Mardin

The town seen from a distance looks magnificent with its houses, mansions, mosques and churches all perched on layered terraces that are topped by a huge castle on a rock that rises up out of the plain below.  

The views from the town itself are stunning especially when seen at sunset looking over the Syrian plain.  Mardin has always been used as a military outpost and has a mixed population of Kurds, Turks, Arabs and Syrian Christians.  
Although it was originally Roman, the Syrian Orthodox Christians settled here in the 3rd century AD surviving the Arab occupation from 640 to 1104, and there are still 11 churches here, 8 of which still serve the decreasing Christian community.  

Places to Visit in Mardin

Places of interest include some excellent Islamic buildings and Arab style houses and the Sultan Isa Medresesi that was built in 1385; the 11th century Ulu Mosque (Camii) with its fluted dome, and from the castle you get wonderful views of the Hediye Minare.  There is also a 14th century mosque, the Latifiye Mosque (Camii), and 15th century Kasım Pasa Medresesi.  

The churches here include the Syrian Orthodox Kirklar Church with the Catholic St. Joseph’s (Mar Yusuf) next door to it, and the largest church in town, the Church of the Virgin Mary (Süriyani Katolik Kilisesi), is next to the museum.  

Transportation in Mardin

There is no bus station here and most buses depart from the Belediye bus terminal or will take you to Yenisehir for other bus destinations, although there are dolmus minibus services available.  

Mardin Hotels

For accommodation there are very few budget hotels and recently many expensive boutique hotels have been built leaving visitors with little choice in price options although there is a good variety of restaurants and cafés.