Diyarbakr

Diyarbakr, historically Diyarbakır, is a metropolitan city in southeastern Turkey and the administrative center of Diyarbakır Province. It lies on the Tigris River and serves as a regional commercial and cultural hub. The city is renowned for its long settlement history and its extensive stone walls around the old town.

Archaeological and historical sources indicate the area was once part of Amida and has seen Hittite, Assyrian, Persian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Islamic, and Ottoman rule. The city developed as a crossroad of trade routes linking Anatolia with Mesopotamia and the Levant.

The historic center is dominated by the Diyarbakır Walls, a monumental defensive fortification that follows the city’s perimeter along the Tigris. Within the walls lie traditional stone houses and the Hevsel Gardens, while the Great Mosque of Diyarbakır, dating to the 11th–12th centuries, stands nearby.

Today the city has a predominantly Kurdish population, with Turkish and other communities also present. Kurdish and Turkish are commonly spoken. Diyarbakır supports a rich cultural life, including music, cuisine, crafts, and a tradition of regional media and higher education institutions.

Economically, Diyarbakır relies on agriculture, livestock, manufacturing, and services. It has seen urban development and tourism growth while seeking to preserve historic heritage. In 2015, the Diyarbakır Walls and Hevsel Gardens were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.