ÇEVRE HIGH SCHOOL AT THE ZERO POINT OF HISTORY

Our Göbeklitepe trip, organized to make the knowledge gained by our 11th and 10th grade students in history and literature classes more permanent, increase their interest in the subjects, and provide them with the opportunity to learn by exploring and experiencing, was successfully completed.

Our students had the chance to visit numerous significant historical sites in Diyarbakır, the first stop of our trip. These included the Ten-Eyed Bridge, which connects the two banks of the Tigris River, the Hevsel Gardens, listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, Diyarbakır Archaeology Museum, Atatürk Museum, Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami), Ahmet Arif Literature Museum, Ziya Gökalp Museum, the Four-Legged Minaret, a unique architectural structure in Anatolia, and Zerzevan Castle, a strategic Roman garrison on an ancient trade route and part of UNESCO’s World Heritage Tentative List.

In Mardin, the second stop of our trip, our students explored the ancient city of Dara, known as the "Ephesus of Mesopotamia" for its historical and mythological significance as the administrative and military center of Upper Mesopotamia. They also visited the Kasımiye Madrasa, the Church of the Forty Martyrs (Kırklar Church), and the Deyrul Zafaran Monastery. Following these visits, they toured the Old Bazaar, Lower Bazaar, Spice Bazaar, and Coppersmiths' Bazaar, where they enjoyed shopping and tasted local delicacies.

In Urfa, the final city of our trip, our students visited the Karahantepe excavation site, which dates back 12,000 years. They continued their exploration with visits to Halil-ür Rahman, Balıklı Göl (Sacred Fish Lake), Ayn Zeliha Lake, Rızvaniye Mosque, Bedesten, and Sipahi Bazaar. Additionally, they experienced local culture by participating in a traditional "sıra night" event.

Our students also visited Harran, home to the world's first university, where they saw the historical beehive houses with conical roofs. Their journey concluded with a visit to Göbeklitepe, the world’s oldest temple and a UNESCO World Heritage site, followed by a tour of Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum, which holds the title of Turkey’s largest museum.

At the end of this intense and enjoyable trip, Çevre High School students gained an awareness of the historical artifacts from various periods and cultures of their country and developed a sense of responsibility for preserving cultural heritage.