Following the devastating earthquakes that struck central Kahramanmaraş on Feb. 6, 2023, with magnitudes of 7.7 and 7.6, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's Directorate General of Foundations launched restoration efforts for historic structures in the affected areas.

In Diyarbakır, southeastern Türkiye, the restoration of two out of 12 damaged works under the administration and protection of the Directorate of Foundations has been completed. The remaining projects are set to be finished by the end of this year. Hakan Demir, director of the Diyarbakır Directorate of Foundations, remarked: "We will remove all traces of the earthquake from these cultural assets. Our goal is to complete the restoration of all our monuments by 2025."

Damage assessment

After the earthquakes, which affected 11 provinces, the Directorate General of Foundations began damage assessments on 184 buildings in Diyarbakır, Mardin, Batman and Bingöl. Among these, 12 historical structures in Diyarbakır were found to have sustained varying degrees of damage. These buildings include several significant mosques, such as the Fatih Paşa Mosque (also known as Kurşunlu Mosque), Behram Paşa Mosque, Melek Ahmet Paşa Mosque and others, as well as important sites like the Dört Ayaklı Minare (Four-Legged Minaret), the Ghazi Mansion and the Armenian Catholic Church.

Details from restoration

Hakan Demir, director of the Diyarbakır Directorate of Foundations, explained that damage assessments had been conducted for 184 historical buildings in the region after the Feb. 6 earthquakes.

"In Diyarbakır, we identified damage in 12 of these buildings," he said. Following the assessments, a scientific committee consisting of experts from various universities was established to begin restoration work. This included soil studies, material analysis and project design before the actual restoration phase began. The restoration of two important structures, the Four-Legged Minaret and Kurşunlu Mosque, has been completed and both are now open for worship.

"We also included two more mosques, the Ali Paşa Mosque and Çermik Hanbaşı Mosque, in the restoration program. These mosques sustained severe earthquake damage, so we initiated strengthening efforts," Demir added.

Erasing traces of earthquakes

Demir emphasized that all restoration efforts would be completed by 2025, with the aim of restoring the structures to their original condition and erasing all signs of the earthquakes. "In addition, we have successfully returned the stolen tiles from the Ali Paşa Mosque in 2004, restoring them to their original place. This demonstrates the extensive and high-quality nature of our restoration work. Every stone, every material and every detail is of great significance to us because we are responsible for preserving these structures for future generations," Demir stated.

He also noted that significant structural issues caused by poor construction practices in the 1970s were discovered at the Melik Ahmet Mosque. Solutions, including static projects, soil reinforcement and adjustments to the structural walls and dome supports, have been implemented to ensure the mosque’s preservation.

At Behram Paşa Mosque, a masterpiece by the renowned architect Mimar Sinan, serious project work was carried out. During the restoration process, two previously unknown staircases were discovered. These staircases, which were not recorded or featured in any available plans, will be displayed in their original form once the restoration is completed.

A significant project has also been undertaken at Parlı Safa Mosque, where severe damage was found on the minaret. A collaborative effort between the scientific committee and the technical team of the directorate involved extensive work to reinforce the minaret. Rather than dismantling and rebuilding it – which would have resulted in material loss and the destruction of the original structure – the decision was made to strengthen the existing minaret. Special anchoring systems and soil reinforcement techniques have made the minaret statically sound. Restoration efforts are continuing on the rest of the mosque as well.

Demir concluded by emphasizing that the restoration work would be finished by 2025, with all traces of the earthquake erased from these invaluable cultural heritage sites. "We are determined to complete the restoration of all our monuments by the end of 2025," he affirmed.