Zerzevan Castle

Zerzevan Castle (Zerzevan Kalesi) and the underground Temple of Mithras (Mithras Tapınağı) are in the Çınar District, 48 km from Diyarbakır. Set along the Diyarbakır-Mardin highway, the history of Zerzevan Castle – a Roman-era border garrison – dates from the Assyrian Period (BCE 882-611). The castle was used continuously until the conquest by the Islamic armies in 639 and features both above-ground structures and a large underground city. Within this most well-preserved military settlement in the world also lies the last Temple of Mithras ever found. The first temple on the eastern border of Rome, the structure was designed for the worship of Mithra, a sun god and a god of justice and war. Surrounded by 1,200 meters of 15-meter-high walls, the southern area of the garrison features structures such as a watchtower and defence tower, a church, an administration building, an arsenal and a rock altar. In the north are streets, villas, and residences, as well as cisterns, an underground church and an underground shelter, and the Temple of Mithras. Outside the walls are the channels that supplied water to the settlement, along with basins and quarries. There is also a necropolis with rock tombs and vaulted tombs. Zerzevan Castle and Temple of Mithras are on UNESCO’s Tentative list of World Heritage Sites in Türkiye.