Why Midyat
Midyat is a municipality and district center situated within Mardin Province in southeastern Turkey. Covering an expanse of 1,241 square kilometers, this historic urban area functions as a key regional commercial hub and is historically recognized as the central heartland of the Tur Abdin region. The town is home to a mixed population of Kurds, Mhallami, and Assyrians, with certain residential districts, such as the old Estel neighborhood, having a predominantly Kurdish population.
The recorded history of Midyat spans thousands of years, with ninth-century BC Assyrian inscriptions identifying the settlement as Matiate. During military expeditions, Assyrian kings Assurnasirpal II in 879 BC and Shalmaneser III in 845 BC passed through the area. Beneath the modern streets lies the underground archaeological site of Matiate, which remained active for roughly 1,900 years and held a population of up to 70,000 during its peak. Over time, the city developed into a primary cultural seat for Syriac Christianity, serving Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant communities.
Visitors to Midyat can explore a well-preserved cityscape featuring classic stone houses and five historic Syriac churches. Situated at the highest elevation in the city is the Midyat Guest House, a prominent three-story structure built in 1850 by the Assyrian Shabo family. Restored by the local municipality, the stone building features an accessible rooftop that provides wide views across the surrounding townscape and has served as a location for television productions. Additionally, the Midyat Telkari Museum, established atop an 1850 residence built by the Gelle Hirmız family, displays artifacts ranging from the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman eras to the modern Republican period.
The local markets of Midyat are famous for traditional Syriac craftsmanship and regional agricultural products. The town is particularly celebrated for telkari, an intricate style of handcrafted silver filigree ornament. Artisans also produce woven textiles, carpets, and towels, while food markets feature locally milled bulgur wheat. To the east of the town center, local wineries continue to produce traditional Syriac wine indigenous to the area.
Midyat experiences a semi-arid climate influenced by its geographic proximity to the Syrian border. Summers are intensely hot and dry, with daily high temperatures regularly reaching between 40 and 50 degrees Celsius, contributing to more than 3,000 annual hours of sunshine. Winters are cold and wet, with regular snowfall typically occurring over a one to two-week period between December and March.
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