By Gabriela Baron
The magnitude 7.8 tremor that struck Turkey and Syria on Monday, Feb. 6, has caused the collapse of a 2,200-year-old ancient Gaziantep Castle.
The Roman-era castle was first used as an observation point during the Hittite Empire and was expanded into a castle during the Roman Empire.
The castle had 12 bastions; during the twin quakes that hit Turkey and Syria, some of its eastern and southern bastions collapsed, while its iron railings and walls were seriously damaged, according to a report by Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu.
2,200 years old Gazintap Castle destroyed by the earthquake in Turkey.
Before vs Now. pic.twitter.com/vAtIWhmlsA
— Xavi Ruiz (@xruiztru) February 6, 2023
“The iron railings around the castle were scattered on the surrounding sidewalks,” Anadolu said in a report.
“The retaining wall next to the castle also collapsed. In some bastions, large cracks were observed,” it added.
Meanwhile, the historical Sirvani Mosque, which is located next to the castle and is said to have been built in the 17th century, also partially collapsed.
More than 3,700 people have been killed throughout the affected areas of Turkey and Syria.
In Turkey, the death toll stood at 2,316, according to the country’s Disaster and Emergency Management.
Meanwhile, 1,444 people were killed in Syria and about 3,500 were hurt, based on the figures from the Damascus government. With a report from Anadolu -ag
