Diyarbakır Walls

The Diyarbakır Walls are a historical defensive structure enclosing the city of Diyarbakır in southeastern Türkiye. The walls consist of two sections: the Inner Citadel and the Outer Citadel, and are believed to have originated from the Inner Citadel, which formed the earliest settlement core of the city on its northeastern side. Although no exact date is known for the construction of the walls, various sources generally date their origin to the mid-4th century. However, it is believed that the walls’ roots extend as far back as the Hurrian period between 3000 and 2500 BCE, and their current form is accepted to have been established during the reign of Roman Emperor Constantius II in 349 CE. Recognized as one of the longest, widest and most extensive walls in the world after the Great Wall of China, the Diyarbakır Walls are notable for their shape resembling the silhouette of a fish.

Diyarbakır Walls (Diyarbakır Governorate)

Structural Features

The total length of the Diyarbakır Walls is approximately 5800 metres. The section of the Inner Citadel remaining within Suriçi measures 599 metres, while the combined length of the Outer Citadel walls reaches 5200 metres. However, about 645 metres of the walls have been demolished or destroyed for various reasons. The area enclosed by the walls including the Inner Citadel is approximately 1.57 km². The height of the walls varies between 8 and 22 metres, while the current measurable average height of the towers is around 20 metres. In the Inner Citadel area, due to the fill material surrounding the walls, it is estimated that these heights were originally greater. The thickness of the walls and towers ranges from 1.40 to 5.00 metres; the thinnest sections are located on the eastern side (1.40–2.60 m), while the thickest sections are found on the northern and western sides (4.5–5 m). Circular towers generally have thicker sections.

The walls feature a total of 101 towers; 82 are located in the Outer Citadel and 19 in the Inner Citadel. Three of the 82 towers in the Outer Citadel were demolished in the 1930s, and four have been lost over time. Additionally, the upper levels of four towers, which appear from the outside as half-towers, have been damaged, leaving only their ground floors intact. Designed for defense, the towers are typically three or four storeys high; the ground floors served as storage areas while the upper floors housed soldiers. The towers have circular, square or polygonal plans and are accessed from within the walls or via staircases inside the towers. Some towers feature two terrace levels.

Diyarbakır Walls (Diyarbakır Governorship)

Gates

The Diyarbakır Walls have a total of 34 gates, including main gates, secondary gates and later additions. The four main gates of the Outer Citadel are: Amida Gate (north), Hezarkapı Gate (west), Mardin Gate (south) and Yeni Gate (east). Within the Inner Citadel, the Kırkçeşme Gate and Küpeli Gate open inward, while the Oğrun Gate and Fetih Gate open outward. In later centuries, additional gates such as Tek Kapı and Çift Kapı were constructed to meet transportation needs. Until the early 20th century, the city gates were closed at night to control entry and exit.

Towers among the walls stand out due to their inscriptions, reliefs and architectural features. Notable towers include the Dağ Gate Tower, Selçuklu Tower, Ulu Body Tower, Yedi Sibling Tower, Nur Tower, Keçi Tower, Leblebi Kıran Tower and Hazelnut Tower. Towers are classified into three types according to their floor plans: circular, square and polygonal. The height of these towers and the walls enhances the imposing appearance of the structure.

Diyarbakır Walls (Diyarbakır Governorate)

Symbolic Motifs

The Diyarbakır Walls are more than a defensive structure; they are an aesthetic object of visual communication. The symbolic motifs on the walls reflect the cultural and artistic heritage of the city. These motifs express the communities’ tradition, customs, pleasure, understanding and beliefs as primary decorative elements. Beyond their formal richness, these motifs carry profound meanings; for instance, the tree motif symbolizes the continuity of life after death. The meanings of the symbolic motifs bear traces of the periods in which they were created and function as a code system accessible to all. However, over time these meanings may be forgotten and the motifs may be perceived only as decorative elements. Nevertheless, these symbols serve the transmission of cultural memory, and their origins can be illuminated through research into their historical context.

The motifs on the Diyarbakır Walls include both traditional and universal symbols. For example, the double-headed eagle motif found in Seljuk art traces its origins to the Hittite period, while bird and eagle motifs derive from Middle Asia mythologies and Shamanist culture. This demonstrates that the walls embody a rich heritage drawn from multiple cultures. Symbols acquire meaning through the fusion of form and content, enabling intellectual interpretation and revealing the meaning of the work, its cultural and aesthetic dimensions.

Diyarbakır Walls (Diyarbakır Governorship)