Iç Kale (Inner Fortress)

Iç Kale (Inner Fortress) Review

The Iç Kale, or inner castle of Diyarbakir's old town, is a circular fortress that once held the city's palace and other important buildings. Today the most notable landmark is the 16th-century Hazreti Süleymaniye Cami (Prophet Süleyman Mosque), also known as the Citadel Mosque. It has a tall, graceful minaret and is striped with black basalt and pale sandstone, a favorite design of this city's medieval architects. Its courtyard fountain is fed by an underground spring that has probably supplied cold, clear water to the city for 5,000 years. The area is the focus of a major restoration and rejunvination project.