Cultural Road Festival celebrates Diyarbakir as the cradle of civilisation

The Diyarbakir Cultural Road Festival, the 14th stop in the Turkish Cultural Road Festivals, has opened from October 12 to 20. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, this edition seeks to revive and celebrate the city’s rich cultural heritage – merge tourism with history, culture and art.

Featuring more than 600 events and over 2,000 artists, the festival in Diyarbakir, the southeastern city of Türkiye, has drawn nearly 1 million attendees. The festival that began in Adana in April will culminate on its 16th stop in Antalya on November 10.

In Diyarbakir, the festival’s wide-ranging program includes balloon flights, sky observation events, film screenings and a Fotomarathon for photography enthusiasts. Theatres will present six plays and 13 performances, while literature meetings, children’s workshops, and gastronomy events will further enrich the cultural landscape.

Most events are free, ensuring broad public access to this ambitious cultural showcase. Diyarbakir, with its ancient walls, layered histories, and vibrant streets, makes for an apt stage.

The “City of Civilisations”

Known as the “City of Civilisations,” Diyarbakir is home to a wealth of cultural treasures. Diyarbakir is no stranger to the weight of history. It has stood at the crossroads of empires for millennia, with its UNESCO-recognised city walls standing as both symbol and witness.

These imposing walls, built to protect and enclose, have watched over 33 different civilisations. From the grandeur of the Great Mosque (Ulu Cami)—one of the holiest in the Islamic world—to the quiet splendour of Zerzevan Castle, the city is a testament to religious, cultural, and architectural syncretism.

It has also been the cradle of history. Archaeological findings at nearby sites like Cayonu in Ergani reveal that Diyarbakir was home to early human civilisation, where people first transitioned to agricultural life. This rich history, dating back 12,500 years, gives Diyarbakir an enduring significance, blending the ancient with the contemporary.

A Festival of art and memory

The ongoing Diyarbakir Culture Road Festival is a celebration not just of Diyarbakir’s past but of its continued vitality.

This year, the festival hosts nearly 250 events in 46 locations around the city—concerts, exhibitions, workshops—offering residents and visitors a chance to experience the creative pulse of a place that has endured for millennia.

The festival, which has grown from a single-city event to a nationwide celebration, reflects the country’s vision of blending tourism with art and culture.

Dr Batuhan Mumcu, Türkiye’s Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, captures the festival’s ambition.

“What began as a single-city event has now expanded to 16 cities across 7 regions in Türkiye. Over this period, we've been accepted as a member of the European Festivals Association, which includes some of Europe's most prestigious cultural and arts festivals,” he tells TRT World.

"This is a source of pride for our Ministry and aligns perfectly with our President's vision for the 'Türkiye Century,'" he adds.

The festival is also a democratising force. Many of its events are free to the public, ensuring that culture, that somewhat elusive but essential element of human life, remains accessible.

A Platform for Local Identity

For Diyarbakir, the festival is more than an event; it is a platform for reasserting its cultural identity.

“This festival plays a crucial role in showcasing Diyarbakir’s rich history and cultural heritage. Beyond a cultural celebration, the festival seeks to elevate both the region’s and country’s cultural and tourism potential,” Suna Kepolu Ataman, an MP of Justice and Development Party from Diyarbakir, tells TRT World.

"This festival establishes itself as a brand. It aims to attract both domestic and international tourists by showcasing Diyarbakir’s artistic and cultural strengths," Ataman adds.

Tourists arriving for the festival are not just drawn to the concerts and art exhibitions. Diyarbakir’s culinary and artisanal heritage plays an equally seductive role.

Local dishes—stuffed ribs with Karacadag rice, mumbar (stuffed intestine), liver kebabs, dolma (stuffed vegetables with meat and rice), and the iconic Diyarbakir watermelon—offer a visceral, edible connection to the city’s culture. These specialities offer a taste of the city’s rich gastronomic heritage as the grand finale of any meal should include the local sweet dessert, Kadayif Burma.

There are handcrafted souvenirs to purchase, including Diyarbakir’s signature braided cheese and ghee, dried nuts and fruits, tea, silk fabrics from Kulp, carpets and rugs, intricately woven gold and silver Diyarbakir wicker bracelets made by skilled goldsmiths.

Echoes of the Past in Every Stone

For those exploring Diyarbakir beyond the festival, the city offers more than its share of marvels.

Diyarbakir Castle and its walls have witnessed the rise and fall of 33 civilisations and empires until the Ottoman Empire, and remnants of this majestic structure still survive today.

The 7,000-year-old walls of the Diyarbakir Fortress, stretching nearly 6,000 meters, are second only to the Great Wall of China. Within these walls lie the secrets of empires that have risen and fallen, yet the city endures as a monument to human resilience.

The Hevsel Gardens, a lush strip along the Tigris River, are a reminder of the region’s natural beauty. This UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to over 180 species of birds and other wildlife, has been a crucial part of Diyarbakir’s ecosystem for over 8,000 years. The gardens, like the city, are a reflection of how nature and human civilisation have long been intertwined here.

The Diyarbakir Grand Mosque, one of the oldest mosques in Anatolia, was originally built in the 7th century during the time of the Caliph Omar. The mosque stands as another testament to the city’s layered history, holding significant importance in the history of Islamic art.

Its architecture, reminiscent of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, and the sundial in its courtyard, designed by famed medieval philosopher and inventor Abu Izzet al Jazari, underscore the city’s historical role as a centre of faith and science.