17/10/2026
Geliyê Godernê (Taşköprü Village)
Kulp/Diyarbakir
Geliyê Godernê (also known as Taşköprü Village) is a historically, culturally, and ecologically rich canyon valley located in the Diyarbakır province of Turkey, situated at the intersection of the Kulp, Silvan, Hazro, and Lice districts. Situated roughly 30 km from the Kulp district center and about 100 km from Diyarbakır city center.
The valley features a 200-meter-deep gorge where the Sarım Stream flows, as well as the scenic, 10-meter-high Goderne Waterfall.
A key monument is the late-Ottoman era Taş Köprü (Stone Bridge), built with custom-cut stones during the reign of Sultan Abdülhamid II. Structurally, it closely resembles the famous Malabadi Bridge in Batman.
Known in Kurdish as the "Valley of the Urn Burials," the site contains ancient pithos (urn) burials dating back 10,000 to 12,000 years to the Neolithic era. It also hosts Neolithic-era caves, rock-cut tombs, cave churches, and the remains of a Marwanid castle and palace ruins.
The area holds significant remnants of Armenian settlements, particularly in the hills south of Taşköprü village. Notable sites include an Armenian cemetery carved into a rock on the north side of the bridge and Derîk, a settlement, located on the rocks to the north of the village, featuring a steep, tomb-shaped burial chamber with ancient wall writings and drawings that served as a local Armenian place of worship.
The valley is highly recognized for its rich ecosystem, supporting high biodiversity that includes numerous endemic plant species and endangered wildlife.
The entire valley is currently threatened with submersion due to the ongoing construction of the Silvan Dam and pond system. Once completed, the rising waters will flood these historical Syriac, Armenian, and Kurdish heritage sites, alongside the Neolithic caves and rock tombs.
