Batman

Understand

thumb | 300px | Farewell to Batman This was the insignificant Kurdish village of Iluh until oil was discovered nearby: first the Raman field from 1940, then the larger Batı (meaning west) Raman field from 1961. They’re Turkey’s largest oilfield and remain in production, with decades of proven reserves. This quickly led to sprawling industry, immigration of labour and a rash of shoddy ill-planned buildings. It also made the new city a focus of ethnic tensions: Turkish central government sought a tight grip on a place too lucrative to be trusted to the Kurds. For starters, that Kurdish placename would have to change. The river which flows a few km west to join the Tigris is called Batman from a contraction of Batı Raman, and in 1957 the city adopted that name.

In 1939 a similarly lucrative resource was tapped into when Bob Kane and Bill Finger created the comic character Batman. He’s still going strong approaching a century later, and occasional tourists are drawn by the name to the city of Batman. In 2008 the mayor Hüseyin Kalkan proclaimed that he was going to sue Warner Bros for use of the city name in The Dark Knight: no such suit followed and it was laughed off as a publicity stunt. But it was as much about publicising his own imprisonment for promoting Kurdish self-identity, tantamount to terrorism in Turkish state eyes. His predecessor and successor mayors were likewise imprisoned, until by 2020 the central government tired of the charade of democracy and put its own p…

Get around

Buses, dolmuşes and taxis ply the main streets of this sprawling town.

See

thumb | 300px | Downtown Ulu Cami or Grand Mosque is by the railway station on 715th Sk. It was built from 1956 and is fairly plain. Yıldız Cami Kebir is a modern-style building, unusual for a Turkish mosque. It's 500 m northeast of the railway station at Atatürk Blv 81.

Do

Photograph the "Batman" town sign, preferably at a point on the highway where it's safe to stop. Football: Batman Petrolspor were promoted in 2026 and now play soccer in TFF 1. Lig, the second tier. Their stadium (capacity 15,000) is south edge of the city. Hamams are traditional Turkish baths. There's half a dozen round city centre.

Buy

Batman Park AVM is the main shopping centre, by the junction of Turgut Özal Blv and Ahmet Necdet Sezer Blv. It's open daily 10:00-22:00.

Eat

thumb | 300px | Clam seller stand in a Fiat 126p Turgut Özal Blv north from the railway station has the main strip. Along here are Cuma Usta, Çömçe Et, Diyar Et, Black Cafe, Mehmet Usta, Arturkbey Cafe, Sun Brothers Pizza, Gurme Kokoreç, Ciğerci Koçer, Saraygülü, Ali Usta, Heyran Gap and Amor Lounge.

Drink

Most cafes and restaurants serve alcohol.

Sleep

thumb | 300px | Mosque at dusk Batman Otel Sason is a simple guesthouse opposite the railway station at Mehmed Sincar Cd 16. Buyuk Gecit Hotel is across the street from Mesa at Ahmed Arif Blv 148. The original Gecit Hotel facing gets rotten reviews. Hotel Gapel is a basic place just south of Dörtyol at Yaşar Kemal Cd 25. Atlıhan Park Otel is 100 m south of Dörtyol at Atatürk Blv 143. Hotel Izgi Turhan is by the park at Turgut Özal Blv 260. Siya Boutique Hotel is a block north of Bozooğulları at Şehit Fethi Sekin Sk 15. Real Konak Hotel is north side of town at 2519th Sk 98.

Connect

As of May 2026, Batman city centre has 5G from all Turkish carriers, and the approach roads have 4G.

Go next

Hasankeyf 38 km southeast is a drowned village on the banks of the Tigris. Some of its antiquities have been moved to a new village on higher ground. Diyarbakır 100 km west has suffered much from earthquakes and property developers but retains an old centre behind black basalt walls. Tatvan 155 km northeast is on the shores of Lake Van. Continue round the lake to Van, for its ancient castle.