The population of the city is around 65,000 people from various origins - Kurds, Turks, Assyrian/Syriacs, Armenians and Arabs. Mardin is one of the rare cities of the world where several religions such as Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Yezidism can be found.

The city has an important place in History. From the 3rd century until 640, it was lived in by Syriac Christians. In 640, it was invaded by the Arabs. Indeed, Mardin was conquered by Muslim Arabs during the caliphate of Umar. In the 7th century it came under the dominion of the Ummayads and in the 9th century under the Abbasids’. Thus Islam spread throughout the region which experienced the most brilliant period of its Islamic identity during the Artuqid era. In a history extending from the Sumerian era to the Republic of Turkey, the Artuqid era is important from the aspect of Mardin’s urban identity. The architectural configuration that has remained since the 12th century is mainly the result of constructions dating back to the period. In the 12th century, the city was taken by the Seldjoukides before its entrance in the Ottoman Empire in 1516. At the beginning of the 19th century, Mardin was destroyed several times after Kurdish rebellions and an occupation by Egypt in 1839.

Along with Venice and Jerusalem it is one of the three cities with the best preserved historical architecture in the world. Today, Mardin, located on the Silk Road, has several inns and caravanserais and its 15 mosques and almost as many churches reflect the characteristics of the periods they were built in.

THE LEGEND OF ZINCIRIYE MADRASA : THE MAGIC OF CHAIN
As Mardin region is a dry region there are many snakes and scorpions which are poisonous. So these snakes and scorpions bit many people who died, particularly so as many people used to sleep on roof tops during hot summer nights. To put an end to this plague, people decided to ask wise religious people for advice. The latter advised their fellow citizens to write prayers for scorpions and snakes not to bite anyone else and told them to tie up these written prayers to a chain which they hung from the top of the minarets of two mosques. As one of the minaret collapsed, they then tied it to the top of Zinciriye Madrasa and laid the prayers on Sultan Isa’s tomb. But unfortunately the chain was stolen during the Second World War. Yet it is believed that because the written prayers were laid on the tomb of Sultan Isa the city was still being protected from scorpions. Since then on there have been no more reports of snake and scorpion bites and people say that the local hospital’s registers can confirm it.

MARDIN CASTLE
Mardin is also famous for its castle, standing on the hill dominating the city and crowned with superb stonework. It is known as the “Eagle Nest” due to its protected position. It was built in 975-976 AD by Abdullah Bin Hamdan of the Hamdani. It is 1200 metres above sea level and is between 30 and 150 metres wide. This fortress played an important role at the time of Subaru, Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, Ottomans and many more. It is also clear from the reports of travellers who came to Mardin at these different periods of time that there were many additions inside the castle including storage barns, wells and bathhouses. Unfortunately it cannot be visited since it is now a military base.

SAKIP SABANCI MUSEUM

Sakιp Sabancι Museum opened its doors on October 1st, 2009. It is situated in a historic building (formerly army barracks).

THE LEGEND OF ŞAHMERAN

The legend of Şahmeran comes from Mesopotamia. It has been told and retold in Mardin for hundreds and hundreds of years. The name "Şahmeran" actually comes from the Persian name "Şah-ι Meran," which means "the shah of the snakes". Şahmeran was half a snake and half a very beautiful woman. She was a snake from the waist down, but from the waist upwards, a beautiful woman. Her portraits are traditionally hung on walls inside houses especially on girls’ bedroom walls. It is believed that hanging her pictures brings good fortune for them.
Şahmeran : a love story
Once upon a time, there was a tall and handsome boy called Tahmasp who lived in Mardin. One day, by mistake, he walked into a cave where thousands of snakes were sleeping. There he met Şahmeran.
Tahmasp couldn’t hide the fact that he was attracted to her although she was a snake from the waist down. Tahmasp remained in the cave for days on end, listening to Şahmeran tell incredible stories about the world and humanity. He was rapt, but when Şahmeran had told him everything and there was nothing left to tell, Tahmasp decided that he was missing the outside world and left. Even though Şahmeran didn't like this idea, in the end, she accepted it.

It was named after its founder - the emperor Darius the first. It is an old Byzantine fortress which was established in the 6th century before Christ. It was first constructed as a summer residence - the Persians spent their winters in Mardin inside the fortress and their summers on the plain bellow. At that time, Mardin was known as “Taht-ι Dara” (Below Dara). Dara was also used as a garrison city to defend the eastern borders of the Eastern Roman Empire. It was occupied by many civilizations such as the Greeks, the Romans, the Parthians, the Byzantines and the Sassanids. In the years 506-507, the city was fortified by Anastase I who renamed the city Anastasiapolis. Kavadh I criticized this act which he considered as a mark of hostility and breaking of the peace between the two countries. In the year 530, the emperor Belisaire won a battle against Kavadh I just behind the walls of the city. The son of Kavadh I, Khosro I Anushîrvan, signed an eternal peace treaty with the Byzantine emperor Justinian. In the year 540, Khosro I resumed the war and lost it. After his defeat he agreed to leave the city against a payment. Khosro I came back in 573 and took the city after a siege of four months.

Dara consists of buildings that were carved into the rock and was once protected by 4 kilometres long fortifications. The inner castle was situated to the north of the city. Although the city is now in ruins, the remains of a church, the agora and the old cisterns can still be seen nowadays.

DEYRULZAFARAN (OR MOR HANANYO) MONASTERY

Christianity became widespread in Mesopotamia during the 3rd century which accounts for the existence of numerous monasteries in the region, some of which are still active.