Page 50 - dogu_guney_dogu_en

Diyarbakır

Diyarbakır, known in ancient times as
Amida, has been the cradle of 26
different civilisations throughout its
5000 year-history. The city extends
across a basalt plateau close to the
banks of the Dicle River with the black
basalt triple walls encircling the old
town and giving the city a rather dark
appearance. The city walls are 6 km long The Ulu Mosque, built by the Seljuk Mecca) of the nearby Mesudiye
and reinforced with 16 towers with five Sultan Melik Shah, is notable for its Madrasah is made of the local black
gates. The walls are decorated with original design and for its utilization of basalt. The Nebii Mosque represents the
inscriptions and bas-reliefs and present both Byzantine and more ancient typical Ottoman style, while the Safa
a superb example of medieval military architectural materials. The mihrap Mosque exhibits Persian influences on
architecture. (prayer niche showing the direction to its tiled minaret. The third century

City Walls

48 Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia