Back to photostream

Black basalt

Inside the citadel of Diyarbakır ((Iç Kale) there are many beautiful buildings, most of them built in black basalt.

 

In contrast with 'the white city' Mardin, built with in limestone, Diyarbakır is also called 'the dark city' as most houses are built with black basalt stones. Many thousands of years ago, the volcano Karacadag, now extinct, erupted leaving a thick layer of basalt. Diyarbakir, which has its foundations on this black basalt stratum, is known as “the Dark” because the walls and much of the old town are constructed from the rock.

 

They were filming when we visited this location so that's why you see the chairs and the lamps on the foreground.

 

Diyarbakır, Eastern Turkey

 

2,788 views
41 faves
14 comments
Uploaded on March 3, 2015
Taken on June 28, 2014