The view south from the walls of ancient city of Diyarbakir, in eastern Turkey. The river is the Tigris; the beginning of one of the world's legendary rivers.
The walls of Diyarbakir were first built in the early Byzantine period, the 5th century AD/CE when the city was known as Amida.
Muslim armies captured the city in the 7th century AD/CE. Subsequent dynasties updated the walls and added Islamic verses and sculptures to the gates and bastions.
Here is one of the southern sections of the walls.
Detail of the Kufic, Arabic script carved in the walls
Up on the walls in the western section, looking towards one of the large bastions
Detail of one of the bastions
Detail of one of the bastions, with the upper section collapsed
This is the interior of the bastion in the previous image. Part of the dome of the lower section has fallen in so you can see to the groin vaulted roof of the upper section.
A large bastion between the Urfa and Mardin gates of the city.
Some of the Islamic script on the bastion
Relief sculpture of a griffon on one of the bastions
A magnificent bastion of the walls of Diyarbakir.
Details of panels of Islamic script on one of the bastions.
Muquarnas, or 'stalagtite' designs on one of the bastions
