Things to Do in Sirnak: Cizre, Mount Cudi and the Eastern Mountains

Why Şırnak is missing from travel guides

Şırnak is one of the least visited provinces in Turkey, and the reason has nothing to do with a shortage of things to see. From the early 1990s to the middle of the 2010s the province was in the news for armed conflict, and that stretch of years wrote its name into headlines and deleted it from guidebooks. The districts have long since gone back to ordinary life: the bazaar in Cizre opens early and people fish off the bank of the Tigris in the late afternoon.

The province resists a single description. On one side there is Cizre, a town on the Tigris holding a shrine attributed to Noah and carrying the memory of the twelfth-century engineer Ismail al-Jazari along with two founding figures of Kurdish literature, Melayê Cizîrî and Ehmedê Xanî. On the other side there is Cudi at 2,118 metres, with the mountains around Beytüşşebap climbing higher the further east you go.

There are 13 numbered stops below, in the same order as the pins on the map, and distances are approximate. Security conditions, road conditions and access to some areas can change, so check the current situation with the provincial or district governorship before heading into the countryside or up into the mountains.

Quick answer

The core of a Şırnak trip is Cizre, where the Great Mosque, the Tomb of Noah, the Kırmızı Medrese and the Mem û Zîn tomb sit within walking distance of one another and can all be seen in half a day. Give the rest of your time to Finik, the foot of Cudi, and the mountain districts in the east.

• First visit: one day for central Cizre, one for the Güçlükonak and Finik road plus Şırnak city.
• Base: Cizre for history and the bazaar, or Şırnak city for altitude and cooler evenings.
• Best months: April, May and October; July and August are seriously hot on the plain.
• Without a car: minibuses connect the district centres, but Finik, Kasrik and the mountain roads need a vehicle.

Things to do in Şırnak

1. Cizre Great Mosque

The oldest building in Cizre and reason enough on its own to come to the province. The records indicate it was first used as a church and converted to a mosque in the early period after Islam reached the region; the minaret standing today carries the date 1155. The cut stone body and the hexagonal ablution fountain in the courtyard read as plain, and the real story is at the door. The bronze knockers were shaped as lion heads set between two dragons, and their design is attributed to Ismail al-Jazari, the engineer from Cizre. One has been in the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum in Istanbul since 1976, the other was taken abroad in 1969 and is in Copenhagen. So the most famous object from Cizre is not in Cizre; what you see in place is a copy, which lands differently once you know that.

• Getting there: Inside the Cizre bazaar, on foot.
• Time: 30 to 40 minutes.
• Nearby: The Tomb of Noah (no. 2) and the Kırmızı Medrese (no. 3) are a few hundred metres away.
• Common mistake: Arriving during prayer and rushing through. Choose a time outside prayer hours.

2. Tomb of the Prophet Noah

The most visited spot in Cizre. Local tradition holds that Noah is buried here, and the shrine has been visited on that belief for centuries, with the Hz. Nuh Mosque directly beside it. The building is small, plain and cool inside, and its weight comes from what it means to the town rather than from its architecture. The link Cizre draws between itself, Mount Cudi and the flood story begins at this door.

The same claim is made in Iraq and elsewhere, which says more about how deeply the flood narrative sits in this geography than about any of the rival sites. Most visitors are local, and quiet and modest dress are expected.

• Getting there: About 300 metres from the Great Mosque, walking distance.
• Time: 20 to 30 minutes.
• Nearby: The Kırmızı Medrese (no. 3) is immediately north.
• Common mistake: Treating it as a sightseeing stop. This is a working place of worship and pilgrimage.

3. Kırmızı Medrese

A medrese from the era of the Botan emirs, named for the colour of its stone. Restored, with its courtyard and arcades intact, it is the most complete historic building in the town. Its importance is literary: the tomb of Melayê Cizîrî, the great seventeenth-century Kurdish poet, is inside, and his divan is still read and still set to music. The colour of the stone shifts through the day and the afternoon light is the best of it. There is little interpretation on site, so reading the background beforehand changes the visit considerably.

• Getting there: Same neighbourhood as the mosque and the shrine, on foot.
• Time: 30 to 45 minutes.
• Nearby: The Mem û Zîn tomb (no. 4) is a few minutes away.
• Common mistake: Turning up without checking visiting hours. Confirm with the municipality whether it is open.

