by Assoc Prof Dr. Aytaç COŞKUN.
© Copyright photo by Assoc Prof Dr. Aytaç COŞKUN.
Zerzevan Castle is in Diyarbakır province, Çınar district, on the Diyarbakır-Mardin highway. The history of Zerzevan Castle, which is the border garrison of Rome, dates back 3 thousand years to the Assyrian Period (882-611 BC). It is also likely that residential area located on the King’s Road during the Persian period (550-331 BC) has been used with an eye to provide road safety. At Roman Period, in the 3rd century AD the main military settlement was built during the Severus Period (198-235 AD).
It can be said that the city walls and buildings of the settlement were restored in the periods of Anastasios I (491-518 AD) and Justinian I (527-565 AD), and some of the constructions were reconstructed and thus the present final state was obtained. The settlement was used until 639 which is the conquest year of the region by the Islamic armies. In this best preserved military settlement, there is the last Mithras Temple found in the world. The structure is the first and only Mithras temple to be found on the eastern border of the Roman Empire.
In the southern area of the military settlement surrounded by walls of 1200 meters in length and 15 meters in height, there are architectural remains such as observation and defensive towers, church, administrative building, arsenal and rock altar. In the north, street-alleys and houses can be observed. Water cisterns, underground church, underground shelter, Mithras Temple have also been identified in the area where residences are located.
There are canals providing water to the settlement, ceremony basins and stone quarry outside the city walls in addition to the rock tombs and vaulted tombs in the necropolis area. Zerzevan Castle has both an aboveground and a large underground city. Zerzevan Castle and Mithras Temple was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage tentative list.
The excavation and restoration studies at Zerzevan Castle, which began in 2014, are still being carried out with the permissions of Ministry of Culture and Tourism and under the chairmanship of Doç. Dr. Aytaç COŞKUN.
The Turkish Cookbook
$36.40 (as of 06/03/2026 22:37 GMT +03:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Lonely Planet Pocket Istanbul (Pocket Guide)
$11.35 (as of 06/03/2026 22:37 GMT +03:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Istanbul For First Timers: A Local's Travel Guide To Turkiye's Hidden Gems and Culture
$15.99 (as of 06/03/2026 22:37 GMT +03:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
TURQUÍA GUÍA DE VIAJE 2025-2026: Explora Estambul, Capadocia, Antalya y Éfeso Como un local: consejos de expertos, joyas ocultas, sitios históricos e ... perfectos para cada viajero (Spanish Edition)
$17.89 (as of 06/03/2026 22:37 GMT +03:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Turkey Travel Guide 2026: Complete Companion for Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus, and Antalya with Cultural Etiquette, Archaeological Sites, Budget Strategies, Transportation Options, and Turkish Exper
$7.99 (as of 06/03/2026 22:37 GMT +03:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Istanbul Travel Guide: 50+ Cool Things To See And Do To Have An Amazing Experience In Istanbul, Turkey. (Roy McKean Travel Tour Resources)
$16.99 (as of 06/03/2026 22:37 GMT +03:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
DK Eyewitness Istanbul (Travel Guide)
$12.49 (as of 06/03/2026 22:37 GMT +03:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Wonders of Istanbul: A Photo Collection of the City’s Most Beautiful Places to See – A Stunning Coffee Table Travel Photobook
$9.99 (as of 06/03/2026 22:37 GMT +03:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
TURKEY TRAVEL GUIDE 2026: Cities, Coastlines, Ancient Wonders, and Local Travel Tips with Smart Itineraries & Budgets
$15.99 (as of 06/03/2026 22:37 GMT +03:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Crescent and Star: Turkey Between Two Worlds
$6.43 (as of 06/03/2026 22:37 GMT +03:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)Auto Amazon Links: No products found.
