The Diyarbakir Atatürk Lodge is 2.5 Km south of the Diyarbakir city walls. Atatürk, after the Gallipoli Wars, by the end of February 1916 was assigned as the commander of the 16 Army Corps at the Eastern Front. On 14 March 1916, he arrived at the Army Corps headquarters in Diyarbakir. The Semanoglu lodge outside the city walls had been allotted to Atatürk's use. Atatürk stayed in this lodge until 27 March 1917. After his assignment as the Commander of the 2 Army, Atatürk arrived again in Diyarbakir and this time stayed in the Pamuk Lodge right outside the Mardin Gate of the walls.

The Diyarbakir Municipality, with a decree taken on 5 April 1926, had given Atatürk the honorary citizenship of Diyarbakir and presented him the Semanoglu Lodge that he stayed during his first appointment. From then on the lodge has been known as the Atatürk Lodge.

The Diyarbakir Atatürk Lodge is a fine example of a typical Diyarbakir house, constructed with black and white hewn stones with a large portico in the front. Water pouring down to a pond from the marble fountain built in to the wall of the portico cools the lodge. The small door on the right hand side of the entrance opens to the kitchen, and the one on the left to the tea room. The study room and the bedrooms are in the upper floor.

After the death of Atatürk, the Atatürk Lodge was restored and opened to the public under the protection of Diyarbakir Municipality.