The restoration of Gaziantep Castle, which suffered severe damage in the earthquakes centered in Türkiye’s east on Feb. 6 last year, has reached 60% completion, with the overall restoration expected to conclude by the end of the year.
The 2,000-year-old castle, a symbol of the city, saw the destruction of bastions and interior parts due to the earthquakes. Some bastions in the eastern, southern, and southeastern sections collapsed, along with the collapse of the retaining wall surrounding the castle. Following the restoration tender in May last year, teams have been working diligently for months.
Serdar Murat Gürsel, Chairman of the Gaziantep Municipality, Conservation Application, and Control Bureaus (KUDEB), explained that some stones from the walls and bastions fell onto the road, while others fell into the castle. He emphasized that the foundations of the walls and bastions were on soil, and although there was significant damage to these parts, the sections built on firm soil remained largely intact.
Gürsel noted the swift initiation of work after the tender process, stating, “After the earthquake, we assessed the condition of historical structures. Everyone was concerned about the castle’s damage. We observed the destruction of stones on the castle’s walls and bastions. Additionally, there was a museum gallery inside the castle, and stones fell inward in the upper castle.”
He said, “The foundation of the walls and bastions is a historical structure built on soil. The castle is built on a mound. There is no major damage in the parts on firm soil, but we observed damage in the areas on mounds.”
As the earthquake anniversary approaches, Gürsel highlighted that 99% of the damaged historical and cultural structures in the city have been repaired and reopened for tourism.
