Discover Silopi

Yeşiltepe Höyüğü is located in central Silopi, east of the town hall. The mound measures approximately 90 meters from north to south and 95 meters from east to west. It is used as a park and is covered with trees. Steps lead to the summit, where seating is available on a levelled area. Pottery shards are clearly visible on the slopes. Their age is estimated, possibly, to date to the 2nd millennium BC. Check the current condition of the site before visiting.

When considering the area’s geography, Silopi itself should be distinguished from Birlik and the other places in the Silopi District.

Architecture in Birlik

The Nuh Nebi Camii ve Medresesi complex is located outside the town in the village of Birlik (Cuma), 2 km from the center of Silopi. It consists of a central courtyard, with the mosque to the south and the medrese to the north. The mosque has a rectangular, two-nave layout. Three pointed-arch openings separate the naves; to the east of each nave is a room. Another room is located on the west side of the complex. On the east side, a two-storey eyvan section projects outward. The cardinal directions help distinguish the layout: the courtyard is in the middle, with the mosque and medrese to its south and north, respectively.

Bridges and Kasrı in the Silopi District

The Görümlü Bridge is located north of the village of Görümlü in the Silopi District and crosses the Görümlü Çayı. It is preserved and belongs to the group of single-arch bridges. The Cem’a (Birlik) Köyü Taş Köprüsü in Birlik is also classified as a single-arch bridge and has a sloping roadway. Its arch has collapsed; only the two side piers remain. The comparison shows differing states of preservation: the Görümlü Bridge is preserved, while only the side piers remain of the bridge in Birlik.

In Görümlü in the Silopi District, Süleyman Ağa Kasrı is preserved on the outside, while much of the interior has collapsed. The Tellioğlu Kasrı there is well preserved. The two buildings therefore show different conditions: at Süleyman Ağa Kasrı, preserved exterior areas stand alongside collapsed sections of the interior; the Tellioğlu Kasrı is described as well preserved.

Churches and other buildings in the surrounding area

The building known as Şerif Camii is located outside the settlement by a stream, about 1 km from the village of Birlik. Its rectangular layout is oriented from east to west. The Mart Şumuni Kilisesi in the village of Aksu (Herbol) is well preserved and has a typologically Nestorian floor plan. Of the Han Kalıntısı in the Serdeşt area of the village of Birlik, only the remains of the towers at the four corners survive. The Dedeler Köyü Kilisesi is located outside the settlement near the village of Dedeler and consists of a single rectangular room oriented from east to west.

The architectural comparison thus brings together buildings on different scales: the complex near Birlik arranges the mosque and medrese around a courtyard, while the Şerif Camii and the church in Dedeler each feature a rectangular layout oriented from east to west.

Discover more destinations: Şırnak, İdil, Yeşilöz, Cizre, Bağlıca Köyü

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