Things to Do in Ergani: 6 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Ergani

• 1 Historic
• 4 Ancient City
• 1 Other

i Photo: - Ozymandias - (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Source

1 🏺 Ancient City

Çayönü Mound

Located near Hîlar Neighbourhood in Ergani district, excavations carried on since 1964 have uncovered Anatolia's oldest village settlement.

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2 📍 Other

Ergani Bakır Madeni

Copper mining in the mid-19th century played an important role in Ergani's economy and led to the development of Maden Town.

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3 🏺 Ancient City

Ergani Castle

Located near Ergani on the slope of Kolat Mountain, these are the remains of a castle that now lies in ruins.

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4 🏺 Ancient City

Hilar Mağaraları

Caves in Hilar (Sesveren Pınar) village containing rock tombs and reliefs from Antiquity.

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5 🏺 Ancient City

Çayönü kalıntıları

Settlement remains from the Neolithic period, near the Hilar Caves.

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6 🏛️ Historic

Eski Hükümet Mansion

A mansion built in 1891, restored and opened to tourism.

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While you are in Ergani, you can also see the highlights of Diyarbakır province. These places are in other districts; Ergani 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 Ergani

Suggested time

1 day

Best time to visit

Spring and autumn

Places to visit

6 places

• 🫓

  Ciğer Kebabı (lamb liver kebab)

  Lamb liver threaded on skewers and cooked over charcoal. It is served in Ergani'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 Ergani cuisine.

• 🍲

  Meftune (aubergine, pepper and mince casserole)

  Aubergine, pepper, tomato and minced meat are cooked together in a casserole. It is the traditional vegetable dish of the summer months.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Ergani

• 🏛️

  Çayönü Neolitik Mirası

  Çayönü Mound is one of the oldest settlements in human history. The first examples of the transition to farming, dating to the 7th millennium BC, were seen here, and it is of great importance to world archaeology.

• ⛏️

  Madencilik Geleneği

  Copper mining in Ergani has continued for thousands of years. Mining deposits operated since the Bronze Age have shaped the region's economic and cultural development.

Local Products

• Bakır — Ergani has one of Türkiye's most important copper deposits. Copper mining forms the basis of the district's historical and economic identity.
• Buğday — Wheat is farmed on the Ergani Plain. Cereal production is an important part of the district's economy.

Economy

Ergani's economy is based on mining, agriculture and livestock farming. Copper mining is the district's most important industrial activity. Wheat, barley and lentils are the main agricultural products. Livestock farming is also an important source of income.

How to Get to Ergani

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

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Diyarbakır

Ergani: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in Ergani 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
• Bismil 5 places Dicle Nehri Kıyıları, Bismil Ovası and Bismil Grand Mosque
• 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
• 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)