Silopi: Yeşiltepe Höyük and the Region’s Architecture

In the centre of Silopi, Yeşiltepe Höyük combines the character of a park with visible traces of early history. In Birlik, Görümlü and other places in the region, mosques, madrasas, churches and bridges with different layouts and states of preservation take centre stage. This mix makes Silopi interesting for travellers who want to discover archaeological traces in the town and architecture at several sites across the region. If you are looking for a holiday rental in Silopi, you can plan your interests around these differences.

Yeşiltepe Höyük: park and archaeological traces

Yeşiltepe Höyük is in the centre of Silopi, east of the town hall. The mound is used as a park and is covered with trees. Steps lead to the summit, where there is a levelled area with seating. Pottery fragments are clearly visible on the slopes. Their age may be estimated at the second millennium BC—so this dating should not be regarded as certain.

Here, a green setting used as a park meets visible evidence of early settlement. This makes the mound a special point of interest for anyone interested in archaeological traces. If you include it in your plans, check local conditions before your visit.

Courtyard complex and mosque in Birlik

The Nuh Nebi Camii ve Medresesi complex is in the village of Birlik (Cuma), two kilometres from the centre of Silopi. A courtyard lies at the centre of the ensemble: the mosque is to the south and the madrasa to the north. On the east side, a two-storey eyvan section projects outwards; a room is on the west side.

The mosque’s layout also offers several specific details: it is rectangular and has two naves. There is a room east of each nave, while three pointed-arch openings separate the two naves. The courtyard, the position of the buildings and the individual openings provide different points of reference for considering the complex’s architecture. Unlike Yeşiltepe Höyük, the focus here is not a single mound but the spatial arrangement of a building ensemble.

Another building near Birlik is known as Şerif Camii. It is outside the settlement beside a stream, about one kilometre from Birlik village, and has a rectangular layout oriented from east to west. Its location beside the stream and clear orientation provide a further architectural contrast with the Nuh Nebi courtyard complex.

Bridges and buildings in the region

In Görümlü, the surviving Görümlü Bridge crosses the Görümlü Çayı; it belongs to the group of single-arch bridges. The Cem’a-(Birlik-)Köyü-Taş-Köprüsü in Birlik is also classified as a single-arch bridge with a sloping roadway. Its arch has collapsed, and only the two side bridge piers remain. The comparison shows how different the condition of bridges with the same basic form can be.

The buildings in Görümlü also vary in their state of preservation. The exterior of Süleyman Ağa Kasrı survives, while much of the interior has collapsed. Tellioğlu Kasrı is well preserved. Only the inscription and west wall of Görümlü Eski Cami remain; a reinforced-concrete mosque stands in its place. The architectural impressions therefore range from well-preserved buildings to individual remains and later construction on the same site.

Further examples of different forms can be found in the region’s architectural history: Mart Şumuni Kilisesi is in the village of Aksu (Herbol), ten kilometres from Çalışkan. It is well preserved and has a typologically Nestorian ground-plan type. Dedeler Köyü Kilisesi is outside the settlement, near the village of Dedeler; it consists of a single rectangular room oriented from east to west. The two churches can be considered in terms of their architectural forms without equating them with the mosques, madrasas or bridges.

Whether you want to devote your trip mainly to archaeological traces or to a range of historic architectural forms gives your search for a suitable holiday rental in Silopi a clear direction.

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

Go to the main travel overview: Şırnak.