Artuklu Arch
The entrance in the middle of the Citadel in the form of a pointed arch; It is about 10 meters wide. The large-sized prose inscription on the arch states that it was built in the reign of Artuqid Sultan Mahmut in 1206-1207, and this shows that the arch belongs to the same period as the palace. It is stated that the entrance, which divides the Inner Castle into two from northwest to southeast, separates the main section where the administrative section lives. This arched entrance, which is approximately 10 m wide, is thought to have a quality that symbolizes and emphasizes the power of the administration rather than having a defensive purpose. On both sides of the arched entrance, there are repetitive battle scenes. These reliefs were carved on white limestone and were largely destroyed. The figures are arranged in the same way on both sides. The lion is at the top and is victorious. He grasped the figure below with his feet and caught his head with his mouth. The figure of the bull at the bottom represents defeat against the lion. The inscription belt, the upper part of which is over the relief on the left, is limited by moldings at the edges. It is possible to think that the pointed arch inscriptions turned from three directions, namely the sides and the sides. The inscription section on the right was renewed during the restorations. Reliefs of objects that cannot be fully understood on the arch are also noteworthy.
