ARSAMEIA
At ancient Eskikale (Arsameia of Nymphaios) a magnificent relief depicts Heracles greeting the Commagene King, Mithridates, in the ruins of what scholars believe might have been the Commagene Palace. Opposite this site, separated by the Eski Kahta river are the remains of the Yenikale (New Castle) built by the Mamelouks. Other nearby sights include the Roman bridge at Cendere and another Commagene royal tumulus, Karakus.
On
the great plain of High Mesopotamia, Sanliurfa, known in ancient times
first as Ur and later as Edessa, 
proudly
exhibits the legacy of all the civilizations that have prospered in this
region. In the second millennium B.C.; it was a city of a Hurrite state.
Tradition relates that Abraham was born in a cave near the area where the
Mevlid Halil Mosque now stands. Today the cave is a pilgrimage site and
flocks of pigeons don't seem to disturb the elderly me n praying around
the entrance. The remains of a castle with two lone Corinthian columns
rising above the ruined walls, stands atop a small crest. At the foot of
the hills, the lovely Halil Rahman Mosque is built around a quiet pool
in which sacred car swim. The 17th century Ottoman Ridvaniye Mosque and
the Firfirli Mosque, formerly the Church of the Apostles, are worth a detour.
The archaeology and ethnography museum, one of the best in Turkey, houses
important Neolithic and Chalcolithic finds from the Lower Firat region.
To capture the spirit of Sanliurfa, wander through the vaulted eastern
bazaar and linger in the courtyards of the old hans (inns); try to find
Gumruk Hani and Barutgu Hani - they are the the most interesting.
Believed to be the ancient city of the same name mentioned in the Old Testament, Harran is known more now for its unusual beehive dwellings than as the place where Abraham spent several years of his life. The archaeological remains include those of the largest ancient Islamic University, city walls dating from the eighth century, four gates and a citadel. The GAP project will transform Harran into one of the most fertile areas in Turkey. Harran is also famous for its bee-hive style houses. Birecik, 80 km west of Sanliurfa, straddles the Firat River, its skyline dominated by the town's citadel. A nice place to take a break, there are good accommodations and camping facilities here.
Diyarbakir,
known in ancient times as Amida, spreads across a basalt plateau close
to the banks of the Dicle River. 
The
black basalt triple walls that encircle the old town give the city a rather
ominous appearance. These ramparts, 5.5km in length, with 16 keeps and
five gates, inscriptions and bas-reliefs, represent a superb example of
medieval military architecture. The Ulu Mosque, built by the Seljuk sultan
Melik Shah, is notable for its original plan, and for its utilization of
Byzantine and more ancient architectural material. The mihrab of the nearby
Mesudiye Medrese is made of the local black basalt. The Nebii Mosque represents
the typical Ottoman mosque style, while the Safa Mosque exhibits Persian
influences in its tiled minaret. The third century Aramaic Church of the
Virgin Mary (Meryemana Kiiisesi), which is still in use today, makes an
interesting visit. For an example of early domestic architecture, stop
at the restored home of the writer Cahit Sitki Taranci. The Deliller Hani
(1527) by the Mardin Gates, converted and refurbished into a hotel, recreates
the atmosphere of the days when trading caravans stopped in Diyarbakir.
Just outside the city walls, by the river, stands Atatürk's house,
now a museum. South of town at the Dicle Bridge, built in 1065, you can
take a great photograph of the Dicle River, the bridge and the city walls.
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