A restored mansion — the courtyard you know from television

History

Built at the end of the 19th century for a wealthy Midyat family, the mansion was restored years later and opened to the public. It serves today as a visitor and cultural centre, and is the most impressive example of Midyat's civil architecture.

Why go

With its courtyard, columned arcades and stone stairs to the roof, the house shows the traditional domestic arrangement of the region in full: cool lower rooms, a shaded courtyard, and the roof where people slept in summer. Used repeatedly as a filming location, it is one of the most recognised buildings in the region.

Visiting notes

Entry is usually free and tea is served in the courtyard. Go up to the roof terrace — that is where Midyat's skyline of church bells and minarets appears together. It can be busy at weekends.