Mardin
The name of the city is derived from the Syriac-Aramaic word meaning fortress. It is likely the Maride and Marida of the Greeks and Romans.
Historical and Religious Sites:
- Monasteries and Churches: Most Syriac Orthodox churches and monasteries in the city were built on ancient Assyrian-Babylonian temple sites. The Syriac Orthodox Saffron Monastery, founded in 439 AD, is one of the oldest in the world and was the seat of the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch from 1160 until 1932. Another important site is Kırklar Kilisesi (Church of the 40 Martyrs), dating from 569 AD.
- Madrasas: The 12th-century Sitti Radviyye Madrasa, built during the Artukid dynasty, is the oldest of its kind in Anatolia. The Kasımiye Madrasa was built by Sultan Kasım between 1457 and 1502.
History: Mardin was ruled by the Artukid dynasty, later becoming a vassal state of the Mongol Empire. It was subsequently controlled by the Akkoyunlu kingdom until it was conquered by the Ottoman Turks in 1517.