Getting to Know Şırnak
Şırnak lies in the far south-east of the Southeastern Anatolia Region, on the Iraqi border, in a province where mountains and valleys interlock. The city centre takes its name from Şehr-i Nûh (the City of Noah), and it is built to the north of Mount Cudi (2,144 metres; within the boundaries of Silopi), the mountain said to be where Noah’s Ark landed. Cudi is named in Early Christian and Islamic tradition as the mountain where the ark came to rest after the Flood, and its name also appears in Sumerian and Babylonian inscriptions.
The province’s historic town, Cizre, was founded on the right bank of the Tigris, where the river bends and forms a water island; its name comes from the Arabic word jazira, meaning “island”. There is archaeological evidence that Cizre has been settled since the Neolithic period. The town was attached to Mardin from the early years of the Republic, until it was attached to Şırnak on 16 May 1990. Cizre’s best-known son is the inventor İsmail el-Cezerî (al-Jazari), who was born in Cizre in 1136 and described about 50 mechanical devices; he is regarded as having taken the first steps of cybernetics.
The first building of the Cizre Grand Mosque is thought to date from the 7th century, when a church was converted into a mosque; its round-bodied minaret was built in 1155. The other districts of the province, Silopi, Uludere, Beytüşşebap, İdil and Güçlükonak, are known for their high mountains, highland pastures and border gates (Habur).
When to Go
Summers in Şırnak are very hot and dry, winters cold and wet. Averages for 1970–2025 from the Turkish State Meteorological Service:
| Month |
Avg. high |
Avg. low |
Rainfall |
Rainy days |
| January |
6.2 °C |
−0.5 °C |
96 mm |
10 |
| February |
7.5 °C |
0.4 °C |
98 mm |
10 |
| March |
11.4 °C |
3.9 °C |
120 mm |
11 |
| April |
16.9 °C |
8.6 °C |
104 mm |
10 |
| May |
22.8 °C |
13.7 °C |
57 mm |
8 |
| June |
29.6 °C |
19.8 °C |
6 mm |
2 |
| July |
34.0 °C |
24.0 °C |
4 mm |
0 |
| August |
33.9 °C |
24.0 °C |
1 mm |
0 |
| September |
29.5 °C |
19.8 °C |
10 mm |
1 |
| October |
21.9 °C |
13.3 °C |
45 mm |
6 |
| November |
13.9 °C |
6.4 °C |
83 mm |
7 |
| December |
8.4 °C |
1.7 °C |
92 mm |
9 |
The best times are April to early June and late September to October. This station takes its measurements for the Şırnak city centre; the Cizre and Silopi plains are hotter in summer, while the highland pastures of Beytüşşebap and Uludere are cooler.
How to Get to Şırnak
By air: Şırnak Şerafettin Elçi Airport opened on 26 July 2013. It is 10 km from Cizre and 60 km from the provincial centre, and serves domestic flights.
By road: Cizre is linked along the Tigris towards Mardin and Batman; the Habur Border Gate at Silopi is an important gateway to Iraq.
Şırnak Area by Area
- Merkez and the Cudi area: the city centre of Şırnak and the view of Mount Cudi.
- Cizre: the Cizre Grand Mosque and Cizre Castle on the bank of the Tigris, and the town where al-Jazari was born.
- Silopi: the district where Mount Cudi stands (517 m); the Assyrian castle ruins at Yankale and Silopi behnat figs.
- Uludere and Beytüşşebap: high-altitude districts on the Iraqi border; the Habur Stream rises at Beytüşşebap, where there is a hot spring.
- İdil and Güçlükonak: the mountainous interior; Güçlükonak, at 787 metres, is the least populous district in the province.
Suggested Itineraries
Day 1 – Cizre: The Tigris bank and the view of the bridge, Cizre Castle and the Grand Mosque; in the evening, meyre, luzine dessert and Memilheva biscuits.
Day 2 – Silopi and Cudi: The area around Mount Cudi; behnat figs at Silopi.
Day 3 – Beytüşşebap: The highland pastures and hot spring; Beytüşşebap honey and jirki kilim.
Şırnak Cuisine
Şırnak cuisine is based on the produce of the Tigris and the mountain highlands. The delicacies with registered geographical indications are Cizre meyre, Cizre leyminete (lemonade), Cizre luzine tatlısı, Cizre Memilheva kurabiyesi (biscuits), Cizre bırınczer, Beytüşşebap Sehleber kebabı, Şırnak Hanuhin tatlısı (dessert), Şırnak Soryaz, Şımşıpe and Şırnak Dergul tahini. The products are Silopi behnat inciri (figs) and Beytüşşebap balı (honey).
Handicrafts
The Beytüşşebap Jirki kilimi has a registered geographical indication.
Practical Tips
- Find out the current security and permit situation of the roads you plan to travel in the border region before you go.
- In summer, daytime temperatures in Cizre and Silopi exceed 34 °C; plan your sightseeing for the morning and evening.
- Highland roads may be closed by snow in winter.
Photo: Timo Roller (CC BY 3.0) · Source 
