In the center of Silopi, east of the town hall, lies Yeşiltepe Höyüğü. The mound combines a central location with visible traces of the past: pottery sherds can be clearly seen on its slopes, and their age may be estimated at the 2nd millennium BC. The site measures approximately 90 meters from north to south and 95 meters from east to west.

Yeşiltepe Höyüğü in the town center

The mound is used as a park and is covered with trees. Steps lead up to a level area at the summit, where there is seating. Visible pottery remains and a landscaped green space thus come together in the same place. The sherds provide a clue to the mound’s possible date; this dating is expressly uncertain. Check local conditions before visiting.

Courtyard complex and mosque in Birlik

The Nuh Nebi Camii ve Medresesi complex is located in Birlik (Cuma), two kilometers from the center of Silopi. Its layout can be understood from the central courtyard: the mosque lies to the south, and the medrese to the north. On the east side is a projecting, two-story eyvan section; a room is located on the west side.

The layout of the mosque is also described in specific terms. Its floor plan is rectangular and divided into two naves. Three pointed-arch openings separate the two naves, with a room to the east of each. The courtyard, the arrangement of the mosque and medrese, and the details of the prayer hall show different scales of the same complex: from the relationship between the buildings to the openings inside.

Another, distinct building is the one known as Şerif Camii. It lies outside the settlement beside a stream, about one kilometer from the village of Birlik. Its floor plan is rectangular and oriented from east to west. Its location and orientation distinguish it from the Nuh Nebi courtyard complex.

Bridges and buildings in Silopi District

The surviving Görümlü Bridge lies north of the village of Görümlü. It crosses the Görümlü Çayı and is one of the single-arch bridges. The Cem’a-(Birlik-)Köyü-Taş-Köprüsü in Birlik is in a different state of preservation: it is classified as a single-arch bridge with a sloping roadway, but its arch has collapsed. Only the two side abutments remain. The comparison shows how different the present condition of bridges can be, even when their design is described.

In Görümlü, in Silopi District, two kasırs also show different states of preservation. The exterior of Süleyman Ağa Kasrı remains intact, while a large part of the interior has collapsed. Tellioğlu Kasrı, by contrast, is well preserved. At Görümlü Eski Cami, only the inscription and west wall remain; a mosque built of reinforced concrete stands in its place. These examples add further forms of preservation and reconstruction to the picture of the bridges.

Further architectural forms can be found across the wider region. At the Han Kalıntısı in the Serdeşt quarter of the village of Birlik, only the tower remains at the four corners are preserved. Dedeler Köyü Kilisesi lies outside the settlement near the village of Dedeler. It consists of a single rectangular room oriented from east to west. These differences in surviving structures, floor plans, and locations provide concrete points of interest for your cultural trip through Silopi and the region.

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

Go to the main travel overview: Şırnak.