Open Travel Guide
History of Şırnak

Şırnak History & Heritage Guide 2026

A historical companion to Şırnak — what happened, where to stand, and what survives.

By Updated Reviewed by Daniel Mercer

Şırnak has 6+ historical sites covered in this guide, led by Cizre Ulu Camii (Grand Mosque of Cizre), Cizre Ancient Settlement Mound (Höyük) and Bazabda (Ancient City of Cizre). Each entry below includes the practical details — what it costs, when to go, and how to plan around it.

Şırnak is a southeastern Turkish province bordering Iraq and Syria, defined by dramatic mountain terrain, the upper Tigris River valley, and deep Kurdish cultural heritage. The provincial capital sits at roughly 1,350 m elevation in the Zagros foothills, while the commercial hub of Cizre straddles the Tigris near the Iraqi border. Visitors encounter ancient Assyrian church ruins, medieval Ottoman bridges, and raw mountain landscapes that see relatively few foreign travelers.

Historical sites

Places where Şırnak's past comes alive.

Medieval Islamic / Artuqid (12th–13th c.)

Cizre Ulu Camii (Grand Mosque of Cizre)

Where: Cizre city centre

Admission: Free
Bronze Age through early Islamic (c. 3000 BCE–13th c. CE)

Cizre Ancient Settlement Mound (Höyük)

Where: Northeast edge of Cizre city

Admission: Free
Late Antique / Roman–Sassanid (3rd–7th c. CE)

Bazabda (Ancient City of Cizre)

Where: Under modern Cizre

Admission: N/A (no dedicated access; historical markers in city)
Multi-period collection (Neolithic through Ottoman)

Şırnak Provincial Museum

Where: Şırnak city centre

Admission: Free
Multi-era sacred site (late antique through Islamic, c. 4th c. CE onward)

Cudi Dağı (Mount Cudi) — Sacred Mountain

Where: North of Cizre

Admission: Free
Late Antique / Syriac Christian (4th–early 20th c. CE)

Assyrian Church Ruins near İdil

Where: İdil district

Admission: Free (visit with permission of local village muhtar)

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