Turkey earthquake: Historical ''Gaziantep Castle'' in southeastern Turkey collapsed

Istanbul: The earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on Monday badly damaged Gaziantep Castle, a historic site and tourist attraction in southeastern Turkey.

The castle collapsed during the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck in the early hours of February 6.

Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu reported that some of the bastions in the east, south and southeast parts of the historical Gaziantep Castle in the central Şahinbey district were destroyed by the earthquake and the debris was scattered on the road. The report said, the iron railings around the castle were scattered on the surrounding sidewalks, adding that the retaining wall next to the castle also collapsed. In some bastions, large cracks were observed," it said.

The



dome and eastern wall of the historical Şirvani Mosque, which is located next to the castle and is said to have been built in the 17th century, also partially collapsed, the agency report added.

According to archaeological excavations, the castle was first built as a watchtower in the Roman period in the second and third centuries C.E. and expanded over time.  It took its current form during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian (527-565 C.E.), according to Turkish Museums, the official site of museums and archaeological sites in the country. The castle consists of 12 towers, and its circumference reaches 1200 meters (3,937 feet).

Most recently, it served as the Gaziantep Defense and Heroism Panoramic Museum.