Diyarbakır is a big city.
It is in Turkey. It sits by a river. The city is very old.
People have lived there a long time. It has big walls. Do you want to see the old walls?
Diyarbakır is a big city in Turkey.
It sits by the Tigris river. The city is very old. People have lived there for a long time.
It has huge walls made of black stone.
These walls are very strong. The city name means "land of copper."
Many different groups of people lived here. Some lived there a long time ago. They built many churches and mosques.
There is a big fortress by the river.
The city is a busy place to live. It is a very special place.
Diyarbakır is a large city in southeastern Turkey.
It sits on a high plateau. The city is right next to the Tigris river.
It is one of the oldest cities in the world. People have lived there since around 8000 BCE.
The city is famous for its dark walls. They are made of black basalt stone.
In the past, the city was called Amida. Later, it was known as Diyar Bakr. The name Diyarbakır means "land of copper." This is because there is much copper nearby.
Many different groups have ruled this land. Romans, Persians, and Ottomans all lived here. Because of this, the city has many special sites. You can see old churches and mosques.
Many people in the city are Kurdish. It is a very important place for them. In 2023, big earthquakes hit the area. This caused some damage to the old city walls. Even so, it remains a busy and grand place.
Diyarbakır is a very large city in southeastern Turkey.
It sits on a high plateau near the banks of the Tigris river. The city is the center of the Diyarbakır Province. It is also the second-largest city in the Southeastern Anatolia Region. Many people consider it one of the oldest cities in the world. People have lived in this area since around 8000 BCE.
The city has many different names from its long history. In ancient times, it was called Amida.
Later, it was known in Arabic as Āmīd. After the Muslim conquests in the 7th century, it became known as Diyar Bakr. This name came from the Banu Bakr tribe. Some people also called it "Black Amid" because of its dark walls. In 1937, the name was changed to Diyarbakır. This name means "land of copper" in Turkish.
Many different groups have ruled this land over the years. The Mitanni kingdom was one of the first major groups there. Later, the Arameans, Assyrians, and Persians all controlled the region. The Roman Republic took control in 66 BC.
The city saw many sieges between the Romans and the Persians. Later, the Byzantine Empire and the Sasanian Empire fought for it. The city was also part of the Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates. The Kurdish Marwanid dynasty ruled it during a peaceful time.
Diyarbakır is known for its strong and beautiful structures. The historic Diyarbakır Fortress stands by the river. The city is famous for its black basalt walls.
These walls were even rebuilt by Roman emperors. You can find many old religious sites throughout the city. There is the Great Mosque in the center.
There are also ancient churches like the Church of the Virgin Mary.
Even old pottery, like a 13th-century jar, shows its long life.
Today, the city is a very important place for many people. It is the largest Kurdish-majority city in Turkey. As of December 2024, the population was 1,833,684 people. Many people live in the four urban districts. These districts are called Bağlar, Kayapınar, Sur, and Yenişehir.
The city has faced hard times, like the 2023 earthquakes. These earthquakes caused some damage to the old city walls. Even with these challenges, the city remains a major center.
Diyarbakır is a major city located in southeastern Turkey.
It serves as the administrative center for the Diyarbakır Province. The city sits on a high plateau near the banks of the Tigris river. It is the second-largest city within the Southeastern Anatolia Region. Many historians consider it one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. Human habitation in this area dates back to approximately 8000 BCE.
The city's identity is closely tied to its diverse history and changing names. In ancient times, the city was known as Amida. This name likely comes from an older Assyrian name, Amedi. After the Muslim conquests in the 7th century, the name changed to Diyar Bakr. This was named for the Banu Bakr tribe that settled in northern Mesopotamia. Some people called it "Black Amid" due to its dark basalt walls.
In 1937, Turkish President Atatürk ordered the name be changed to Diyarbakır. In Turkish, this name means "land of copper." This change was part of a process called Turkification. This process involved changing non-Turkish place names to Turkish alternatives.
The history of the region involves many different ruling powers. The Mitanni kingdom was the first major civilization in the area. Later, the Arameans, Assyrians, Urartu, and Armenians all held influence. The Roman Republic gained control of the city in 66 BC.
During the Roman era, Amida was a major city in the province of Mesopotamia. It featured advanced infrastructure like aqueducts, public baths, and an amphitheater. The city also faced many intense sieges. For example, Shapur II of Persia captured Amida after a 73-day siege in 359. The Romans and Persians continued to fight over the region for centuries.
Religious history is also a vital part of the city's story. Syriac Christianity established itself in the region between the 1st and 4th centuries AD. Amida became a metropolitan see, which is a central seat for a bishop. The city has hosted many different Christian denominations over time. This includes the Armenian Church and the Syriac Orthodox Church.
The Church of the Virgin Mary remains the cathedral for the Syriac Orthodox bishop. However, the city's Christian population faced great hardship during the 1915 Armenian genocide. Many religious sites and leaders were lost during this period of history.
During the Middle Ages, the city saw the rise of various Islamic dynasties. Following the Muslim conquests in 639, the Great Mosque was built in the city center. The Marwanid dynasty, a Kurdish group, ruled the region from 983 to 1085. Under the leader Nasr al-Dawla Ahmad, the region experienced a golden age. His 50-year reign was a time of peace and cultural growth.
He was a skilled diplomat who managed relations with the Byzantine Empire. The Marwanid court also encouraged different ethnic and religious groups to live together.
The Ottoman Empire eventually conquered the city in 1514. This happened during the reign of Sultan Selim I. The Ottomans established the Diyarbekir Eyalet, which was an administrative division. This territory corresponded roughly to modern-day Turkish Kurdistan. The city became an important military base for the empire. It was also a center for skilled craftsmen. These workers were well known for producing high-quality glass and metalwork.
Today, Diyarbakır is a large and significant urban center. As of December 2024, the population of the Metropolitan Province was 1,833,684. Of these people, 1,164,940 lived in the built-up metro area. This area is divided into four urban districts: Bağlar, Kayapınar, Sur, and Yenişehir. The city is the largest Kurdish-majority city in Turkey. It is often seen by many Kurds as the informal capital of Kurdistan.
The city has also faced modern natural disasters. In February 2023, twin earthquakes affected the region. These earthquakes caused damage to the historic city walls. Despite these challenges, the city remains a vital part of the region.
Where will your curiosity go next?
🖼️ Images & Media (12)
More to explore
✨ What else?
Related topics you might enjoy
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.