Hassoun Caves, in the city of Faraqin.
The Hassoun Caves are located in the village of (Bahjikoy) in the city of Farqin in the Amed (Diyarbakir) province, the capital of Kurdistan. It is a series of ancient caves located on the slopes of Jabal Al-Bat, which is considered one of the most dominant hills in the region. And it was inhabited since prehistoric times (the Mesolithic era) until the Middle Ages (the first years of Christianity), Hassoun Caves includes remains dating back to the thirteenth century AD, and includes a stone church that is believed to have been used from the early periods of Christianity until the thirteenth century AD. And a small rock amphitheater and water tanks next to the church and 300 rock rooms and stone pavement paths, There is also a bath built with cut stones, but the date of its construction has not been determined, and the upper part of this bath has been demolished. The Hassoun Caves, which are 6 kilometers from the city of Farqin, located on the International Silk Road, are considered one of the first settlements in Kurdistan. It is a very comprehensive place in terms of history, in which man settled in the first Paleolithic era, where we see that they built a living space by carving caves, numbering about 300 caves as rock rooms, And inside these caves, there is a stone church built with cut stones, which is unique to the city of Faraqin. And water tanks, and a bathroom, and the first double passages in the world, you can pass from one cave to another, There are rumors that the air cycle in the Hassoun Caves is beneficial for bronchitis and asthma diseases.
And when looking at the integrity of its soil (it is the soil in which sweet fig trees and mountain thyme grow), we can understand why the ancient man chose this place in terms of soil fertility. Since 2013 AD, Hassun Caves has been listed as a potential tourism project for development in Amed Province (Diyarbakir). In recent years, some bands have recorded a number of Kurdish songs near this archaeological site as part of the tourism promotion of the site. The Amed (Diyarbakir) Tourism Authority is currently promoting the area as a suitable place for hiking and paragliding.[1] [2]