Siirt is a province located in Southeastern Anatolia, around 224 kilometers (140 miles) northwest of Mardin and divided by the Tigris River. This area was once under the influence of many civilizations, including the Persians, Romans, Byzantines, and Abbasids, and served as an economic hub during that time.
The Botan stream valley is known to have been home to many civilizations as early as 3000 BC. The Hurri and Subarru, two indigenous groups settled there at that time, experienced the dominance of the Assyrian and Med empires in the 7th century BC, followed by Persian Empire rule in the 6th century BC. From 395 to 554 AD, it was ruled by the Roman and Byzantine Empires, respectively. Later, it was ruled by the Mongolians for a few years before being taken over by the Ottomans, who finally conquered the region in 1514 and assumed control.
The name Siirt is believed to come from "Keert," which means "city" in the Keldani language. The tombs of Veysel Karani and Ismail Hakki link the past to the present as remnants of Islamic civilization.
The Grand Mosque was constructed by Mahmut, the Seljuk ruler, in 1219. In 1260, Mucahit Ishak Lindar added annexes to the original structure and made some improvements. The foundation recently reconfigured and restored the mosque's pulpit, which is now on display at the Ethnologic Museum in Ankara. The shrine features a single balcony minaret adorned with turquoise china work. However, these decorations are subject to erosion over time due to climate change, as is the case with all structures in Turkey created before this phenomenon became so prevalent. The building's magnificent dome sits in the center, with smaller domes circling around it on all four sides.