Guide
The Midyat state guest house was built in 1850 at the highest point of Midyat by the Şabo family, a leading Syriac family of the town. Malke Brahem, İlyas Meqsi Elyas and Gallo Zero, well-known Syriac stonemasons of their day, worked on it.
The building reflects the architecture particular to the region, with detailed stone fronts and traditional ornament designed by the Syriac architect Süleyman Gharibo.
A third floor was added in 1930, while İbrahim Şabo was mayor of Midyat. After his term ended the building passed into state ownership.
Adnan Menderes, then prime minister, planned to come to the town to speak about making Midyat a province and asked that a balcony be built. The balcony, worked in stone, was added above the third floor, but the speech was never made because his health failed.
The building has become the emblem of Midyat and has served as a location for a good many television series, films and programmes from Türkiye and abroad, among them Sıla and Hercai. It was restored by the Midyat municipality in keeping with its original form.
The house draws visitors from Türkiye and from around the world. Those interested in the history and culture of the region gather around it to explore the old churches, monasteries and markets of Midyat and the country nearby.
