Day 48; The Oldest Syriac Monastery in the World, Syrian Border 25 Comments

This entry was posted in Travel Turkey and tagged 2018 Asia Border Breathtaking Views Church Monastery Motorhome Mountains Wild Camping on

A really good nights sleep considering we had to move and the fact it is a petrol station. Now the first question if the day…do we go towards the Syrian border or not?  There are two places we want to see, Mor Gabriel and Dara, both are a bit close to Syria, which makes us nervous. However, all the local people tell us it is fine. We chat for a while and then decide, sod it, we only live once! 

Foreigners in a beautiful land we certainly are, but as we travel south towards the Syrian border our unique look attracts everyones attention. The motorhome, the dogs and our pale skin. The long, wide valleys with high mountains protecting its easterly border would give many landscapes a run for their money. Except that this one is in volatile land, where, nowadays, heaven and hell come pretty close. To get to this idyllic place we have had to undergo tighter security checks than anywhere else on the journey. Police and army posts, passport and vehicle checks dot the road to towards Syria with increasing frequency.

The plateau of the Tur Abdin is the traditional heartland of the Syrian Orthodox.  Sadly, it is home to a reducing number of Christians who co exist uneasily with the local Muslim Kurds. If tension in this area isn’t enough between Turks and Kurds now you throw Syriac in the mix and it becomes a potential ticking bomb. As we drive along the D380 the landscape is dotted with masses of hardy scrubs, small sections are farmed but in the main it deserted. There might be few inhabitants but the red Turkish flag is prominent and dominant feature in this barron section that feels like no man’s land.  

As we approach Mar Gabriel the first thing that strikes us is the massive stone wall. It is huge. We arrive at 12noon and have a spot of lunch before entering the monastery which opens at 1pm. Founded in 397 AD, the monastery of Mar Gabriel is the spiritual centre of the Tür Abdin. The oldest and most vital surviving Syrian Orthodox monastery in Turkey. The complex is set among beautiful gardens and orchards with a tree lined entrance (click to enlarge photo). 


A local guide takes you around the church, cloisters and courtyards. However, as he does not speak English he allows us to freely wander. 

Visiting the oldest remaining Syriac Orthodox monastery in the world was like stepping into another place in time. Except for a few bouts during war time the monastery has been inhabited for sixteen centuries. The scenery is beautiful; the monastery is like a limestone oasis in the middle of the desert. The sand behind the tomb of Saint Gabriel, who is buried on the premises, is said to cure illness.  The glittering, mosaic-covered ceiling of the apse of the main church is slightly hidden but looks amazing. We wander around the dining room, the Church of the Mother of God and the tombs. 

The D073 to Dora with flat cultivated land. Grape, lentil, walnut, almond and pomegranate dot the land intersected with the odd oil pump. At Tepecik we turn right on to D400. If we carry on another mile we will arrive the Syrian border. Craig feels uncertain and stops for reinforcement. 

For miles we drive along the border road with Turkey on our right and Syria less than a mile to our left. The D400 is a good road but to our surprise there are no military or police just the odd a abandoned hotel or tatty road sign.  If anywhere needs checks then surely it is here? To our surprise we can see smoke on the skyline. Fires or bomb strikes, who knows?  As we approach Nusaybin the border control in to Syria is less than 200m away.  Then for the next 5 miles we drive right next to the recently completed border. Barbed wire and massive wall.

Just before sunset we arrive at Dara. We park up on a small village car park next to a tea shop with loud Turkish music. Within half an hour the daylight has disappeared and so has everyone from the cafe. With no street lights and no one for miles around it feels a little spooky. Tap, tap on the door. The local police ask us for our passports and seem awfully confused by our presence and our motorhome. Visiting Dara is rare for Turkish people and exceptionally rare for international tourists.

Parking Spot Dara

Our Bumble free parking spot at Dara GPS position N037.177597, E040.948780

Tell us what you think...

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

25 thoughts on “Day 48; The Oldest Syriac Monastery in the World, Syrian Border”