4. Mem û Zîn tomb and the Abdaliye Medrese

The literary memory of Cizre sits here. In the courtyard of the Abdaliye Medrese you are shown the graves of the two characters from Mem û Zîn, the work generally treated as the founding text of Kurdish literature. Ehmedê Xanî wrote it in 1695, and the story turns on an impossible love in the court of the Botan emirs.

Whether the graves actually belong to Mem and Zîn is not a historical question but a matter of tradition; the poet's own tomb is in Doğubayazıt. You come here not for archaeological proof but to see the point where a story found itself a place. The courtyard is small and shaded, and given the summer heat in Cizre that shade has value all by itself.

• Getting there: Central Cizre, walking distance from the Great Mosque.
• Time: 20 to 30 minutes.
• Nearby: The remains of Cizre Castle (no. 5) lie to the northeast.
• Common mistake: Expecting a grand monument. This is a small, quiet courtyard.

5. Cizre Castle remains and the Tigris bank

Cizre was built on a bend of the Tigris and its castle occupies the highest point of that bend. Through the medieval period the town went by the name Cizîra Botan, and the castle and the river together kept it at a trading crossroads. What survives is sections of wall and the mound itself, so do not expect a restored fortress. The reason to climb up is the view: the wide bed of the Tigris, the far bank and the rooftops all open out from here. On the adjoining ground is the Hamidiye Barracks, a trace of the town's nineteenth-century military past. The riverside comes alive in the early evening, but do not get into the water; the current is deceptive.

• Getting there: On foot from central Cizre, or a short drive.
• Time: 30 to 45 minutes.
• Nearby: The four central stops (nos. 1 to 4) link up in the same walk.
• Common mistake: Climbing at midday. There is no shade; go in the late afternoon.

6. Kasrik Gorge

At one point the road between Cizre and Şırnak city drops into a slot between rock walls. This is the Kasrik Gorge: narrow, steep, and tight enough that the road has to follow the water. If one place explains the geography of the province at a glance, it is here, the physical threshold between plain and mountain. Around it are the remains of an old bridge and traces of a castle on the rock above; for centuries, whoever held this passage shaped the politics of the region. It is easy to drive straight through without noticing, so pull into a safe spot. There may be checkpoints along this road, so carry identification.

• Getting there: On the Cizre to Şırnak highway, roughly 8 km northeast of Cizre.
• Time: 15 to 30 minutes as a stop.
• Nearby: Şırnak city (no. 9) is further along the same road.
• Common mistake: Pulling over in the wrong place. The road is narrow and sightlines are short.

7. Finik Castle and the Bezabde ruins

A castle on a rock outcrop above the Tigris in Güçlükonak. The settlement here was known in antiquity as Pinaka, and later became the seat of the Finik emirate, one of the longest lasting local dynasties in the region. On the outcrop you can pick out castle walls, cut chambers and rock-cut tombs.

A few hundred metres west lies the ruin field that researchers have identified with Bezabde, the late Roman frontier city. In the fourth century the border between Rome and Sasanian Persia ran right through here, and the city fell to a siege in 360 that historians of the period described in detail. What remains is traces of the walls and a settlement plan you can still read on the ground. Go knowing the identification is not certain.

The site has no tourist arrangement at all: signage is minimal, the path unclear, the last section of the climb demanding. In return, the view is among the best in the province. Proper shoes and water are essential; do not attempt this rock at midday in summer.

• Getting there: On the Cizre to Güçlükonak road; about 12 km from Cizre in a straight line, longer by road.
• Time: 1.5 to 2 hours for both.
• Nearby: The Kasrik Gorge (no. 6) is on the same route.
• Common mistake: Expecting a managed archaeological site. There is no signage and no ticket office.

8. Mount Cudi

The symbol of the province. At 2,118 metres, Cudi is identified in Islamic tradition as the mountain where Noah's ark came to rest, and the name Cûdî in the Quran has long been associated with it. On the same slopes there are rock reliefs of the Assyrian king Sennacherib, so the layers of story reach back well before the flood.

Cudi is not a hiking route. The mountain was at the centre of security operations for many years, and access to parts of it can still depend on permission. You do not need to climb it to see it: Şırnak city is built at its foot, and its outline is in front of you along most of the Cizre to Silopi road. The light is best just before sunset.

