Midyat Telkari (Filigree) Bazaar

The Midyat Telkari (Filigree) Bazaar sits at the heart of the historic Old Town of Midyat, in Mardin province, tucked among the golden limestone mansions and monasteries of Eski (Old) Midyat, east of the modern Estel district. It is a living crafts bazaar where the centuries-old art of silver filigree is still practiced by hand.

The Art and History of Filigree

Telkari is a delicate technique in which silver is drawn into threads as fine as a strand of hair, then twisted and woven together entirely by hand, without solder, into lace-like ornaments. In this region the craft was sustained for generations largely by Syriac artisans, passed from father to son and from master to apprentice. Midyat's filigree workshops reached their golden age in the 1960s, when more than forty ateliers operated in town; today around twenty-five small workshops and shops keep the tradition alive along the narrow stone lanes of the old quarter.

The Bazaar Experience

Visitors can buy finished rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, belts, trays, teapots, sugar bowls and mirrors, but they can also watch masters bend the fine wire with tweezers and loupe over many painstaking hours. This living-workshop dimension turns the bazaar into an open-air atelier-museum rather than a mere shopping street, and it is the main reason travel agencies treat it as an almost obligatory stop on Mardin-Midyat itineraries, combining an authentic cultural experience with souvenir and collector purchases in a single place. Its cultural significance stems from Midyat's role as the historic center of the Tur Abdin plateau, a mosaic where different faiths coexisted for centuries; filigree is one of the tangible symbols of that shared heritage.

Visit Duration and Route

The average visit lasts one to two hours and can stretch to half a day when combined with workshop tours and shopping. On guided programs the bazaar is usually placed on the same walking route as the Old Town stone houses, the Midyat Guest House (the mansion where the TV series 'Sila' and 'Hercai' were filmed) and the City Museum. Notable nearby sites include the Deyrulzafaran and Mor Gabriel monasteries, the Syriac quarter and its churches, and the old city of Mardin. The strongest photographs are of glittering silver display windows, the working hands of artisans, narrow stone-arched alleys, and bazaar views from mansion terraces.

Access and Transport

Access is easy: because central Midyat is compact, the bazaar is explored on foot, and it lies roughly 60-65 km from Mardin center, reachable comfortably by bus and minibus. Tour coaches pull up to squares and car parks around the Old Town, from which groups continue on foot; parking is available at the surrounding squares. Wheelchair access is limited due to the narrow, sloping cobbled lanes, so shops along the main street are more suitable for visitors with reduced mobility.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit is spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October); summers in the GAP region are very hot. Peak season falls on spring and autumn weekends and public holidays. A recommended route is to see the Old Town and stone houses in the morning, then the filigree bazaar and a workshop visit, the Guest House and City Museum in the afternoon, and to close the day at the Deyrulzafaran or Mor Gabriel monastery.