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Hasankeyf is a city located along the Tigris River in the Batman Province of southeastern Anatolia, Turkey. It is an ancient city, with roots going back 10,000 years. It was declared a natural conservation area by Turkey in 1981.
The Romans had built a fortress on the site and the city became a bishopric under the Byzantine Empire. It was conquered by the Arabs, in ca. 640, who built a bridge over the Tigris river. The city was successively ruled by the Artukids and Ayyubids. The city was captured and sacked by the Mongols in 1260. Following the Ottoman ascendancy established by Selim I in the region in the early 16th century, the city became part of the Ottoman Empire during Sultan Süleyman I's campaign of Irakeyn (the two Iraqs, e.g. Arabian and Persian) in 1534, at the same time as Diyarbakir, Mosul, Baghdad and Basra.
Being adjacent to the Dicle River, Hasankeyf with its madrasas, observatory, health asylum and other educational organisations was the science and culture centre of the region in past.
The district, due to its historical assets, has been declared as a natural conservation area since 1981. These historical assets will probably have been under water due to Ilisu Dam in the scope of GAP project in time. Therefore, the rescue excavations for movable historical and archaeological works of art are still being carried on.
The foundation date of Hasankeyf is not known exactly. The geopolitical situation in the city strengthens the possibility of its being a very ancient settlement area. There are lots of caverns some of which are being used even today as residences. In the Christian Era, Hasankeyf experienced the rule of the Sasanis and Byzantines. Due to a safe castle having been built by the Byzantines in the 4th century BC, the region had been defended by them for a long time. Hasankeyf was conquered by the Emevis in 639 AD. Later on, the Abbasids, Hamdanis, Mervanis, Artuks, Eyyubis and Ottomans ruled the region respectively. The Artuks period was the golden era of Hasankeyf. There are many historical works remaining from this period.
Dicle River, which gives life to the region, also effects its climate. It makes winter much more temperate. Average temperature is 25° C, and highest average temperature varies between 40 - 43° C, and lowest average temperature varies between 6 - 8° C.
How to get to Hasankeyf?
For arriving to Hasankeyf, one can go to Midyat first from Mardin via minibus, and then to Hasankeyf via minibus again.
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