• Getting there: Visible from Şırnak city and from the Cizre to Silopi highway; going up the slopes depends on permission.
• Time: 20 minutes for the view, a full day for a guided local programme.
• Nearby: Şırnak city (no. 9) sits at the base of the mountain.
• Common mistake: Attempting the summit on your own. In this province that is not an excursion, it is a risk.

9. Şırnak city centre

The provincial capital sits above 1,400 metres at the foot of Cudi and only became a province in 1990, so the city has no old urban fabric. Most of the buildings date from the last thirty years and the streets are wide and new.

The reason to come is different. The altitude is the only practical escape from the heat of the plain: in July, when you cannot stand still in the shade in Cizre, the evening up here turns cool. The second reason is position, directly under Cudi and at the head of the roads running east. Spend an evening here; the crowd in the tea houses shows a more ordinary life than anyone who knows the province from the news is expecting.

• Getting there: About an hour by road from Cizre.
• Time: Half a day, or a night if you stay.
• Nearby: The view of Mount Cudi (no. 8) is above the city.
• Common mistake: Expecting a historic town. This is a young city at height.

10. Nuh Nebi Mosque and Medrese, Silopi

A ruined mosque and medrese at Birlikköy in Silopi. The name again attaches to the flood story, and together with the shrine in Cizre it shows how the Noah tradition spread across this landscape. The building is neglected and partly collapsed, so arrive prepared.

Silopi itself is not a historic district. It is a plain settlement whose economy is largely built on cross-border trade, with the Habur crossing about fifteen kilometres south. Seeing the ruin takes twenty minutes, but those twenty minutes reveal a layer of history in a plain that otherwise gives nothing away.

• Getting there: A short drive from central Silopi on a village road.
• Time: 20 to 30 minutes.
• Nearby: Cizre (nos. 1 to 5) is about 25 km west.
• Common mistake: Trying to take photographs near the border crossing. Photography of customs and military areas is prohibited.

11. Mor Dodo Church, İdil

In the village of Haberli in İdil, a church the Syriac community has kept standing for centuries. İdil sits at the western edge of the Tur Abdin region, where the monastic tradition runs very deep, and one of the district's older names is Beth Zabday.

Mor Dodo is not alone in the village; other church buildings survive around it. Most of the community emigrated, but some families returned and the structures were repaired. A visit here is one of the few reminders that the Muslim and Christian layers of this region lived side by side. The church may not always be open, so ask when you reach the village, and ask again before taking photographs.

• Getting there: West from central İdil to Haberli village by car; roughly 50 km from Cizre.
• Time: 45 minutes to an hour.
• Nearby: Central İdil is on the way.
• Common mistake: Turning up unannounced in a large group. This is still a functioning place of worship.

12. Şırnak Dam and the Uludere road

The road running east from Şırnak city towards Uludere is the least known and the best looking stretch in the province. It climbs, the tree cover thickens and the valleys deepen. The Şırnak Dam is on this line, and the reservoir with the slopes around it is an unexpected sight for anyone who has come up from the plain.

Uludere is a district name most people in Turkey associate with a painful event rather than with scenery. Going there knowingly is more honest than pretending otherwise. The district today lives on summer pasture herding and beekeeping, and its honey can be bought at source. Distances on this road mislead: a gap that looks short on the map takes far longer because of the bends and the altitude.

• Getting there: East from Şırnak city by car; about 25 km in a straight line, much longer to drive.
• Time: Half a day.
• Nearby: The Mount Kato direction (no. 13) continues along the same route.
• Common mistake: Setting out in winter unprepared. This road gets snow and ice.

13. Mount Kato and the Beytüşşebap highlands

The eastern edge of the province is Beytüşşebap. Mount Kato rises here, close to the Hakkari boundary, and the summer pastures around it fill with livestock through the warm months. The scenery is nothing like the rest of Şırnak: the plain and the punishing heat end, and high meadow and cool nights take their place.

The district centre is small and quiet; the value is in the valleys and pastures around it. Late summer, at honey harvest time, is the best timing for both the scenery and the shopping. This area is close to the border and the roads are hard, so do not head up the pasture tracks without local knowledge.

