Diyarbakır Fortress — Assyrian Architect's Secret
Uncover the hidden code etched by the Assyrian architect of Amida in the Black Walls. Decode inscriptions across 8 landmarks to reveal a 2,000-year-old conspiracy before it vanishes forever.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In 297 AD, as Roman legions fortified Amida against Persian hordes, a master Assyrian architect was summoned to etch the Black Walls of Diyarbakır with cryptic inscriptions in Aramaic, Latin, and Gree
Diyarbakır Fortress — Assyrian Architect's Secret
You are a Roman Imperial cryptographer, dispatched to Amida in 297 AD.
As Roman legions fortified Amida against Persian hordes, you discover a master Assyrian architect was summoned to
Kalkhu the Assyrian — the architect who codified eternity in black basalt
« Amida, with walls so high they seem to touch the clouds, resisted the Persian king's catapults for seventy-three days »— Ammianus Marcellinus, Histories, Book XVIII (359 AD)
Black Amida — five millennia of resistance
Around 1500 BC, the Assyrians built a fortress with revolutionary proportions on the banks of the Tigris. Unlike Mesopotamian mud-brick walls, they used local volcanic black basalt — harder than granite — following sacred geometry inspired by Babylonian astronomy. Master-architect Kalkhu carved cuneiform formulas into each corner stone, codifying perfect mathematical ratios: tower heights, curtain wall thickness, bastion angles.
This architectural science transcended centuries. Romans, Byzantines, Umayyads, Abbasids, Marwanids, Ayyubids, Artukids, Ottomans — sixteen civilizations restored these walls without ever penetrating their original secret. In 359, Persian king Shapur II besieged Amida for 73 days with 100,000 men and 40-meter siege towers. The ramparts held. In 1515, Selim I conquered the city through negotiation, not force. Today, 5.8 kilometers of ramparts and 82 towers testify to this millennial continuity — a basalt palimpsest where each era left its mark without altering the Assyrian essence.
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The Route
5-10 curated sites across the territory
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 14,90€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Millennial Architecture
Discover Assyrian volcanic basalt construction techniques, more durable than granite
Ancient Astronomy
Pierce the secrets of towers' astronomical orientation according to Babylonian constellations
Cuneiform Writing
Decipher Assyrian mathematical formulas carved in stone 3500 years ago
Unravel Kalkhu the Assyrian's architectural formula
Eight cuneiform fragments carved in black basalt reveal the secret of five millennia of resistance
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
Avis des aventuriers
Soyez le premier à partager votre expérience.
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Your turn to play
Unravel the architectural mysteries of the world's oldest walls. Eight Assyrian towers guard fragments of a millennial formula carved in cuneiform in black basalt. Reveal the secret proportions of Kalkhu, the master-builder who defied centuries, and discover why these ramparts never yielded to empires. Eternity is written in stone — can you decipher it?
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
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