Tourexpi
While many invaluable
artifacts, such as those in the prominent Zeugma Mosaic Museum, were left
largely untouched in two recent earthquakes, Turkish authorities have declared
that restoration and repair work would soon begin for those that took damage in
the tremors.
Turkish Minister of
Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy declared that the restoration of
historical and cultural sites in nearby Hatay province that were damaged by the
massive tremors would begin next month. He also noted that the ministry's
General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums has introduced an
emergency disaster prevention plan.
Teams responded
immediately to work on damaged parts of museums and ruins across 11 provinces
hit hard by the two back-to-back quakes on Feb. 6 and conducted large-scale
damage assessment work of the cultural treasures.
In Gaziantep, one of
those 11 provinces, the historical Roman-era columns still stand in the ruins
of the city of Zeugma. Its famed ancient mosaics have preserved their unique
texture despite the earthquakes, while the museum's favorite exhibits, the
1.6-meter-tall statue of the Roman god Mars and the Gypsy Girl mosaic, were
unscathed.
Despite being
damaged, the historical Governor's Office building of Hatay province, which was
built 95 years ago and served as a presidential mansion before the province
joined Türkiye in 1939, did not collapse. It was evacuated after the
earthquakes, which had destroyed its roof and clock.
The urban center of
Kahramanmaras, where both earthquakes were centered, suffered widespread
destruction due to the strong tremors, with many buildings collapsing in the
centuries-old city.
Some major arteries
to the heart of the city, home to many historical sites, have been closed off
by the rubble of buildings that collapsed in the quakes, which claimed
thousands of lives across southern Türkiye.
As debris is removed,
however, residents have regained road access to the Grand Bazaar, dating back
half a millennium, which itself was nearly unscathed by the earthquakes. In
fact, some businesses have started reopening their doors to help people feel
like "life will return to normal."
Not so fortunate,
half of the minaret of the 15th-century Maras Grand Mosque, which marks the
center of the city, was lost in the disaster, with the falling debris causing
some damage near the entrance of the historical mosque.
Daily prayer services
have since been put on hold due to the damage, while weekly Friday prayers have
been held outside.
Minister Nuri Ersoy
also paid visits to the Sarmiye Mosque, Habibi Neccar Mosque, Habibi Neccar
Foundation of Cultural Mansions, Grand Mosque, Jewish Synagogue, bazaar, Hatay
Parliament Building, Hatay City Museum, and the Necmi Asfurolu Archeology
Museum.
The earthquakes also
spared the Titus Tunnel and neighboring Besikli Cave, built about 2 millennia
ago by slaves to avoid flooding in the Samandag area of Hatay. Home to Antakya,
the renowned "City of Civilizations" and home to many cultural
treasures, Hatay is one of the provinces hit hardest by the earthquakes.
Many of its mosques,
churches, and synagogues, which were among the province's most notable works,
were demolished in the quakes.
Overall, the total
number of works assessed in the earthquake region was reported to be 433, with
121 seriously damaged, 66 moderately damaged, and 57 mildly.
Image Credit: © AA
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