/d TL90/140; ) Dark floorboards and furniture, stone walls, sturdy wooden doors: you’ll feel like you’re in a castle. We’re not sure how to take this self-proclaimed ‘boutique hotel’, but they certainly broke the mould when they conceived the ‘medieval’ interior.
Erdoba Konakları ( 212 7677; www.erdoba.com.tr; Cumhuriyet Caddesi; s/d TL100/160; ) Right in the heart of the old town, this serene boutique hotel comprises four finely restored mansions, with lots of period charm. Downside: only five rooms come with a view (but a few terraces look onto the Mesopotamia plain). There’s a high-quality onsite restaurant.
Cercis Murat Konağı ( 213 6841; Cumhuriyet Caddesi; mains TL10-18) The Cercis occupies a traditional Syrian Christian home with two finely decorated rooms and a terrace affording stunning views. Conjured up by local women (there’s a TV screen where you can watch them at work in the kitchen), the dainty dishes include mekbuss (eggplant pickles with walnut), kitel raha (Syrian-style meatballs) and dobo (piece of lamb with garlic, spices and black pepper).
Getting There & Away
Turkish Airlines has a daily flight to/from İstanbul and Pegasus Airlines has weekly flights to/from İzmir. There are frequent minibus to Diyarbakır (TL7, 1¼ hours) and, if you are heading to Iraq, Silopli (TL15, three hours) via Cizre. Click here for more information about the Iraqi border.
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ŞANLIURFA (URFA)
0414 / pop 463,800
Mystical and pious, Şanlıurfa (the Prophets’ City) is a spiritual centre par excellence and a great pilgrimage town. This is where the prophets Job and Abraham left their marks. As has been the case with centuries of pilgrims before you, the first sight of the Dergah complex of mosques and the holy Gölbaşı area (with the call to prayer as a soundtrack) will be a magical moment that you will remember for a long time to come.
It’s also in Urfa that you begin to feel you’ve reached the Middle East, courtesy of its proximity to Syria. Women cloaked in black chadors elbow their way through the odorous crush of the bazaar streets; moustached gents in şalvar (traditional baggy Arabic pants) swill tea