Following the two devastating earthquakes in Türkiye's southeast on Monday, Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy stated that experts on the field are evaluating the damage to all cultural assets affected by the earthquakes, with its epicenter in Kahramanmaraş, and are now taking steps to ensure their safety.
He highlighted that any piece that must be removed from damaged buildings would be protected, and restorations will be carried out promptly in line with their original design.
In the statement made by the General Directorate of Foundations of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, it was stated that the earthquakes affecting the 10 provinces caused minor damage to many structures and historical buildings, such as Antakya's Habibi Neccar Mosque, Adıyaman's a century old Grand Mosque and the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church.
The statement added that teams of experts, including civil engineers and architecture professors from universities, have been formed to assess the damage, protect and restore the ancient monuments. Other universities will also provide academic support, including Istanbul Technical (ITU), Dokuz Eylül, Mimar Sinan and Fatih Sultan Mehmet (FSM).
Some restoration work in mosques, madrassas, churches and mausoleums has already started.
"No piece that revitalizes our civilization will be considered debris or rubble. Each piece that fell from a structure will be protected, and the restoration work will be carried out taking the original form. As a nation that claims its history, I want to thank each and every citizen for their sensitivity to this issue. I would like to highlight that each historical piece has been taken under protection, and I request our citizens to be at ease regarding their restoration," he said.
