Diyarbakır

What it's known for

Diyarbakır is a Kurdish-majority city and one of the main centres of southeastern Türkiye. Its Great Mosque, built in the 11th century in bands of black basalt and white limestone, is one of the oldest mosques in the country.

Fun facts

1. Walls of black basalt run in a circle about 5.5 km long around the old city, and with the Hevsel Gardens they became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015.
2. In ancient times the city was called Amida; the name Diyar Bakr refers to the land of the Banu Bakr tribe.
3. Watermelons are grown around the city, and Diyarbakır holds a Watermelon Festival every year.