Earthquake in Turkey destroys famous Romano-Byzantine castle

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Historical Gaziantep Castle damaged in the 7.4 earthquake in Turkiye
A view of damaged historical Gaziantep Castle after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit southern provinces of Turkiye, in Gaziantep, Turkiye on February 6, 2023. The 7.4 magnitude earthquake jolted Turkiye’s southern province of Kahramanmaras early Monday, according to Turkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority. (Photo by Mehmet Akif Parlak/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Earthquake in Turkey destroys famous Romano-Byzantine castle

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A famous castle in southern Turkey built by the Roman and Byzantine empires was destroyed in the massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake Monday.

The beginnings of Gaziantep Castle were constructed over 3,000 years ago during the Hittite Empire, according to the book Defence Sites II: Heritage and Future.

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The castle was almost completely destroyed on Monday in the massive earthquake as the shaking was centered almost directly under the city of Gaziantep, where the castle is located.

“Some of the bastions in the east, south and southeast parts of the historical Gaziantep Castle in the central Sahinbey district were destroyed by the earthquake, the debris was scattered on the road,” the Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency said in a news report, according to CNN.

“The iron railings around the castle were scattered on the surrounding sidewalks. The retaining wall next to the castle also collapsed. In some bastions, large cracks were observed,” it added.

Pictures and videos posted on social media appeared to confirm the damage, showing the devastated structure.

https://twitter.com/DailySabah/status/1622490276706287616?s=20&t=Unc18hDsei0M_ueeqXraog https://twitter.com/OAanmoen/status/1622601937337081856?s=20&t=Unc18hDsei0M_ueeqXraog https://twitter.com/yorukhunnn/status/1622497602385195008?s=20&t=Unc18hDsei0M_ueeqXraog

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The citadel was considered one of the best-preserved buildings in Turkey and served as a significant tourist attraction. The main castle was first constructed by the Romans between the 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D., but it was reinvented in its modern form by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian the Great in the mid-6th century.

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