Deyrulzafaran Monastery

Located in a point that dominates Mardin plain, the monastery greets Mesopotamia every day as one of the most beautiful architectural examples of the 5th century. Mardin is included in Mesopotamia, which is considered the starting point of history... The city, which has hosted countless cultures in its thousands of years of history, offers unforgettable experiences to its tourists with its magnificent stone structures. Located 4 km from the city centre, Deyrulzafaran Monastery offers a visual feast itself with its three-storey grandeur. Since the 5th century, the monastery has become even more grandiose with additions, and it has become its present in the 18th century. The building, which was used as a temple of sun in the periods before The B.C., acts as a fortress when the region is under the Romans protection. Over time, the Romans retreat from the area and St. Sleymun brings the bones of important saints to the castle and turns it into a monastery. In the early periods when the monastery began to host the saints graves, the monastery named after the person, who bring them here which was called The Monastery of Purple Şleymun for many years. When the history pages show the year 793, St. Hananyo of Mardin and Kefertüth Metropolis undergoes a major renovation and this time the building is called Purple Hananyo Monastery. By the 15th century, deyrulzafaran (Safran) Monastery began to be known because of the saffron (zafaran) plant that grows around the monastery. This is how the monastery hosts many civilizations and cultures, just like the city it exists in.