Diyarbakir in Photographs
One of my friends, Serhat, is a photographer and gave me some wonderful photos of Diyarbakir. He had once traveled to Diyarbakir and taken a lot of photos while in the city. His photographs of Diyarbakir show the city in a different light – an artistic vision in black and white photography. He has just started setting up his website and I will shortly link to him so you can see more of his photographs of Diyarbakir and other cities he has visited. I present you, one photographer’s vision of Diyarbakir.
The Great Mosque of Diyarbakir
Bring a camera when you travel to Diyarbakir because you will always be able to find photo opportunities whether you use color or black and white photography.
In the first photo, you see the Great Mosque of Diyarbakir. If you want see read more about the Great Mosque of Diyarbakir (also known as the Ulu Camii Mosque, built in the 11th century) read my article on the Mosques in Diyarbakir which gives a full list and description of all the mosques in the city. This is one of the sites you will no doubt visit if you are traveling to Diyarbakir. There are many mosques in Diyarbakir, valuable because of their historical, architectural, cultural and religious significance throughout history.
Cobblestone Streets in Diyarbakir
A narrow cobblestone street of Suriçi in Diyarbakir, showing the old historical houses is seen in this second photo from my friend. Suriçi is inside the castle walls of Diyarbakir. It is densely populated with a population of people who live well below the poverty line due to the lack of employment and investment in the south eastern part of Turkey.
Historically and also somewhat today, Suriçi was and is a business center where copper, steel and iron workers, saddle makers and shop keepers plied their trades. Today, you will still find some of these trades people, along with little shops, markets and bazaars for shopping. For tourists who want to go and visit Suriçi in Diyarbakir, be careful of pick pockets and groups of teenagers and small children because of the intense poverty of the population you could become a victim of theft. Stay on the main streets or else go with a tourist guide who knows the area. Wear your backpack not on your back, but rather in front.
It’s a shame that such a historical neighborhood in Diyarbakir such as Suriçi has been left to decay and decline. The beauty of these historical houses should be preserved because of their historical and architectural value to the people of the area and Turkey.
A town square in Diyarbakir
In the third photo, you can see Forest Park in Diyarbakir a typical town square. A young boy sells candy floss. Women in their traditional clothes walk across the square. In the distance, you can see the modern apartment buildings.
Click on these small photos of Diyarbakir to see a larger view.
