Siirt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Siirt
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View of Siirt
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 Siirt
Location in Turkey
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| Country | Turkey |
| Province | Siirt |
| District | Siirt |
| Population
(2021)
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160,340 |
| Time zone | TRT (UTC+3) |
Siirt (pronounced See-irt) is a city located in the Siirt Province of Turkey. It's a place with a long history and a mix of cultures. In 2021, about 160,340 people lived in Siirt. The city is known for its unique culture and traditions.
Contents
A Look at Siirt's Past
Siirt has been an important place for a very long time. In ancient times, it was known as Saird and was a significant religious center for Christians.
During the Middle Ages, another city called Arzen was the main power in the region. Siirt became more important around the 14th century, but it still depended on the city of Hasankeyf until the 17th century.
Siirt was also a center for learning and religion. An old, beautifully decorated book called the Syriac Bible of Paris might have come from a library in Siirt. Christians in Siirt used to worship in Syriac, which is a very old language related to Aramaic. Another important historical record, the Chronicle of Seert, which tells the story of the church in the Persian area, was kept safe in Siirt.
Sadly, during difficult times, many people from the Assyrian and Armenian communities in Siirt faced great hardship. Many lost their lives or were forced to leave their homes. Important historical items, like old manuscripts, were also lost during these periods.
Who Lives in Siirt?
Siirt has always been home to different groups of people. In the past, travelers like Mark Sykes noted that Kurds, Arabs, Assyrians, and Armenians lived there.
In the late 1800s, many Armenians left Siirt because of difficult conditions. Before World War I, Siirt had a large Christian population, including Armenians, Syriac Orthodox, and Chaldean Catholics.
According to a Turkish census in 1927, most people in Siirt spoke Arabic, followed by Turkish and Kurdish. Today, the city is mainly home to Kurds, but it also has a notable Arab community. Several Kurdish tribes, like the Botikan and Silokan, live in the city.
Famous Places in Siirt
One of the most important buildings in Siirt is the Great Mosque (Ulu Cami). It was built way back in 1129 by a powerful ruler named Sultan Mahmud II from the Great Seljuk Empire. Later, the Ottoman Empire made more improvements to the mosque. It was carefully restored in 1965, so it still stands proudly today.
Interesting Facts About Siirt
Siirt was once the area represented by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the Turkish Parliament. He was the Prime Minister of Turkey from 2003 to 2007. His wife, Mrs. Emine Erdoğan, is from Siirt, and he was elected to Parliament from this city in 2003.
Even though Siirt is considered one of the poorer cities in Turkey, it has modern areas with new shops, banks, and hotels.
Siirt's Weather
Siirt has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate. This means it has very hot and dry summers, and cool, wet winters. During winter, it often freezes, and sometimes it snows.
| Climate data for Siirt (1991–2020, extremes 1939–2022) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 19.7 (67.5) |
20.6 (69.1) |
28.5 (83.3) |
32.9 (91.2) |
36.2 (97.2) |
40.2 (104.4) |
44.4 (111.9) |
46.0 (114.8) |
41.3 (106.3) |
36.6 (97.9) |
25.8 (78.4) |
24.3 (75.7) |
46.0 (114.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 7.3 (45.1) |
9.3 (48.7) |
14.2 (57.6) |
19.7 (67.5) |
25.7 (78.3) |
32.8 (91.0) |
37.5 (99.5) |
37.6 (99.7) |
32.6 (90.7) |
25.2 (77.4) |
15.7 (60.3) |
9.1 (48.4) |
22.2 (72.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 3.3 (37.9) |
4.7 (40.5) |
9.2 (48.6) |
14.3 (57.7) |
19.8 (67.6) |
26.5 (79.7) |
30.9 (87.6) |
30.9 (87.6) |
25.8 (78.4) |
18.9 (66.0) |
10.6 (51.1) |
5.1 (41.2) |
16.7 (62.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 0.4 (32.7) |
1.2 (34.2) |
5.1 (41.2) |
9.7 (49.5) |
14.3 (57.7) |
20.1 (68.2) |
24.1 (75.4) |
24.1 (75.4) |
19.4 (66.9) |
13.7 (56.7) |
6.8 (44.2) |
2.3 (36.1) |
11.8 (53.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −19.3 (−2.7) |
−16.5 (2.3) |
−13.3 (8.1) |
−4.1 (24.6) |
2.0 (35.6) |
8.2 (46.8) |
13.1 (55.6) |
14.4 (57.9) |
8.5 (47.3) |
0.3 (32.5) |
−6.6 (20.1) |
−14.6 (5.7) |
−19.3 (−2.7) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 81.0 (3.19) |
98.6 (3.88) |
115.2 (4.54) |
102.2 (4.02) |
63.9 (2.52) |
9.7 (0.38) |
3.8 (0.15) |
2.2 (0.09) |
7.9 (0.31) |
49.1 (1.93) |
76.8 (3.02) |
90.3 (3.56) |
700.7 (27.59) |
| Average precipitation days | 12.73 | 12.53 | 14.83 | 14.07 | 11.33 | 4.13 | 1.53 | 1.00 | 2.47 | 8.77 | 9.07 | 11.90 | 104.4 |
| Average snowy days | 4 | 3.6 | 1.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 2 | 11.2 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 72.6 | 67.5 | 61.6 | 58 | 50.2 | 33.8 | 27.3 | 26.1 | 31.8 | 47.1 | 62.9 | 72.2 | 50.9 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 108.5 | 121.5 | 164.3 | 192.0 | 263.5 | 333.0 | 356.5 | 331.7 | 285.0 | 217.0 | 156.0 | 105.4 | 2,634.4 |
| Mean daily sunshine hours | 3.5 | 4.3 | 5.3 | 6.4 | 8.5 | 11.1 | 11.5 | 10.7 | 9.5 | 7.0 | 5.2 | 3.4 | 7.2 |
| Source 1: Turkish State Meteorological Service | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: NOAA(humidity), Meteomanz(snow days 2000-2023) | |||||||||||||
Famous People from Siirt
Many interesting people have come from Siirt, including:
- Addai Sher (died 1915), a religious leader who was a bishop in Siirt.
- Mehmet Güney (born 1936), a diplomat and judge.
- Archbishop Vicken Aykazian (born 1951), an important leader in the Armenian Apostolic Church.
- Coşkun Aral (born 1956), a famous journalist and documentary maker.
- Ethem Sancak (born 1958), a well-known businessman.
- Yasin Aktay (born 1966), a politician.
- Hasan Özer (born 1974), a footballer and manager.
- Kerem Gürgen (born 1983), a boxer.
- Evin Demirhan (born 1995), a freestyle wrestler.
Images for kids
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A bridge in Siirt
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Ebul Vefa Mosque
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Ibrahim hakkı shrine in Siirt Tillo
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The city hall
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Siirt Tillo
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Siirt Street scene
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Siirt Saat Kulesi (Clock Tower)
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Siirt Market area
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Siirt Ulu Camii (Great Mosque)
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Hacı Abdulhakim Sancak Çarşı Camii
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The Minbar (pulpit) inside Hacı Abdulhakim Sancak Çarşı Camii
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See also
In Spanish: Siirt para niños
