Midyat

Midyat is a city in Southeastern Anatolia, with a population in 2025 of 70,000. Its main attraction is its compact old town, and collection of outlying monasteries.

"Matiate" in antiquity meant cavern city – the bedrock is soft limestone, hewn out to create handsome mansions above and a warren of chambers below ground. Many of Midyat’s population until the 20th century were Syrian Christians, who dotted the city with their churches and the district with monasteries. They were unwelcome in the Republic of Turkey, witnessed atrocities against other ethnic minorities and took the hint to leave, so their buildings fell derelict. Most of the population is now Kurdish.

Midyat is on Highway D380, 66 km east of Mardin and 87 km west of Cizre. Mardin is the nearest airport, with daily flights from Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir.

Midyat is 80 km south of Batman via D955, with similar flights. This is the closest railway station, with a train five days a week from Ankara via Diyarbakır, heading to Kurtalan.

Dolmuşes from Mardin or Batman take just over an hour, and from Diyarbakır 3 hr 30 min. The national Turkish bus lines don’t come this way.

37.415341.37351 Town centre is the junction of the two highways. The main stop for dolmuşes is just north of here, and they also stop in the new town 3 km west.

You can easily explore the old town on foot, but you need wheels for the outlying monasteries.

Dolmuşes ply the ratty 3 km main street between old and new town.

• Telkari Museum in town centre demonstrates the craft of silver filigree.
• Midyat Caves 100 m east of the central junction is really just a cafe with chambers hollowed out beneath.
• Meryam Ana Kilesi - St Mary's Church - is the name of multiple Syriac churches in this area. The closest example is 500 m southeast of the junction.
• 37.42541.33581 City Museum, Dr Alaaettin Aslan Cd 108. Museum of city life with caves beneath.  (updated Aug 2026)
• Midyat Culture House is 100 m west of the museum.
• Ulu Cami is "Grand Mosque" – it’s fairly small.
• Mor Loozor Monastery is northwest of town.
• Banstepe Monastery is north of town.
• 37.322641.53842 Mor Gabriel Monastery 18 km east of town was founded in 397 AD.

Hamams are traditional Turkish baths. About a dozen in town, though their interiors are modern.

Some two dozen supermarkets are strung along the main street, open daily 08:00-22:00.

Telkari was the traditional craft of sliver filigree and other fine jewellery. A few craftsmen persevere but most of the jewellery on sale here nowadays is stuff you’ll find anywhere.

Lots of eating places around the highway junction and in new town by the city museum.

Some cafes may serve alcohol.

• Midyat Dara Otel is a basic place by the highway junction.
• Midyat Gap Otel is 500 m north of the junction.
• Historic downtown has Sahmeran Otel, Amaara Konagi, Mareda House, Shamas Hotel, Şıkeft Otel, Konak Zenobia, Kasri Mezopotamya and Hercai Butik Otel. Hotel Kasr-i-Nehroz is further east.

• 37.413941.38321 Turabdin Hotel, Manastır Cd 3, ☏ +90 536 769 8669. Stylish place 2 km east of town. B&B double 4000 TL.  (updated Sep 2026)
• Baypark Hotel is 1 km west of town centre.
• 37.438141.29612 Ramada Encore, Mardin Cd 72, ☏ +90 482 502 3321. Slick business hotel 5 km west of town. B&B double 4000 TL.  (updated Sep 2026)

As of Sep 2026, Midyat has 4G from all Turkish carriers, but with lots of dead spots on the approach highways. 5G has not reached this area.

• Hasankeyf 45 km north was inundated by a barrage lake, but several ancient buildings were moved to a new village on higher ground.
• Mardin 66 km east has a well-preserved old centre.
• Nusaybin 51 km south is on the Syrian border but there’s nowadays no crossing there.
• Cizre 87 km east is near the tri-point of the Syrian, Iraqi and Turkish borders. Continue east to Silopi to cross into Iraqi Kurdistan.

Batman ← Hasankeyf ←	N  S	→ END
Mardin ←	W  E	→ Cizre