Mesopotamia

MESOPOTAMIA Mesopotamia--the Land between the Rivers-- begins in Eastern Turkey. Both the Euphrates and Tigris rivers rise in Anatolia, and both flow through the plains of the south before they empty into Syria and Iraq respectively. Turkish Mesopotamia, like all of of this fabled area, is incredibly fertile and incredibly hot. The cities here are ancient and have been the part of many many empires as their fates have ebbed and flowed over time. This place is as old as the world is and is as interesting
	DIYARBAKIR Sitting high on the banks overlooking the Tigris River, this city has controlled the north of Mesopotamia since the neolithic era. The black basalt walls surrounding the town were built by Constantine, making them older than the walls of Istanbul. This is a Kurdish city and its ambiance is notably different from other Turkish and Arabic cities in the east of Anatolia. The city has a vibrant and busy market, many small, but functioning Christian Churches, and the fourth oldest mosque in Islam. It is a city full of atmosphere and interest and its strategic importance becomes more evident when we realize that Baghdad is about 800 kilometers downstream. MARDIN

Easily the most Arabic of modern Turkish Cities, Mardin sits on a ridge overlooking the Syrian Desert. The city is beautiful and incredibly atmospheric with many fine examples of Arabic architecture gracing its skyline. Close by Mardin is the Deyrul Zafaran--a Syrian Christian Monastery that has been functioning since the fifth century.
SANLI URFA

	Sanliurfa, named Edessa by Alexander the Great, is a lovely city famous in the Muslim world for being the birthplace of Abraham. Like Konya, the city is still a major stop for people going to Mecca, as the cave where he is reputed to have been born is a major shrine of Islam. Sanliurfa, is also home to one of the great bazaars of Turkey with many wonderful hans selling everything from brass to leather to birds. The city’s central park and citadel are among the loveliest urban retreats in Turkey.
		Harran South of Sanliurfa, close to border of Syria, is the Biblical town of Harran. The beehive houses here are the same basic design as those used in biblical times. Harran offers a unique glimpse into a long gone era of human life and human faith.

GAP The Southeast Anatolia Project (GAP is its Turkish acronym) is a vast irrigation project which takes millions of gallons of water from the Euphrates River behind the Ataturk Dam, and uses it to irrigate thousands of hectares of the desert, is having an enormous impact on the lives of the people of the region as they are now becoming prosperous cotton farmers instead of marginal nomadic goat herders. Key sites visited: Tigris River, Diyarbakir, Kurds, Syrian Christian Church, Wall of Diyarbakir, Mardin Syria, Deyrul Zafaran, Ulu Camii, Kasim Pasa, Medresesi, Sanliurfa, Edessa, Abraham’s Cave, Harran, GAP project, Euphrates River, Citadel Baza ON TOURS: ANCIENT KINGDOMS