Hasankeyf

Hasankeyf is a relocated village on the north bank of the Tigris River in Southeastern Anatolia, with a population of 8000 in 2023. The original village on the south river bank had been settled for over 2000 years but was submerged in 2020 by the Ilısu dam project. The new village is a drab modern grid, but several ancient buildings were relocated here to form an “archaeology park” centred on the museum.

A few sights remain on the south bank, notably the citadel, but the water level rose by over 100 m so much was lost. This drew international condemnation and withdrawal of finance, but the political drive for irrigation and hydroelectricity triumphed.

Hasankeyf Town Council posts visitor information.

37°43′12″N 41°24′54″E

Map of Hasankeyf

Hasankeyf is on Highway D-955, 38 km southeast of Batman and 45 km north of Midyat. Batman has flights and buses from Istanbul, and a daily train from Ankara. Dolmuşes from Batman take an hour to Hasankeyf and continue to Midyat and Mardin.

Sights on the north bank are in a walkable area either side of a small inlet of the lake, spanned by a footbridge.

Boat trips putter across the barrage lake to the south bank, where sights cluster at the citadel and landing pier. This can also be reached by road, crossing the river by the modern highway bridge east of the village, but the last 5 km of the access lane is dirt track which 2WD vehicles should only attempt in dry weather.

• Artuklu Hamamı is an ancient bathhouse relocated west of the bridge to the archaeology park.
• Imam Abdullah Tomb is near the head of the lake inlet. Abdullah was the grandson of Jafar at-Tayyar, uncle of the prophet Mohammad: he died in 638 AD during the Muslim assault that wrested Hasankeyf from the Byzantine Empire. (A bridge over the Tigris is first documented in those times.) An epitaph states that the tomb was restored in the Ayyubid period, 14th century.
• 37.72541.42271 Zeynel Bey Mausoleum. Daily 09:00-18:00. This is a kümbet, a kiosk-style mausoleum built in 1473 for the son of a local ruler. Its exterior has attractive tilework, the interior is plain. It was relocated to stand west of the lake inlet, facing the archaeology park east side. Free.  (updated May 2026)
• 37.726841.42832 Hasankeyf Museum. Tu-Su 09:00-18:00. Small museum of local archaeology and history, the main interest is the ancient buildings relocated here ahead of the flooding.  (updated May 2026)
• El Rizk Mosque was built in 1409 AD / 811 AH in the original village, but was moved to the new museum.
• Şihabiye Medressa was part of the Süleyman Mosque complex, built around 1350 AD / 750 AH. The complex was already well-ruined by the time of the flooding, so this was the only part relocated.
• Koç Mosque is 15th century. It’s been relocated next to the medressa.
• Kizlar Mosque relocated next to Koç Mosque is of similar age.
• Down there somewhere is much that wasn’t relocated, such as the 12th century river bridge. The waters are too deep and murky for anything to be seen.
• 37.712141.41023 Citadel (Kale) has stood for maybe 2000 years yet its gnarly masonry looks much older. The last substantial rebuild was in the 14th century and the smartest thing they did was to place it 100 m above the historic town and river bridge. So it didn’t need relocating, the lake waters nowadays lap at its bastions and boat trips from the modern village land at its jetty. Free, you pay for the boat ride.
• Great Palace (Büyük Saray) is in the west corner of the citadel. It’s probably 14th century.
• Great Mosque or Ulu Camii is at the highest point of the citadel. It might be 12th century, though re-built by the Ayyubids in the 14th. It probably stands over the remains of a Roman temple.
• 37.70841.40694 Small Palace (Küçük Saray) is south edge of the citadel and similar age to the Great Palace. Its foundations needed shoring up against the rising waters but it wasn’t relocated.
• Caves – hundreds of them – riddle the bluffs above the lake, with many more submerged. Some were inhabited right up to the 1970s, with others used as mosques. You’ll need a local guide to point out those in good condition.

Boat trips sail from the pier below the archaeology park.

The shopping centre on the mall approaching the footbridge is frankly a tourist trap.

Bim supermarket is on the main street through the village, 500 m west of the hotels, open daily 09:00-21:00.

A dozen cafes along the mall to the footbridge offer trad Turkish fare and are open daily to 22:00 or later.

Some cafes serve alcohol.

• 37.731241.42361 Grand Mervani Otel, 337th Sk, ☏ +90 501 109 6772. Looks like a modern prison, but clean and comfy within.  (updated May 2026)
• Hasankeyf Uygulama Oteli is a very basic place across the street from Grand Mervani.
• Mervani Apart Otei a block south may also have rooms.

As of May 2026, Hasankeyf has 4G from all Turkish carriers, but with only patchy coverage on its approach road. 5G has not reached this area.

• Batman northwest is a grubby oil town, but some antiquities from Hasankeyf are now in its museum.
• Midyat south has a historic old centre.

END ← Batman ←

N  S

→ Midyat → Mardin