Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Arts
  • Cinema
  • Music
  • Events
  • Portrait
  • Reviews
  • Performing Arts

History unearthed: Ancient city of Dara awaits a million visitors

by DAILY SABAH

Istanbul Dec 16, 2021 - 8:51 pm GMT+3
Nearly a million tourists visited the ancient city of Dara in 2021, Dara, Mardin, Turkey. (DHA Photo)
Nearly a million tourists visited the ancient city of Dara in 2021, Dara, Mardin, Turkey. (DHA Photo)
by DAILY SABAH Dec 16, 2021 8:51 pm
RECOMMENDED
The "Dance with Different Bodies" performance organized by dance artist Tuğçe Ulugün Tuna. (Photo courtesy of British Council)

Art boundless: British Council's art fest to break barriers in Istanbul

free-art

Serving as an important trade center centuries ago, the ancient city of Dara in southeastern Turkey's Mardin province is brimming with life again. Foreign and local visitors have been flocking to the site as archeologists continue their excavations to further tap into Dara's touristic potential.

Nearly a million tourists visited the ancient site this year, a figure that came as a shock even to the head of the excavation team. "The number of visitors is increasing day by day. We did not expect such a number, but it is a very pleasing result," professor Hüseyin Metin of Kafkas University was quoted as saying by broadcaster NTV.

Inviting everyone to see Dara at least once in their life, Metin explained that excavations began in 2020 with an aim to unearth new findings to boost tourism.

"We had two different plans regarding Dara when we started excavations on behalf of Kafkas University in 2020. The first was what we would do scientifically, and the second was what we could do in terms of tourism."

Nearly a million tourists visited the ancient city of Dara in 2021, Dara, Mardin, Turkey. (DHA Photo)
Nearly a million tourists visited the ancient city of Dara in 2021, Dara, Mardin, Turkey. (DHA Photo)

The strategy appears to be working. More and more tourists are venturing to the Ephesus of Mesopotamia to see the signs of ancient life carved in rock with their own eyes, to explore its "dungeon" cisterns and to take in the 1,500-year-old gallery grave where hundreds were laid to rest.

Despite the project being initiated with tourism in mind, the amount of interest staggered the team. "There were close to a million visitors in 2021. We couldn't believe it either. This has taken us by surprise," Metin confessed.

Metin was more confident about drawing in a million tourists to Dara by the end of 2023, describing the target as something "we can do in terms of tourism."

The excavation head earlier stated that the ancient city, once considered the last bastion of the Byzantine Empire, would be eligible for the UNESCO World Heritage tentative list within a few years.

In 2020 Dara attracted nearly 500,000 visitors, a figure attributed to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

RECOMMENDED
The "Dance with Different Bodies" performance organized by dance artist Tuğçe Ulugün Tuna. (Photo courtesy of British Council)

Art boundless: British Council's art fest to break barriers in Istanbul

free-art
  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Dec 17, 2021 4:53 pm
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    tourism in turkey mardin dara ancient city excavations
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    The leaders of the opposition bloc pose on stage before presenting the election program, in the capital Ankara, Türkiye, Jan. 30, 2023. (AFP Photo)

    Turkish opposition bloc reveals road map but still no candidate 

    opposition
    A Toyota C-HR Prologue model, which will be manufactured at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Türkiye (TMMT) in the northwestern province of Sakarya, Türkiye. (Courtesy of TMMT)

    Türkiye plant pitched to manufacture new Toyota C-HR plug-in hybrid

    automotive-industry

    Türkiye warns of 'price' if US fails to deliver long-sought fighter jets

    F-16-FIGHTER-JETS

    Finland probing Paludan's links with Russia: FM Haavisto

    nato-membership
    No Image
    Tropical Storm Henri batters US' East Coast
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021