Things to Do in Bismil: 5 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Bismil

• 1 Historic
• 1 Religious
• 2 Nature
• 1 Other

1 🌳 Nature

Dicle Nehri Kıyıları

The Dicle River is the lifeblood of farming in the district.

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i Photo: Dûrzan (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Source

2 🌳 Nature

Bismil Ovası

Bismil Plain is where the highest summer temperatures in Diyarbakır province are recorded.

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3 🕌 Religious

Bismil Grand Mosque

The Grand Mosque, built in the Ottoman period, is the oldest place of worship in the district. Its basalt stone architecture reflects the mosque tradition of Southeastern Anatolia.

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4 🏛️ Historic

Türkmen Hacı Mahallesi türbeleri

In Türkmen Hacı Neighbourhood there are the Kabasakal, Sarısakal and Yedikızlar tombs.

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5 📍 Other

Höyükler

Artificial mounds, in the form of höyük, are found in neighbourhoods such as Koği, Tepe, Saladum, Matar and Köprü.

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While you are in Bismil, you can also see the highlights of Diyarbakır province. These places are in other districts; Bismil is about 50 km from the provincial centre.

• Diyarbakır City Walls — Black basalt walls made up of the Inner Castle and the Outer Castle; the Dağ Kapı (Harput Gate), Urfa Kapı, Mardin Kapı and Yeni Kapı are the main entrances.
• Hevsel Gardens — About 700 hectares of farmland between the walls and the Tigris; with more than 180 bird species, it is the largest bird paradise in Southeastern Anatolia.
• Diyarbakır Grand Mosque — A mosque formed in 639 when the city's largest church was converted into a mosque and repaired in 1091 under Malik-Shah; it is considered the Anatolian counterpart of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus and is known in the Islamic world as the 'fifth sacred sanctuary' (beşinci harem-i şerif).
• Ten-Eyed Bridge (Tigris Bridge) — A ten-arched basalt bridge over the Tigris, 3 km south of Mardin Kapı, built in 1065 in the Marwanid period according to its inscription; it links the city with Bağıvar.
• Hasan Paşa Caravanserai — Opposite the Grand Mosque, a caravanserai with black-and-white stone banding, built in 1572–1575 by Governor Hasan Paşa, son of Sokullu Mehmet Paşa; today its courtyard breakfast rooms make it the city's meeting place.
• Four-Legged Minaret (Şeyh Mutahhar Mosque) — The minaret of the mosque built in 1500 by the Aq Qoyunlu ruler Kasım Bey, rising on four monolithic stone columns; it is the only example in Anatolia.

Practical Information for Visiting Bismil

Suggested time

Half a day

Best time to visit

Spring and autumn

Places to visit

5 places

• 🫓

  Ciğer Kebabı (lamb liver kebab)

  Lamb liver threaded on skewers and cooked over charcoal. It is served in Bismil's traditional restaurants.

• 🥟

  İçli Köfte (stuffed bulgur balls)

  Bulgur dough is filled with minced meat, onion and walnuts, then boiled. It is one of the best-known dishes of Bismil cuisine.

• 🍯

  Kadayıf Dolması (walnut-filled kadayıf)

  Walnuts are placed inside fine kadayıf pastry, which is rolled, fried and soaked in syrup.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Bismil

• 🌾

  Tarım Kültürü

  Bismil has a farming culture that developed on the fertile plain irrigated by the Dicle River. Traditional working methods used during the cotton harvest season are still practised.

• 🤝

  Çok Kültürlü Yapı

  Throughout history, Bismil has been a settlement where different cultures lived side by side. This diversity is reflected in the district's cuisine and way of life.

Local Products

• Pamuk — The Bismil Plain is one of Türkiye's important cotton-producing centres. Cotton farming forms the basis of the district's economy.
• Buğday — Wheat is farmed on the fertile land irrigated by the Dicle River.

Economy

Bismil's economy is based on agriculture and trade. Cotton, wheat and maize are the main agricultural products. The fertile plain irrigated by the Dicle River forms the basis of the district's agricultural production. Livestock farming is also an important source of income.

How to Get to Bismil

Bismil is 50 km from Diyarbakır city centre. It lies on the Diyarbakır–Batman highway. Regular bus and minibus services run from Diyarbakır.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Diyarbakır

Bismil: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in Bismil Famous dishes and local products →
• 🗺️ Things to Do in Diyarbakır The province's 15 best places and all its districts →

Other Districts of Diyarbakır

• Bağlar 3 places Bağlar Parkları ve Yeşil Alanları, Bağlar Bazaar and Bağlar Camileri
• Çermik 5 places Çermik Hot Springs, Çeteci Abdullah Paşa Madrasa and Çermik Hammam
• Çınar 9 places Zerzevan Castle, Şikeftan Mağaraları and Çınar Ovası
• Çüngüş 5 places Fırat Nehri Valley, Karakaya Dam and Çüngüş Bridge
• Dicle 5 places Dicle Valley, Dicle Castle and Dicle Grand Mosque
• Eğil 6 places Dicle Dam Lake, Eğil Castle and Eğil Rock Reliefs
• Ergani 6 places Çayönü Mound, Ergani Bakır Madeni and Ergani Castle
• Hani 6 places Şeyh Ahmed Efendi Tomb, Hani Castle and Hani Grand Mosque
• Hazro 4 places Hazro Castle, Hazro Mountains and Hazro Grand Mosque
• Kayapınar 4 places Kayapınar Parkları, Kayapınar Alışveriş Merkezleri and Kayapınar Camileri
• Kocaköy 4 places Kocaköy Castle, Kocaköy Doğal Alanları and Kocaköy Grand Mosque
• Kulp 9 places Kefrum Castle, Kanîkan Mağaraları (Kanîkan Caves) and Kale-i Ulya
• Lice 3 places Lice Castle, Lice Yaylaları (Lice Plateaus) and Lice Ulu Camii (Lice Grand Mosque)
• Silvan 6 places Silvan Castle, Malabadi Bridge and Hasuni Caves
• Sur 12 places Diyarbakır Surları ve Hevsel Bahçeleri (Diyarbakır City Walls and Hevsel Gardens), Diyarbakır Ulu Camii (Diyarbakır Grand Mosque) and Hz. Süleyman Mosque
• Yenişehir 4 places Diyarbakır Havalimanı Çevresi (Around Diyarbakır Airport), Yenişehir Parkları (Yenişehir Parks) and Yenişehir Camileri (Yenişehir Mosques)