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Midyat is a small town in southeastern
Turkey, just an hour’s drive
from better-known Mardin.
The old part
of Midyat offers many of the same attractions
as Mardin, although without the hillside
setting or colorful bazaar.
Ringed by modern development, the
old town consists
of a network of narrow streets framed
with huge old sandstone
houses with decorative façades.
Finest and most elaborate is the lovely
Konukevi at the highest point in town.
It’s
a great favorite with Turkish television
film crews. At other times it may be
possible to stay here.
The steeples of nine Syrian
Orthodox churches peep up above the houses,
although services are no longer held
in most of them.
A short walk out of
town is the Mor Abrohom Monastery,
but more interesting is Mor
Gabriel,
20 km (12.5 miles) to the east, where
church services are still held in Aramaic,
the language of Jesus. The monastery
was founded in 397 AD.
Midyat is famous for its filigree
silver jewellery. There are plenty
of shops selling samples at the edge
of the old town.
An attractive restored han (caravanserai),
the Tarihi Midyat Geluske Hani, makes
a great place to stop for a quick lunch.
There are two hotels in Estel, the
modern part of Midyat. Otel
Matiat is a large new four-star hotel, while
the Demirdag Hotel is far simpler and
less expensive.
There are frequent minibuses from
Mardin to Midyat; make sure to get
off in the old part of town.
Distances & Travel Times
Mardin: 59 km (37 miles) W, 1.25 hours
Hasankeyf: 39 km (24.5 miles) N, 45 mins
Diyarbakir: 156 km (97.5 miles) NW, 3 hours
Batman: 71 km (44.5 miles) NW, 1.5 hours
Nusaybin (Syrian Border): 32 km (20 miles) N,
30 mins
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