16.06.2025 21:40
The 1600-year-old Mor Kiryakus Monastery, which began restoration in 2020 in the Beşiri district of Batman, was opened to tourism with a ceremony following the completion of the restoration works.
The 1600-year-old Mor Kiryakus Monastery, which began restoration in 2020 in the Beşiri district of Batman, was opened to tourism upon the completion of the works.
The restoration works that started in 2020 at the 1600-year-old Mor Kiryakus Monastery, located in the village of Ayrancı in the Beşiri district of Batman and considered sacred by Syriac Christians, have been completed.
1600-YEAR-OLD MONASTERY BROUGHT TO TOURISM
The monastery, built on an area of 2,500 square meters in two stories, underwent restoration works in three phases. The first phase was carried out in partnership with the Tigris Development Agency (DİKA) and the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, the second phase was conducted by the Special Provincial Administration, and the third phase was realized within the Investment Program of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The monastery was opened to tourism with a ceremony. The opening was attended by Governor Ekrem Canalp, Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism Mehmet İhsan Aslanlı, Beşiri District Governor Muhammed Yılmaz, Provincial Police Chief İbrahim Kaba, Provincial Gendarmerie Commander Senior Colonel Cafer Öz, DİKA Secretary General Aykut Aniç, department heads, and citizens.
"THIS YEAR OUR TARGET IS 500 THOUSAND TOURISTS IN BATMAN"
Speaking at the ceremony, Governor Ekrem Canalp stated that they would revitalize tourism in all 5 districts, saying, "This year is the beginning of our leap. This year, we hope to have a target of 500 thousand tourists in Batman, and this target will be 1 million tourists next year. So, how will we reach the target of 1 million tourists? To reach the target of 1 million tourists, we need to do things we have not done before. We also need to enhance the dimensions of the work we have done. When we talk about tourism in Batman, it was a tourism that started and ended in Hasankeyf. This is unacceptable. From now on, we will also develop tourism in Hasankeyf, but we are obliged to revitalize tourism in all five of our districts," he said.