• Getting there: By car from Şırnak city to Beytüşşebap; a long road with many bends.
• Time: A full day.
• Nearby: The Uludere line (no. 12) is on the same eastern route.
• Common mistake: Trying to fit Cizre and Beytüşşebap into one day. The province is wide from end to end.

When to go

April, May and October. Spring is the short window when the plain holds its green and the heat has not yet set in, and October is the last month when the mountain districts are reliably reachable. In July and August, being outdoors in Cizre and Silopi in the middle of the day is not realistic. Winter is mild on the plain and hard in the mountains: Şırnak city, Uludere and Beytüşşebap all get snow, and road closures are normal.

How many days

Two days give you the backbone: one for central Cizre and the Tigris bank, one for the Kasrik and Güçlükonak to Finik line plus Şırnak city. Use a third day either west, for İdil and the Syriac villages, or east, towards Uludere and Beytüşşebap. Those two do not fit into one day; the province runs roughly 200 kilometres end to end on mountain roads.

Where to stay

Accommodation is concentrated in Cizre and Şırnak city. There are hotels in Silopi because of the border trade, but they are set up for business travellers.

Cizre is closest to the core of the trip. All the central stops are within walking distance and the bazaar runs late; the trade-off is that you feel the summer heat at night as well. Şırnak city is cooler and makes sense as a base if you are heading east, but it is an hour away. Beytüşşebap and Uludere have very little accommodation, so plan those as day trips.

Getting around

Şırnak Şerafettin Elçi Airport connects to the city and to Cizre by shuttle and taxi, with flight frequency varying by season. By road you reach Şırnak via Mardin and Diyarbakır. Cizre is the junction of the region, where the roads from Nusaybin, Silopi and Şırnak city all meet.

Habur, south of Silopi, is the main land gate from Turkey into Iraq. It is not somewhere to visit, but the queue of lorries stretching for kilometres towards it explains the district's economy at a glance. Minibuses run between the districts, infrequently and finishing early. Renting a car in Şırnak is not straightforward; picking one up in Diyarbakır or Mardin is more practical.

What to eat

The cooking continues the Mardin and Siirt line: bulgur, lamb, sumac and pomegranate molasses. The regional name for stuffed bulgur köfte is kibe, less oily here and more bulgur-heavy; look for it at lunchtime in the Cizre bazaar. Slow-cooked pot dishes with aubergine and sumac are common, and tandır bread is still made in neighbourhood ovens.

Honey from the Uludere and Beytüşşebap pastures is the best product in the province, bought from producers or from small shops in the district centres. Tea is drunk strong, ayran is the practical way to handle the summer, and alcohol is hard to find. We do not name restaurants because businesses change often. Search the streets around the Cizre bazaar, the main avenue in Şırnak city, and the hotel district in Silopi.

Honest warnings

**Do not exaggerate the security question and do not ignore it either.** The district centres function normally today and receive visitors. In rural and mountainous areas, temporary security zones can be declared and road checks can become more frequent. Ask the governorship before you travel, and rely on official sources rather than second-hand accounts.

**There is a line you do not cross with a camera.** Border crossings, gendarmerie posts, military installations and checkpoints are not photographed.

**Tourism infrastructure is close to non-existent.** No guided tours, no information boards, no managed archaeological sites. At Finik and Bezabde you will end up asking local people for the way.

**Summer heat is a genuine obstacle.** In Cizre and Silopi, the middle of the day in July and August is not time you can spend outdoors.

**Distances are longer than the map suggests.** Two points 30 kilometres apart in a straight line can take over an hour, so put no more than two areas into one day.

**These are places of worship.** The shrines, mosques and Syriac churches are in use, so dress, noise and photography all call for care.

Planning questions

**Is it safe to travel to Şırnak?** The district centres and main roads are open and functioning normally. For rural and mountainous areas the situation can vary from day to day, so confirm with the Şırnak Governorship or the relevant district governorship before you go.

**How many days do you need?** Two for central Cizre and the Güçlükonak line, three if you are adding İdil or the mountain districts in the east.

**Can you visit without a car?** Minibuses run between the district centres, and Cizre and Şırnak city can both be seen on foot. Finik, Kasrik and the pasture roads need a vehicle.

**How do you get there?** By road via Mardin or Diyarbakır. The airport is also used, but flights are limited, so check the schedule in advance.