Diyarbakir (Syriac: ܐܡܝܕ; Zazaki and Kurdish: Amed; Turkish spelling: Diyarbakır) is a city in Turkey, situated on the banks of the River Tigris. The city's population is 1,244,273 (2005), but including the slums surrounding the estimated population is above one and half million. Syriac is an Eastern Aramaic language that was once spoken across much of the Fertile Crescent. ... Zazaki (Zazakî, Zazaish) or Dimli is a language closely related to the Persian and Kurdish languages, spoken by the Zaza in eastern Anatolia (Turkey), an ethnic minority related to the Iranians and Kurds. ... Geographic distribution The Kurdish languages or Kurdish dialects are spoken in the region loosely called Kurdistan including Kurdish populations in parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey. ... A city is an urban area, differentiated from a town, village, or hamlet by size, population density, importance, or legal status. ... The Tigris (Old Persian: Tigr, Syriac Aramaic: Deqlath, Arabic: دجلة, Dijla, Turkish: Dicle; biblical Hiddekil) is the eastern member of the pair of great rivers that define Mesopotamia, along with the Euphrates, which flows from the mountains of Anatolia through Iraq. ... A slum is an overcrowded and squalid district of a city or town usually inhabited by the very poor. ...

Nicknamed "The Paris of the East", it is capital of the Diyarbakir Province. A nickname is a short, clever, cute, derogatory, or otherwise substitute name for a person or things real name (for example, Nick is short for Nicholas). ... The Eiffel Tower has become the symbol of Paris throughout the world. ... Diyarbakir is a province in eastern Turkey. ...

The city is the unofficial capital of the Kurdish regions of Turkey and it is also the capital of the great Kurdistan. Situated in the fertile crescent, it is a city of great antiquity having been inhabited for at least 5,000 years. It was the capital of the ancient Armenian empire, then known as the Armenian name Tigranakert. It was known as Amida in Roman times, and was renamed Diyarbakir (tr. Bakr's Dream) after being captured by the Arabs in 629. Kurdish-inhabited areas of the Middle East and the Soviet Union in 1986. ... For the Iranian province of Kordestan, please see Kurdistan Province, Iran. ... The Fertile Crescent is a region in the Middle East incorporating present-day Israel, West Bank, and Lebanon and parts of Jordan, Syria, Iraq and south-eastern Turkey. ... Roman or Romans has several meanings, primarily related to the Roman citizens, but also applicable to typography, math, and a commune. ... Events Jerusalem reconquered by Byzantine Empire from the Persian Empire (September). ...

Hamdum, an Arab chief, conquered Altzniq and Amida (Diyarbakir), around 962. In 963 a sister of Hamdun whose name is not quoted in the original sources, governed the region for ten years. Later than 973 there's not more news. Events February 2 - Pope John XII crowns Otto I the Great Holy Roman Emperor. ... Events Holy Roman Emperor Otto I defeats Mieszko I of Poland, compels him to pay tribute Luxembourg is founded, and the Blegium area becomes part of the United Provinces of the Netherlands. ... Events Edgar of England is crowned king by Saint Dunstan Births September 15 - Al_Biruni, mathematician († 1048) Abu al-Ala al-Maarri, poet Deaths May 7 - Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor Categories: 973 ...

The city is surrounded by a dramatic and fully intact set of black basalt walls, first constructed in 297, extending in a 5.5 km circle around the old city. The dramatic warren of alleyways and old-fashioned tenement blocks which makes up the old city contrast dramatically with the sprawling suburbs of modern apartment blocks and gecekondu slums to the west. Diyarbakir boasts numerous medieval mosques and madrassahs, crowned by the 11th Century Ulu Cami (tr. Great Mosque) constructed by alternating bands of black basalt and limestone. The same patterning was used in the 16th Century Deliler Han Madrassah, which is now a hotel, and the 12th Century Castle Mosque (Kale Camii). Events Narseh of Persia and Diocletian conclude a peace treaty between Persia and Rome. ... A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. ... Madrassa in the Gambia The word madrassa in the Arabic language (and other languages of the Islamic nations such as Persian, Turkish, Indonesian etc. ... (10th century - 11th century - 12th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ...

The Assyrian Orthodox Church of Our Lady, was first constucted as a pagan temple in the 1st Century BC, and is still in use as a place of worship today. Note: This article is currently being completely revised at Assyrian/Revision For the ancient Mesopotamian kingdom, see Assyria. ... Separate articles treat Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Orthodox Judaism. ... (2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century - other centuries) The 1st century BC starts on January 1, 100 BC and ends on December 31, 1 BC. An alternative name for this century is the last century BC. (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium AD) Events The Roman...

Diyarbakir also boasts one of the region's most lively and dramatic street markets.

The 20th Century was a turbulent one for Diyarbakir. During World War I most of the City's Assyrian and Armenian population were driven from the City. After the surrender of the Ottoman Empire, French troops attempted to occupy the city, while in 1925 it was the centre of the great Kurdish rebellion against Kemal Atatürk. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... Missing image Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power Imperial motto El Muzaffer Daima The Ever Victorious (as written in tugra) Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital İstanbul (Constantinople/Asitane/Konstantiniyye ) Sovereigns Sultans of the Osmanli Dynasty Population ca 40 million Area 6. ... Events January-May January 3 - Benito Mussolini announces he is taking dictatorial powers over Italy. ... Mustafa Kemal Atatürk Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881–November 10, 1938), Turkish revolutionist, soldier, and anti-imperialist statesman, was the founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey. ...

Always a centre of Kurdish nationalism, Diyarbakir became a stronghold of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) after the beginning of the guerilla war in southeastern Turkey in 1984. During this conflict, the population of the city grew dramatically as villagers from remote areas where fighting was serious left or were forced to leave for the relative security of the city. Diyarbakir was also one of the areas where Turkish Hezbullah was most active in the early to mid 1990s, with this group often targeting PKK activists and the city's tiny Christian community of Armenians and Assyrians. Nationalism is an ideology that creates and sustains a nation as a concept of a common identity for groups of humans. ... Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) The Congress for Freedom and Democracy in Kurdistan (Kadek), formerly known as the Kurdistan Workers Party (Kurdish: Partiya Karkerên Kurdistan or PKK) was one of several organisations striving for the creation of an independent Kurdish state in territory that is currently southeastern Turkey, northeastern Iraq, Northeastern... 1984 is a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Hezbollah based in Turkey has no relation with Hezbollah (based in Lebanon), and no relation to Iran (though some Turkish officials have stated that they have received some support from Iran). ... Events and trends Technology Explosive growth of the Internet; decrease in the cost of computers and other technology Reduction in size and cost of mobile phones leads to a massive surge in their popularity Year 2000 problem (commonly known as Y2K) Microsoft Windows operating system becomes virtually ubiquitous on IBM... Assyrians (ܐܫܘܪܝܶܐ) is the name of a people from Northern Mesopotamia in Middle East, today split in three parts; Turkey, Syria and Iraq. ...

After the PKK's cessation of hostilities, a large degree of normality returned to the city, with the Turkish government declaring a 15 year period of emergency rule over on 30 November 2002. The local economy is slowly improving and as of July 2004, Diyarbakir is safe to visit. November 30 is the 334th day (335th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Pictures of this city (http://www.pbase.com/dosseman/diyarbakir)