Diyarbakır is one of the largest cities in southeastern Turkey. Situated on the banks of the River Tigris, it is the administrative capital of the Diyarbakır Province and with a population of about 843,460 it is the second largest city in Turkey's South - east Anatolia region, after Gaziantep.

The name of the city is inscribed as Amid on the sheath of a sword from the Assyrians period, and the same name was used in other contemporary Syriac and Arabic works.

Diyarbakır is surrounded by an almost intact, dramatic set of high walls of black basalt forming a 5.5 km (3.4 mi) circle around the old city. There are four gates into the old city and 82 watch-towers on the walls, which were built in antiquity, restored and extended by the Roman emperor Constantius in 349. In addition, the walls of Diyarbakir in the world after the Great Wall of China is the second largest city walls.

Diyarbakır boasts numerous medieval mosques andmadrassahs including:

Great Mosque of Diyarbakır  built by the Seljuk Turks Sultan Melik Sah in the 11th century. The mosque, one of the oldest in Turkey, is constructed in alternating bands of black basalt and white limestone (The same patterning is used in the 16th century Deliler Han Madrassah, which is now a hotel). The adjoining Mesudiye Medresesi was built at the same time as was another prayer-school in the city, Zinciriye Medresesi.

Beharampaşa Camii – an Ottoman  mosque built in 1572 by the governor of Diyarbakır, Behram Pasha noted for the well-constructed arches at the entrance.

Dört Ayaklı Minare (the four-footed minaret) –