Diyarbakir (Ottoman Turkish; Diyar-i Bekr) is the largest city in southeastern Turkey. Situated on the banks of the River Tigris, it is the administrative capital of the Diyarbakir Province with a population of almost 1.5 million. Within Turkey, Diyarbakir is famed for its culture, folklore, and watermelons.
Amid(a) was the capital of the Aramean kingdom Bet-Zamani from the 13th century B.C. onwards. Amid is the name used in the Syriac sources, which also testifies to the fact that it once was the seat of the Church of the East Patriarch and thus an Assyrian/Syriac stronghold that produced many famous Syriac theologians and Patriarchs; some of them found their final resting place in the St. Mary Church. There are many relics in the Church, such as the bones of the apostle Thomas and St. Jacob of Sarug (d. 521).
Copyright Turkey Travel Guide - 2006 - 2024. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Disclaimer