Lice, district and town of Diyarbakır Province in Turkey
Lice is a district in Diyarbakır Province surrounded by mountains with rugged terrain and wide views. The town is divided into two parts following the 1975 earthquake: Old Lice in the hills and Lice Centre in the lowlands, with narrow streets and old buildings that tell stories of centuries past.
Lice was known in ancient Assyrian texts as Şirişa and was ruled by various empires including Romans, Persians, Arabs, Seljuks, and Ottomans, each leaving traces in ruins and structures. Vakıf Ahmet Bey founded the town at its current location and built important religious and public buildings to establish the settlement.
Lice is a place where Kurdish traditions shape daily life, from traditional clothing to festivals like Newroz where people light fires and dance together. Local food such as stuffed ribs, cheese halva, and fresh bread baked on stones keeps family recipes and heritage alive through generations.
The district lies about 56 kilometers from the city of Diyarbakır and is surrounded by mountains with various archaeological sites to visit. Visitors should be prepared for winter weather and know that roads in the hills can be difficult to travel, especially when snow falls.
The site is closely tied to the legend of the Seven Sleepers, a story found across different religions, with a cave here that locals visit to light candles and pray. Surprisingly, the Kurdistan Workers' Party was founded in the village of Fis in the district on November 27, 1978, an event that deeply shaped modern regional history.
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