Ruined by quakes, Türkiye’s historic sites face long road to restoration

Ruined by quakes, Türkiye’s historic sites face long road to restoration

In the aftermath of the earthquakes that struck the nation on February 6, historic buildings and constructions both sustained heavy injury or have been utterly destroyed within the nation’s southern area.

An aerial view shows the major damage on the historical Kurtulus Mosque in Gaziantep.
An aerial view exhibits the main injury on the historic Kurtulus Mosque in Gaziantep.
(AA)

Several historic constructions in Türkiye’s southern Hatay province, generally known as the house to civilizations, have been broken resulting from robust earthquakes that struck the nation on February 6.

In Hatay’s Altinozu district, a historic Greek Orthodox church was left in ruins following the catastrophe. The church was estimated to be 700 years previous.

Only the bell tower of the church stays, whereas its ceiling collapsed and most of its partitions have been additionally destroyed.

Ibrahim Cilingir, vice chairman of the church basis, instructed Anadolu news company that the construction had simply undergone restoration in 2020 and prayers have been since been held there till the February quakes occurred.

“We restored the church three years ago. We really put a lot of effort into it,” he added.

“It was very beautiful and truly worth seeing the church and has stood since its founding. Unfortunately, it was destroyed after the earthquake,” he stated.

“The destruction of the church really upset people. I hope we will rebuild this church together with the state,” Cilingir stated as he appealed to Turkish authorities and different donors for help to revive the home of worship for Orthodox Christians.

While the federal government and heritage consultants managed to protect many different historic constructions, the sheer magnitude of the destruction may imply restoration will take longer, with the precedence given to housing for the thousands and thousands of people that have been displaced.

READ MORE: How Türkiye is taking good care of its cultural heritage in quake-hit areas

Bagras Castle, Mahremiye Mosque

Some elements of the Baghras or Bagras Castle situated on the Antakya-Iskenderun highway in Hatay and thought to have been utilized by the Byzantines, Crusaders and Romans resulting from its strategic location, have been additionally destroyed within the earthquakes.

Nizamettin Senal, the village head of the Otencay neighbourhood within the Belen District, instructed Anadolu Agency that the historic fortress was broken after the earthquakes.

It can’t be visited for the time being, you’ll be afraid to go to it in case it collapses on you,” Senal stated.

The historic Mahremiye Mosque in Antakya, which has two rotating columns known as “earthquake scales” on the proper and left of the mihrab or prayer area of interest, couldn’t survive the earthquakes both.

Only the tunnel-shaped entrance, proper below the minaret, stays from the 600-year-old mosque, most of which collapsed within the first earthquake, which was measured at an depth of seven.7.

Nuh Gokoglu, who has been working as a preacher on the mosque for 3 and half years instructed Anadolu Agency that the mosque was inbuilt 1400-1450.

“Legend is the imam turns the pillars on the right and left of the mihrab at every prayer time, and if the pillars do not rotate, it can be known in advance that the balance of the mosque is out and it is said that precautions are taken accordingly,” he stated.

“These pillars are a method made to ensure the safety of the community, religious officials and shopkeepers and to inform them of any danger. However, the mosque was completely destroyed in the first earthquake,” he added.

Gokoglu stated that he discovered from the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry that such mosques, that are registered cultural property, will likely be rebuilt as quickly as attainable.

READ MORE:
Türkiye quakes generated as much as 210 million tonnes of rubble

Only the tunnel-shaped entrance, right under the minaret, remains from the 600-year-old Mahremiye Mosque in Hatay.
Only the tunnel-shaped entrance, proper below the minaret, stays from the 600-year-old Mahremiye Mosque in Hatay.
(Mehmet Kaman / AA)

Surviving constructions

Meanwhile, an aqueduct from the Roman Period and the homes round have remained standing in Antakya.

Known to have been constructed by the Roman Emperor Trajan within the 2nd century, the aqueduct with a top of about 20 metres and a width of two.5 metres, right now serves as a bridge.

Mehmet Saganak, who has a home close to the aqueduct, instructed Anadolu Agency that the historic bridge and the encircling homes weren’t critically broken within the earthquake.

“Our houses are 65-70 years old. The historical aqueduct in our neighbourhood is still standing despite earthquakes,” Saganak stated including that the constructions of their space have been constructed on a rocky floor.

Türkiye and Syria have been rocked with twin earthquakes on February 6 which have left upward of fifty,000 folks useless and full cities destroyed.

READ MORE: EU’s earthquake fundraiser for Türkiye, Syria to be held on March 20″

Source: AA

Source: www.trtworld.com