Dengbêj House
Dengbêj Evi
An old house where Kurdish oral storytellers known as dengbej gather, taking turns each day in the courtyard to sing epics, love songs, and laments. Listening is free.
Dengbej are traditional Kurdish singers who perform without instruments, improvising from memory heroic epics, love stories, and historical events. They are vital carriers of Kurdish oral culture. This restored basalt house has benches and carpets, and several elderly performers sing here in turn each day, with black tea served nearby. Visitors can sit quietly and listen, and may thank the performers politely or take photos afterward. Admission is free. Opening hours depend on the performers, though sessions from morning to evening are common. Located in the southwestern part of the old town, a few minutes' walk from the Behram Pasha Mosque.
Opening hours
About 10:00–17:00 (depends on the performers' schedule)
Nearby sights
- Behram Pasha Mosque
- Cemil Paşa Mansion (City Museum)
- Great Mosque of Diyarbakır
- Four-Legged Minaret
- Cahit Sıtkı Tarancı Museum
- Deliller Han
- Virgin Mary Syriac Orthodox Church
- Mar Petyun Chaldean Church