Mor Hananyo Monastery (Deyrulzafaran Monastery)

It has been known that the Mor Hananyo Monastery was built on a temple dedicated to the Mesopotamian sun god Shamash, and later the temple was converted into a Roman castle. When the Romans withdrew from the castle, Mor Shlemon brought some saints' graves here and transformed it into a monastery in 493 AD. Therefore, the monastery was first called Mor Shlemon.  In 793, the Bishop of Mardin and Kfartuta, Mor Hananyo, renovated it, and since then the monastery has had its current name, Mor Hananyo. Since then, additions have been made at different times starting from the 5th century and the monastery gained its present form in the 18th century. Since the 15th-century saffron has been cultivated around the Monastery called Deyrulzafaran which means saffron monastery. Nowadays, it is one of the most important religious centers of the Syriac Church. Assyrians from all over the world, both local and foreign people, visit it.