The capital of stone carving

History

Midyat is the centre of the Tur Abdin region, and its name derives from a root meaning 'land of caves' in Syriac. For centuries the town has been a settlement where Syriac, Muslim and Yazidi communities lived side by side.

Why go

Midyat's stone is whiter and softer than Mardin's, which is why the carving here is deeper and bolder. Within a few hundred metres of the old town there are three churches, several mosques and dozens of mansions. Telkâri — the traditional art of filigree silver — is still worked by hand here.

Visiting notes

Allow half a day. You can watch craftsmen at work in the filigree workshops and buy directly from them. Don't miss climbing to the rooftop viewing terraces of the old town.