Diyarbakır Walls
Hello, young explorer! Have you ever seen a giant shield standing for thousands of years, embracing a vast city? The Diyarbakır Surları, with their majestic presence like something out of a fairy tale, are among the most famous structures in the world. These walls resemble a massive stone arch protecting the city.
How Old Are These Walls?
The foundations of the Diyarbakır Surları reach back to ancient times, as far as the Hurrian period between 3000 and 2500 BCE. That means we are talking about something nearly 5000 years old! However, the walls took on their current grand form during the reign of the Roman Emperor Constantius II in 349 CE.
The Second Longest Walls in the World
Did you know that these walls are considered one of the longest and strongest in the world after the Great Wall of China? They stretch a full 5.8 kilometers. If you want to walk around them, it will be a very long journey. Along the walls you can find more than 80 "burç" — that is, watchtowers. On these towers you will see carvings of suns, stars, lions, and other animals. These carvings were made to make the fortress appear even stronger.
The Giant Gates to the City
The walls have four main gates: Dağ Kapı, Urfa Kapı, Mardin Kapı, and Yeni Kapı. In the past, these gates opened at sunrise and closed at sunset for security. Closing the gates meant, for the people living in the city at the time, "everyone home, to a peaceful sleep"!
A Journey Through Time
These stones, dating from the Roman Empire to the present, have served as fortifications for many empires, from the Seljuks to the Artuqids.
Diyarbakır Surları (Kültür Portalı)
