the legendary city of Upper Mesopotamia, has
a history going back to 8000 BC, and over the
millennia numerous civilisations have come and
gone. This is a city of evocative beauty and
unique atmosphere, where people of different
cultures and religions have always lived in
harmony. The Romans knew it as Maride, the Persians
as Marde, the Byzantines as Mardia, the Syrians
as Merdo or Merdi, and the Arabs as Maridin.
It is a city about which songs have been sung,
poems recited and legends told. But the only
way to get to know Mardin properly is to experience
it at first hand for days and preferably weeks;
to breathe the warm air of Upper Mesopotamia
and wander through its labyrinthine streets,
sometimes losing your way.
With its unique stone architecture, Mardin became
the second city in the world to be declared
a conservation area in entirety. When you examine
its buildings you will be astonished at the
way the Syrian Orthodox builders worked the
stone with the delicacy of kilim or lace patterns.